Abhignya Vuthaluru is no stranger to the digital screen. Her earlier stint as Geeta in Geeta Subramanyam Season 3 had already won her a considerable fan base. But with Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting, currently streaming on Zee5 Global, she steps into uncharted territory — her first full-fledged lead role as the central protagonist carrying the story forward.
In a recent interview with Connected to India’s Sudipto Maity, Abhignya shared her experience.
“Yeah definitely excited,” says Abhignya, beaming with pride. “I mean my first debut happened with OTT, with Geeta Subramaniam Season 3, though I played the female lead in a love interest as Geeta. This undoubtedly is a special new one because I get to be the hero, I get to be the title bearer and I get to connect the audience and introduce them into this village called Viraatapalem and I am more than excited.”
Landing a lead role is no small feat, especially when one hasn’t even auditioned for it. “Yes, I haven’t auditioned for this role which is such a blessing,” she admits. “I mean I do believe in audition as a process, but I call it a blessing because the makers and the crew were very particular about wanting me. They’ve seen my work before and they’ve seen my pictures and they undoubtedly believed in me.”
Abhignya was intrigued by the decision too. “I was curious myself,” she recalls. “The director and the producers had one thing to say — we can imagine you as PC Meena because you somehow have a balance of innocence and also strength, so it can automatically translate and it just flows. Sometimes, energies don’t lie.”
Speaking of energies, the series delves into the supernatural, with eerie twists and unexplained phenomena woven into the narrative. Does Abhignya herself believe in the supernatural?
“Ironically so, I could be a little superstitious,” she says candidly. “It’s not definitely like a thing, right? I don’t believe it just willingly, it’s just like a texture. Nothing serious, it doesn’t make me inhumane or naive. I just like to follow some things like I don’t wear black on special occasions or special meetings and I don’t move forward if a black cat crosses my path. These are silly things that I do follow but I don’t know if they mean anything.”
Though she hasn’t had a direct supernatural experience, Abhignya does believe in energies. “This project definitely is an example of that. I genuinely… last year I was in a space where things were not working out and generally wished for something like this. I remember talking to one of these big producers saying, I want to do something crazy, I want to do something that will make me the hero of the film — and I genuinely wished for it, manifested for it — and this is happening. So if manifestation and belief coming to reality is supernatural, then yes.”
Filming for a series steeped in such themes often brings its own set of curious moments. For Abhignya, the journey was fast-paced and intense. “They had some tight deadlines and they were rebranding — ZEE5 was rebranding — and they really loved the output, so they wanted to sort of give this the best chance there is,” she explains.
Among the standout moments during the shoot was an emotional one for her. “As you can see in the trailer, a lot of women — the brides — keep dying and Meena keeps solving the mystery. I did witness something that made me feel a little disturbed… I’ve always thought that in acting, you can always think you’re acting, but when you actually connect with the character, you genuinely feel that sort of betrayal. That sort of shook me for a little while.”
With her powerful portrayal of PC Meena, Abhignya hopes that new doors will open in the industry. “My intention was always to give my best to whatever comes my way,” she says. “I don’t come from a privileged background in the film fraternity, but I do believe that my life has taught me and given me so many experiences that make me a versatile person and hence I can emote… and probably act a certain way that will make my audience relate to me.”
One of her most cherished memories from the shoot is connected to her costume. “There were a thousand times I wanted to think — hey, you know what, I should keep this jacket as a souvenir — because this is the first time I’m wearing a police costume. So I think the costume in itself sort of gave me a sense of attachment to the script and to the sets and to the story that was translating to this. So every time I wore the uniform, though we were shooting under the hot sun, it felt like it was my skin. It felt like I belonged in this.”
Looking ahead, Abhignya is already working on her next venture. “Right now I am working with an ETV Win project. Its working title is Melbourne Panchayati and I’m shooting for it. I have two projects lined up but I haven’t signed them yet.”
Her goal is clear: “In the near future I really wish to be the best I can, sharpen my skill and be able to emote in ways that can move my people and also create a space and niche for me.”
