Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru/Hyderabad

Bengaluru/Hyderabad, October 16: Actor Rashmika Mandanna has launched Project Annapurna, a charitable initiative aimed at providing essential food supplies and grocery support to families across South India, announcing that she has adopted 400 families as part of the effort.

The actor revealed details of the initiative in a video shared on social media, explaining that her aim was to ease the burden of household grocery expenses for a fixed period, enabling families to save money and plan their futures better.

In her post, Rashmika reflected on how the characters she portrays influence her own life, drawing a connection between herself and Jayamma, her character in the upcoming film Ranabaali.

She said, “There is something in the characters you play that influences you.. A lot of you keep asking whether there are any similarities between Jayamma and me, and my answer is yes - and this is one of them. This has always been me, and this is also her... and I would always keep doing things like this for all the love that you give me... but I always kept it under wraps because I thought if I knew and just my team knew and just a bunch of us knew.. it was enough... but now I am opening up about this because I am thinking.. if this could influence you lovelies out there to do anything like this.. I would be happy.”

Explaining the thinking behind Project Annapurna, Rashmika said she wanted to begin by supporting a manageable number of families at a time, allowing them to redirect the money they would otherwise spend on groceries towards savings and future planning.

“So hence I thought, why not start now... with this! I've adopted 400 families today... and I want to just help 400 families at a time for 3 months each and continue this for the next year and hope that they can save that money on groceries and use it to save and plan their futures better,” she said.

The actor also spoke about the emotional significance of the initiative, saying that the happiness it brings makes the difficulties she has faced throughout her working years worthwhile.

“Even a small act of kindness can change a person's life, and it doesn't have to be big. Let's all start with something small! And trust me, all these smiles are worth every sleepless night, the injuries, the struggles, the pain, the tears, and everything that I've gone through over the last working years.. This is priceless!!,” the actor said.

Rashmika's reference to Jayamma comes ahead of the release of Ranabaali, which stars Vijay Deverakonda in the titular role. The film marks the actors' return to the screen together following their marriage.

Set in 1870s South India, Ranabaali draws inspiration from the Great Madras Famine of 1876–78, one of the darkest chapters in India's history.

According to IMDb, the film follows “a rebellious warrior in 1870s South India during the Great Famine who confronts a British commissioner while protecting his region and people.”

Vijay plays Ranabaali, while Rashmika portrays Jayamma, his wife and companion in the struggle against colonial oppression.

Through Project Annapurna, Rashmika hopes to turn a gesture of support into an opportunity for families to build greater financial security, while encouraging others to recognise that even modest acts of kindness can have a lasting impact.