Kavitha Lankesh, who grew up surrounded by literature, art, and culture, found inspiration for her first feature film, Deveeri, close to home. She discussed her plans with her father, the late Kannada literary icon P Lankesh, who suggested she adapt his novella, Akka, into a film script. However, after noticing the script taking on a more literary tone than cinematic, she decided to write the script herself. The film was shot on a tight budget of ₹32 lakh, with art director Shashidhar Adapa receiving praise for creating a set so authentic that it was mistaken for a real slum. Despite her father jokingly predicting a disappointing outcome for the film, he passed away before its release.Despite receiving financial support from three friends, she still values the two pages her father initially wrote. "When I approached Nandita Das for the role, she was known as a top-tier actor. The setting of Deveeri was in a slum, and I was searching for someone who could truly embody the character. Despite considering various actors from Kannada cinema, Nandita appeared to be the perfect match for the role. Although renowned for her discerning choices in art films, she graciously accepted the role and performed it with elegance," shares Kavitha. Reflecting on the past, there is a certain innocence to creating your first film. Over the years, it's delightful to revisit those memories and see how much progress has been made.

Manjunath, who portrayed her younger brother Kyaatha, was residing in Bosco House at that time—a home for orphaned children. "When Manjunath met Nandita, he was surprised and skeptical about her ability to play the role because she didn't speak Kannada. He had no knowledge of dubbing," she fondly recalls. One of Kavitha's cherished memories is her father's response to the film after its completion. "After filming Deveeri, I invited him to watch it. He teasingly remarked, 'I knew you would make a hopeless film anyway.' My father was not someone who openly praised, but later, he wrote in an article, 'Deveeri is a film that would make anyone envious.' That was all the praise I needed. Although my father watched the film, he passed away before its release," she reveals.

Nandita and I have maintained a close friendship, and she shares a special connection with my daughter, Esha. Recently, Esha visited Nandita, and they had a wonderful time together. Kavitha's care for her team went beyond the shooting sets. "We established a fixed deposit for Manjunath, who was just 12 at the time. Instead of giving him cash, we set aside money that he would receive when he turned 18. He later purchased his first bike with the money from the fixed deposit."He used the money to purchase his first bike and then treated me to a ride. I still keep in contact with him.