Meet ‘Jagadhatri’, a homemaker and undercover cop on Telugu television

Actor Deepthi Manne leads a dual life in the serial Jagadhatri on Zee Telugu. As a fearless undercover cop JD, she combats criminals but embodies a distinct personality as Jagadathri, a homemaker managing the household. “Everyone thinks Jagadathri to be a warm, homely-person but only her father and younger sister are aware of her fierce side as an undercover cop,” shares Deepthi.

With ‘women don’t just accept their fate, but fight for it’ as the theme, Jagadhatri directed by Bhargav Shakhamuri is the journey of a woman who has a nurturing spirit and is in the pursuit of justice. While playing these multiple roles, she has another mission: to prove her mother’s innocence. “Jagadhatri’s mother was an honest cop but was labelled corrupt. Now, the daughter wants to prove to the world that her late mother was not corrupt,” says the actor about the storyline.

Fashion designing to films

Deepthi is a student of fashion designing
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Hailing from Davangere in Karnataka, Deepthi, a Telugu person was born and brought up in Bengaluru. Thanks to her best friend Monisha Gowda, her entry into the entertainment industry happened by chance. While pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in fashion designing, the friends auditioned for a role for fun and Deepthi got selected. “I was lucky. I did not have to struggle to break into the film industry,” recollects the actor, who made a debut with Kannada film Hingyaake.

Her portrayal of Tulsi, a naive and innocent devotee in the serial Padmavati marked her transition to television .“I was new to the field and was unaware of some of the technical terms. But the team was helpful.” This debut on Kannada television also helped her to focus on pronunciation and improve her language skills. “I did know my Kannada was influenced by Telugu, my mother tongue, and used to be confused while saying ‘ha’ and ‘la’. Slowly I learnt the nuances to improve my diction.”

Telugu television

As an undercover cop
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Deepthi played the role of an IAS officer in Radhamma Kooturu, her first serial on Zee Telugu which ran for five years. She attributes the serial’s popularity to her strong role in it. “Telugu audiences instantly connected to my role because I prove girls are the best in the serial. “ Interestingly Deepthi’s stint as Jagadhatri continues her journey of acting in serials that highlight empowerment. “I don’t cry easily,” she laughs and adds, “My uncle who passed away would often tell me to do strong characters which inspire and challenge stereotypical perceptions of women.”

Deepthi also takes time off from television shootings to attend awareness sessions on safety. For instance, a recent session focussed on how women could enhance self-protection and empower through self-defence. “We showed how, when and where one has to use the pepper spray for defense and also which karate technique to focus on if a person attacks from behind. This session has been extremely satisfactory.”

Jagadhatri airs on Zee Telugu from Monday to Friday at 7 30 pm