'Lakshmi Raave...' producer waited six months to sign Avika

Producer Giridhar says he had to wait for six months to sign actress Avika Gor for his upcoming Telugu romantic drama "Lakshmi Raave Maa Initiki" as she was busy shooting for cinematic debut "Uyyala Jampala".

"We couldn't think of anyone else for the role. Therefore, we decided to wait for six months to sign Avika. When we approached her, she had already started shooting for 'Uyyala Jampala'. We narrated the story and she instantly liked it," Giridhar told IANS.

"Avika aksed us to move on if we couldn't wait, but we had decided to cast her at all cost. So we waited and it finally paid off," he added.

Avika, who is known for her work in Hindi serial "Balika Vadhu", was appreciated on the big screen with "Uyyala Jampala", which turned out to be the biggest low-budget Telugu hit of last year.

In "Lakshmi Raave Maa Initiki", directed by Nandyala Ravi, Avika is paired with debutant Shourya. The film also features Ali, Mukesh Rishi, Satyam Rajesh and Sayaji Shinde in important roles.