This name change signifies the start of a new chapter in my life: Rithvi

Your name is your identity, says Rithvi Jagadeesh, formerly Deepa Jagadeesh, who is currently shooting for the Kannada film, Kona, alongside Komal Kumar. “I changed my name to show the world and to myself that this is the beginning of something new in my life. Deepa is a name people associate with me, while I was a TV actor and though I’ve done movies before, this is the first time I’ve bagged a pivotal character, so I felt like I must reinvent myself,” Rithvi tells us.
When asked how people took to her changing her name, she says that her friends and family were all for it. “Slowly, but surely, my close ones are calling me Rithvi. Even if someone slips up and calls me Deepa, they always correct themselves immediately and I feel blessed to be surrounded by such encouraging people,” she says. But does it feel like she’s lost a piece of herself? “Not at all, in fact, I am looking forward to the things that will come my way as Rithvi,” she adds.
However, there’s been no chatter on social media about her name, except for changing her handle. “I’m yet to make an official announcement about my name because I’m waiting for the release of Kona. That’s when I want the world to know my new identity,” she shares.