All good things come to people who wait, and actress Preetika Rao seems to be a firm believer in that adage.
The pretty 24-year-old actress was supposed to debut in Sandalwood with Rakthaksha opposite Aditya, almost three years ago, but the project was shelved. She’s now back with Rebel, also starring Aditya, and is all set to take the industry by storm.
Question her on how she landed the role and she says, “Rebel is being made by the same production house as Rakthaksha. However, since the earlier movie didn’t take off, Aditya had promised me that he would surely cast me again in a Kannada film. So, when Rebel happened, he called me and I instantly said yes.”
Does she have any regrets on waiting for so long for a Kannada project? “Absolutely not,” she retorts. “I am a firm believer in destiny. I think there is a right time for everything to happen and that’s what has happened now,” she adds.
Incidentally, Preethika is the younger sister of Bollywood actress Amrita Rao. And, although she’s proud of the fact that her sister is quite well-established, she doesn’t use her sister’s name to get ahead.
“The film industry operates purely on business values as there is plenty of money at stake in every project. Nobody casts you as main lead because you are a popular actor’s sibling unless they really see the spark in you to get them profitable returns. The only advantage being Amrita’s younger sister is the deep insight I gained into the film industry’s modus operandi through her experience. I know exactly how much to expect out of this profession and what not to,” she says.
The actress also nurtures a special love for Bengaluru. “If there is one city that I’d barter for Mumbai, it would have to be Bengaluru,” she gushes.
“I am a Mangalorean, and have many cousins here. When I was a kid, we used to come here all the time. I remember visiting Cubbon Park with my cousins. Some of my best childhood memories are from here. Now, my cousins are excited that I am doing a Kannada film finally, since they have been asking me to do one for the longest time,” she adds.