With a distinct connection from the picturesque Konkan coast to coast in God’s own country comes this girl from a conservative Konkani-speaking family. She made her acting debut in Malayalam when she was still in high school — the ninth standard.
Samskruthy Shenoy is on a new high now, after her Happy Birthday in Sandalwood alongside Sachin (the son of noted politician Cheluvarayaswamy) who is being launched by director Mahesh Sukhadare of the Sainika and Ambareesha fame.
The actress who is awaiting her first Kannada release speaks to Bengaluru Chronicle about her new role and how she had to learn about a new culture and some Mandya slang too!
“My father, who is a doctor, was born and brought up in Karakala. Later, he moved to Cochin. We speak Konkani at home and no one in the family has any kind of connection with the film industry. Acting happened by accident. I got my first offer in Malayalam thanks to my photos on social media. My first movie was in 2012 and was titled Black Butterfly, and then Tamil, Telugu and now Kannada films followed. In fact, no one in my family wanted me to get into acting but gradually my career evolved,” says Samskruthy.
She feels that despite several Kannada offers in the past, her family was reluctant to see her in Kannada films but as her father was a huge fan of Sahasasimha the late Dr Vishnuvardhana and more importantly, he was impressed by her role in Happy Birthday, Samskruthy signed her first Kannada film.
“Director Mahesh Sukhadare had contacted my family four times but when he came down personally to share the story, my family was convinced about it on his fifth attempt,” she smiles.
The actress is currently pursuing her second PUC, as on two occasions due to attendance shortage, she had problems. Samskruthy also plans on continuing with studies with a diploma course after pre university.
The pretty girl-next-door has so far acted in four Malayalam movies, one of which is ready to hit the screens in the first week of August, three in Tamil and one in Telugu. Her experience shooting for Happy Birthday, Samskruthy feels, “Was very special as it is a special role, different and challenging too. I knew Malayalam when I did my first Malayalam film and I could manage with Tamil when I entered Kollywood but learning Kannada was difficult, specially considering that I had to learn and understand the typical Kannada spoken in Mandya. I struggled for a few days but later started enjoying the experience,” she says, adding that her character is completely opposite to what she is in reality — living a quiet life in Ernakulam.
She feels that working with Sachin was great as he was hard working. The director, too, helped her gain confidence in terms of acting, and enhancing her onscreen presence.
She reveals that she never wanted to become a doctor like her father Dr Govindaraj Shenoy. “I know how difficult the life of a doctor is. I am the total opposite of him, and hence preferred humanities after my tenth,” she adds.
“It was real fun, like a family trip shooting for Happy Birthday around the beautiful Mandya district — we went from Maddur to Gaganachukki and Bharacukki,” she signs off.
