This 5 ft 8 inches beauty, who hails from an orthodox Gowda family from Mandya, started modelling model while studying engineering. Soon after her photos started making the rounds, and she ventured into Tamil films. Her journey took her to new destinations including her debut in the Hindi film Rangrezz. Akshara Gowda, who has been busy with her Tamil movies had actually signed her first Kannada film titled Premadalli but for some reason, it never took off. Eventually she made it big with Yogaraj Bhat’s Panchatantra in which she plays a character called ‘Artha’ which means ‘meaning’. The actress who underwent depression talks to Bengaluru Chronicle on how she overcame the problem with medical treatment along withe support from her family and her close friends who stood beside her during the toughest phase of her life, and more.
“After my debut in Tamil and Hindi, I was looking forward to my first film in Kannada, which is my mother tongue. I signed my first Kannada movie which was titled Premadalli but for some reasons, it did not take off and as they say the right things happen at the right time, and so Panchatantra happened to me. I guess, destiny had bigger plans with my Kananda debut. Moreover working with Yogaraj Bhat is like entering into an institution and coming out of it as a graduate. After working with him, I can now talk something about my acting skills. The entire team is so skilful and to portray a female character etched by Yogaraj is treat by itself for an artiste,” says Akshara Gowda.
The actress who graduated from SKIT College in Bengaluru as an engineer, recalls how she landed in the film industry. “Even during my college days, my height which is 5.8” paved the way for several modelling assignments and during one such assignment with Santhosh Sivan, he suggested that I could do more than just ramp walks. I never looked back after that I started taking things as it came. As far as Kannada films were concerned, I was not offered any projects and hence took time to realise my wish to work in my mother tongue,” she adds.
In Panchatantra, she plays the role of ‘Artha’, which has shades of a tomboyish character, but the actress explains that it is a complex character. “It is difficult to understand Artha but it is she who foresees other characters in the movie. It was an honour to depict such a strong female character but the director shows her in the most subtle manners.”
About facing depression, Akshara shares, “I get very emotional when I talk about it and always hope that my fight against it could help at least one person to identify it in their life and overcome it effectively. I could do it because of the strong bond I share with my parents especially my father and my friends, “she says adding, “Initially it was ethargy and then the depression followed , which made me realise that I needed immediate help. It is according to me is no less than a cancer. When a serious illness is diagnosed, a patient is medically treated but people hesitate when it comes to mental illness. I come from an orthodox family and going public about mental illness would easily lead to several consequences and even becomes difficult to get married in the end. But it was my father, who stood beside me and pushed me to get it treated,” she says.
She goes onto add that her father’s word ‘yede gundabardu’ which means that one should not lose faith and become weaker, helped her grab herself and face it with a braveheart.
Akshara concludes by adding that apart from a web series in Hindi, she is excited with the release of her Kannada film. She confesses that her family members are eagerly waiting to see her on the big screen in the state soon.
