For Neha Shetty, becoming an actor has always been her childhood dream. She will be making her Telugu debut in the upcoming film Mehbooba directed by Puri Jagannadh. “I wanted to be an actor ever since I was three and I never wanted to do anything else. As a kid, I had even done a few commercials. Later, I got into modelling and won pageant shows like Miss Mangalore and Miss South India. Then I made my Kannada debut opposite Ganesh,” Neha recalls her route to showbiz.
Even for someone who is not new to the camera, Neha was tense while auditioning for her role. “When I got the call for the audition, I thought I was blessed that Puri sir thought of me. During the audition, I had to deliver a few Telugu words. But I guess I managed well and it’s a dream come true to be a part of his film,” she quips.
Before starting the shoot, the Mangaluru-born had undergone workshops for her part. “We had several script sessions and I also took Telugu diction classes. My dad is from Mangaluru and my mother is from Kodagu, so I speak Tulu, Kodava and Kannada too. And when I was listening to Telugu, I realised that it is a mix of these languages. I can relate to Telugu and am slowly picking it up.”
In the Puri directorial, Neha will be seen as a college-goer. “It’s a settled role. I’ll be seen as a conservative girl. But in real life I am very garrulous, so I took some time to get into character. The role has given me an opportunity to discover myself. Also, my respect for filmmaking has grown by leaps and bounds after becoming an actress.”
