I couldn’t have got a better teacher than my mother: Soundarya

There’s a certain affinity you feel towards Soundarya when you talk to her. Being the daughter of a great Kannada actor, who also was the president of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, you’d expect her to be the typical star kid. But, she’s far too chilled out and seems to be quite ready to chart her own little path, which she starts off with Godfather, starring opposite Upendra.

“When I first told my mother that I wanted to act, around two years ago, she didn’t really take me seriously. But, she’s been supportive. She’s always let me do my thing,” says Soundarya, who adds, “My mother told me that this is her industry, these are her people. She told me that she would guide me and I need not look outside. Honestly, I couldn’t have got a better teacher.”

And Soundarya’s equally delighted about her debut vehicle as well. “I still cannot believe that I’m doing a film with Upendra. We have, in fact, finished all of my talkie portions and I just have the songs left. But, it still is unbelievable. He’s also been a very supportive co-star and the fact that he’s got a director’s brain too, made him help me understand many tricks of the trade,” says she.

Quiz her about sharing screen space with another heroine in her debut and Soundarya confidently retorts, “I’m absolutely fine with it. And it isn’t like I’m sharing screen space with Catherine. She plays my mother-in-law in the film. She has her part and I have mine. Both of these are very different, so there’s no cause for concern.”

Soundarya says that she is currently looking at just concentrating on her debut and not taking on any extra work. “My mother tells me about many other film-makers approaching her for my dates. But, both of us have decided on the fact that I have to concentrate my debut first,” says she.

Quiz her about the entire fiasco about the Telugu film Mr Premikudu, her original launchpad, which was shelved, and Soundarya says, “I had always wanted to start off with a Kannada film. But, it seemed like there was a slight change of plans, but the film didn’t take off. I still hadn’t given up hope. Eventually it looks like Sandalwood was where I am meant to be.”