Bhavvana Rao, who made her Kannada debut and won appreciation for the critically acclaimed film Gaalipata in 2008, is winning hearts for her performance in Dharavi Bank. Before that, the actor was seen playing lead roles in Kola Kolaya Mundhirika, and Vinmeengal. In Dharavi Bank, her Bollywood debut, she is playing Suneil Shetty’s sister and the love interest of Freddy. In an interview, Bhavvana Rao tells us about her journey, working with Suneil Shetty, her character, and more. Excerpts from the interview:

Tell us something about your journey.

The journey has been incredible. I started when I was very young and I didn’t know anything about how the industry worked. I still remember that after my first film became a huge hit and when I was stepping out and walking on the road people would refer to me as Pavni as that was my role and I would be confused as to why people were looking at me. There were ups and downs and there will be in the future but now I think I can handle myself pretty well.

I have grown up watching Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi, so acting has always been on my mind but never pursued it as my parents didn’t like it but destiny happened. I am a professional Bharatanatyam and western dancer, so in one show, a channel’s head asked me if I wanted to anchor so I was like “ha why not thoda pocket money ho jayega” since I was still studying. I started getting ad shoots and then one of the editors saw my pictures and said why don’t you talk to Yograj Bhatt; he is looking for a heroine and it’s an important character. So, I went to his office, and they auditioned me twice. I think after that there was no stopping me. I was destined to be an actor, I guess.

How was it working on Dharavi Bank with Suneil Shetty and Vivek Oberoi?

So, with Vivek Oberoi, I did not have any scenes. I just met him during the promotions. I hope in season 2 or the coming future I work with him. My first day of the shoot was with Suniel Shetty sir and everybody was asking me if I was nervous but I actually wasn’t nervous at all maybe because I felt comfortable with the team. He is a gem and a true legend – the way he was joking around with all the AD’s and the way he was talking to me, I felt like he knew me for a very long time.

How did you prepare for this role?

Honestly, my director Samit Sir told me just to come prepared with the lines. All the appreciation I am receiving for my performance is because of my director — I just followed his instructions on the sets. I just want to be like water – flexible in my acting so I can improve more on sets.

Do you think Dharavi Bank is a game-changer for you? Do you think it will open more avenues for you in Bollywood?

I am just very grateful now that I got to share screen space with such amazing actors and be a part of such an amazing project. Dharavi Bank is definitely the best debut I could hope for and we have been receiving so many compliments and appreciation for the show. I hope to receive bigger opportunities from the Hindi film fraternity.

If not an actor, what profession would you have chosen?

I cannot think of any other profession apart from acting I just cannot think of any other profession I don’t know what I would be doing.

What excites you more – Kannada films or Hindi films?

I am a Kannadiga, I am from Karnataka, Bangalore and my journey began in the Karnataka films industry. Whatever little bit of name I have earned is because of Kannada cinema. The love and appreciation that I received here have gotten me so far, survived so far. So, there is no priority as such when it comes to working.

An actor you would want to work with next?

There are so many good actors that I can’t count. I would love to work with Ayushmann Khurrana, Vicky Kaushal, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Rajkummar Rao…

What’s next?

Well, I have two Kannada films releasing so the promotions are going on and I have a couple of other Kannada films in the pre-production stage and hope to receive more opportunities in Hindi too.