Nabha Natesh is the current head-turner in Sandalwood, not just because of her looks, but because she has managed to bag the lead role in Shivarajkumar’s upcoming film Vajrakaya. An IT engineer, the newbie has had a brush with modelling and theatre before she was noticed by director Harsha.
According to the spunky debutante, her character in Vajrakaya has the potential to give her enough experience in acting for the long run. “It is a strong character and I had to get into the skin of Pataka, the name of the role I am essaying,” says Nabha. The rustic characterisation while maintaining a hyper energy, smoking beedis, riding a horse, relating to village life...all seem to have taken the actress to a new level of maturity and she has Vajrakaya to thank for it all.
“There were many aspects that I had to learn for the character. I had to even let go of a lot of projects because of the intensity of the role, which required complete dedication. Since I have a theatre background, it helped to execute the strong role to everybody’s satisfaction,” says the actress who reveals that her patience was tested after her audition.
“It took almost two months for me to know whether I was in. And then I had to spend three-and-a-half-months to learn a variety of behavioural patterns,” says Nabha.
Nabha reveals though she was a movie buff, she was never drawn to the camera initially. “I watch all kinds of movies in different languages and of different actors. I guess without my knowledge, I fell in love with the silver screen. Then acting offers came up,” she says.
Hailing from Sringeri, the actress admits that she had built her own perceptions about Sandalwood as well as the stars. “I felt for a long time that seeing and speaking to actors was just a fantasy. When I became an actor myself and started interacting with them is when I understood that they are all normal people.” She adds, “An advantage was that I got the big break and got to work with Harsha, a director who has a lot of conviction. I was initially nervous about my interaction with a star of Shivanna’s stature. However, Harsha made be comfortable.” The actress reveals that she has been in awe of the humble nature of the talented Shivarajkumar. “He is a big motivational icon for beginners and never behaved like a star,” she adds..
The actress is now comfortable in the industry with offers pouring in from Kannada and other languages.
“Irrespective of any film, I will look carefully and pick a subject where I can grow to be a better actor,” she says.