One year into the debut Nishvika Naidu is managing to carve her own niche in the Kannada industry. The model-turned-heroine, who started her career with Amma I Love You, is now looking forward to her third outing, Paddehuli. It’s a project she feels fortunate to have bagged.
“This offer came to me even before my debut film released. I didn’t have any work to present to the makers and it was my glimpses in Amma I Love You that caught the attention of the makers. I was asked to audition and finalised soon after,” recalls Nishvika, who tells us that it’s her performance that has helped her fetch each project.
“While I was on the sets of Vaasu Naan Pucca Commercial, I was offered Amma I Love. And while working for my second film, I was chosen for Guru Deshpande’s Paddehuli. Seeing my work in my first film, he roped me in for his first production venture, Gentleman, starring Prajwal Devaraj,” says the actor who also has Ramarjuna in the offing. “I started on a right note with three releases this year. This is just the beginning and now I have to prove myself. I am confident to meet the expectations of filmmakers and audience.”
Having said that, Nishvika confesses that she is still learning. “Initially, I was an introvert. But in the process, I realised if an actor needs to showcase her work, she has to reach out to people,” says the actor, who has performed a solo dance in the film.
Through Paddehuli, Nishvika has realised the importance of a backstory, which adds to a character manifold. “I learnt about this backstory during my training in Mumbai. I was happy when Guru put it into practice. We also rehearsed for 22 days before we actually went on the sets. This made a difference, and helped us understand each other’s strengths,” she says.
The two-film-old actor has been paired opposite Shreyas Manju, who is making his debut. At no point did she feel she was only a newcomer. “Even though it is Shreyas’ first film, the subject is not new to him. With his father, K Manju, being a well-known producer in Kannada, films are something he’s grown up with. But he hasn’t taken his career for granted, and trained in various departments,” she says.
So, does having a godfather in the industry help? “Having someone behind you matters until you get a chance. But after that, it is about how you take it forward. People will watch you for your performance and not from where you’ve come from,” she says.
Reliving school and college days
The youthful musical of Paddehuli took Nishvika back to college. But what was more exciting for the actor was wearing the school uniform once again. “We went back our childhood. Guru Deshpande finally had to hold a stick to make us sit one place. It was good to relive those days. It was the most exciting part of the shooting,” she says.