It was six months after the audition, that Sangeetha Sringeri was brought on board 777 Charlie. And since then there’s no looking back for the actor. The project has taken up years of her time. And ahead of the film’s release (June 10), the actor tells CE, “It’s all worth the wait. I didn’t mind letting go of a few projects for 777 Charlie - which I consider as my dream project.”
Sangeetha, who plays an officer at the Animal Welfare Board, was aware that her role in 777 Charlie was special when she signed up for it. “I believe in being an artist rather than just another heroine. For me, performance matters, and I’m happy that I’ve done justice to the role of Devika. Going forward, I’m ok to be part of such films that elevate my character. It is important to be known for my work,” says the actor.
Sangeetha says the experience she gained from working in the film is something she will cherish for the longest time. “Director Kiranraj trained me to be a better actor today. He gave me workshops. He made me unlearn everything I had learnt and I began from scratch. He boosted my confidence before I faced Rakshit Shetty. After a point, I got comfortable being Devika and lived in that role for 3 long years. I am still not out of it,” she says.
When asked how confident about her prospects after 777 Charlie, she says, “Typically, a heroine makes the best out of the first 4 to 5 years of her career, but somewhere I felt, I will get all of it in this one film. 777 Charlie helped me learn the art of patience. After two years, though I was allowed to accept other films, I took a call not to. I didn’t want to make the mistake of being part of a wrong film before 777 Charlie,” says Sangeetha, who has now signed on for upcoming films MariGold and Lucky Man.
777 Charlie has also changed the way Sangeetha looked at animals. She even adopted a street dog. “I have been a dog lover since childhood, and I have rescued many dogs. That way, Devika’s character is something very close to mine. I’m outspoken, and very rude when it comes to standing for myself. The first dog I adopted was called Jacky. My parents were against sheltering dogs inside the house, and I hid them in a shoebox.
I get emotionally attached to it. I even adopted a puppy, named Flora, which was already weak. I didn’t mind taking care of it, though I knew it would not live for a long time. Five months after adoption, her condition worsened, and she passed away. It took a while to get over it. To date, I don’t have the guts to adopt another dog because I fear losing it. The four-legged animal gives you unconditional love,” she says.