CHENNAI: Around a decade and a half ago, when model-turned-actress Sakshi Agarwal was a school-going kid, her only aspiration was to see herself as a teacher one day. “My earliest memories date back to the time when I was in my first standard. I loved my teacher then, and that’s the reason I wanted to become a teacher myself,” she recalls.
Later, her priorities changed. “When I was in my fifth standard I aspired to become an IAS officer. And the reason is pretty funny,” she says with a laugh. “My uncle was an IAS officer, and when I used to see him with all the security, I was fascinated,” she says. However, the pretty lass finally took up the science stream after completing her tenth standard. By then, she had made up her mind to become an engineer. “I was a topper in my school. I was into dramatics, sports and dance. But then, I was shy, extremely shy. I never used to go and initiate a conversation with guys,” she says.
After completing her schooling, Sakshi enrolled for BTech course in Anna University. Even then she had no idea that she would soon be making an entry into the glamour industry. “Believe me, what I knew was to study, study and study. I am a gold medallist from Anna University,” she says. Sakshi worked in Infosys, Bangalore, for around a year and it was during this time that one of her friends walked up to her and asked, ‘Can you walk the ramp?’ And that was it. That moment, Sakshi says, altered her path drastically. From then on, there has been no looking back. Films happened eventually. Sakshi tells us frankly, “When I first walked the ramp, I had no idea what I was supposed to do. But the feedback I received from my friends motivated me. Slowly but steadily, I started getting a lot of modelling offers. Since I’m always open to challenges, I didn’t think twice before entering the glamour industry.”
How did movies happen? “My entry into Kollywood is as interesting as a film script,” she says. “But as far as making an entry into Sandalwood industry was concerned, I was approached after I did a few television commercials,” she adds. Sakshi did an ad for Saravana Stores, and the brother of the cameraman who did the shoot was impressed by her looks. “I guess he discussed about me to director Kamal sir. He approached me with the script when I was in Bangalore. And once I gave it a read, there was no second thought. All I wanted to know was when the shoot was to begin,” she says.
Sakshi will be seen in Thiruttu VCD directed by Kadhal Sukumar, where she is paired opposite actor Prabha. Yoogan and Thiruttu VCD are set to go on floors on or before December this year. “I am excited about the two films. While Yoogan is a suspense thriller, Thiruttu VCD is a family entertainer,” she says. Any actors and directors she would like to work with? “I’d love to work with Karthi, Arya and Vishal and among directors, with Shankar sir, Mani Ratnam sir and A R Murugadoss sir,” she says.