In a heartfelt interview, Saranya Sharma shares how the loss of her father during the filming of Balu Gani Talkies shaped her approach to acting, her journey from theatre to cinema, and her dream roles. Can you tell us about your early journey into acting? I come from a regular middleclass family with no film background, so the idea of acting wasn't initially encouraged. But I was passionate about it from an early age.
After completing my degree in Electronics and Communications, I decided to pursue acting professionally. I remember taking my first step by reaching out to theatre groups and eventually joining the Nishumbita School of Drama. My first performance on stage was a 2 hour monologue.
How has your theatre experience influenced your film career? Theatre instilled in me the discipline of acting and an emotional grounding that I carry into films. For example, in Balu Gani Talkies, we performed in sync sound, using the natural Kurnool dialect. That experience was raw and real, much like theatre.
Theatre helped me stay focused and deliver a performance without relying on external enhancements like sets or makeup. You faced a major personal loss during the making of Balu Gani Talkies. How did you cope? Yes, it was during that time my father was diagnosed I Juggled Balu Gani Talkies Acting Workshops While My Father Battled Cancer: Heroine Saranya Sharma with cancer, and he passed away soon after.
It was an incredibly tough period for me emotionally. But I knew I had to rema.