Ms Congeniality

For US-born Meghana, who plays a bubbly college girl in Venkata in Sankata, acting is a long-cherished dream

Ms Congeniality

For US-born Meghana, who plays a bubbly college girl in Venkata in Sankata, acting is a long-cherished dream

Don't let the accent fool you. The doe-eyed beauty speaks Kannada fluently.

"I must thank my ajji for that.

When I came down from Orange County, Los Angeles to Bengaluru every summer my grandmom insisted that I speak to her in Kannada. Thanks to her, I can read and write the language too," she says.

Films may have been an obsession but academics always came first. Meghana graduated from the University of California and worked with a non-government organisation for a year before pursuing a career in films.

As films were always on her mind, she had trained in Kathak and free style dance in the US. "I did a one-month course in acting at AS Murthy's school, Abhinay Taranga," she says.

Lucky break

How did she land a role in Venkata In Sankata? "I met Ramesh Aravind at a friend's party. He asked me to audition for a role. I gave a screen test and I was signed up," she says, crossing her fingers that she was spared the proverbial struggle that most newcomers have to go through.

Admitting that her role in the film is frothy but insisting it is not frivolous, Meghana believes that she couldn't have asked for a better debut.

"Right now, I am still finding my feet in the industry. I will aim for variety later. Actually, my second film Shishira is a serious one," she says.

u00a0Is she is a prankster in real life? "No," she squeals, "I wouldn't have the guts to play so many pranks like I do in Venkata in Sankata." Didn't we tell you she's the original nice girl?

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