Rashmi Rekha Das
Thanks to a high-flying debut in the Oriya film industry, young actor Preeti Priyadarshini is all set to showcase her mettle in the years to come
If you thought that acting is no cakewalk, especially for kids, think again. It’s true that actors have to put in a lot of effort to understand the different shades of a character. But, acting comes naturally to some. Meet little wonder Preeti Priyadarshini, aka Adyasha, for whom acting has never been a tough job. With the hi-profile movie Baby in her kitty, the pint-sized actress has become a household name. Juggling between school schedule and shooting, the young actor has made a great entry into tinseltown. Her impeccable acting skills in Baby brought her the best child artiste award. In an interaction with Orissa POST, the talented artiste shares her experience of working with Oriya film heartthrob Anubhav Mohanty in Baby and her dreams and ambitions.
Preeti, a student of Class I at Saint Xavier High School, started showing interest in acting when she was only 2 years old, and, over time, has transformed herself into an accomplished performer. Her mother, Rima Rani Sahoo, a homemaker, said, “Preeti grew up watching dance shows and mega soaps on TV. She used to portray characters from daily soaps in front of family members. This way, she mastered the art of acting. No one taught her the ABC of acting. She is blessed with acting skill. She is a born actor.”
Asked how her daughter made it to the big screen, Rima said: “Assistant director Rajendra Mahanta once saw her perform in a dance competition and offered her the role of a child artiste in the movie Love You Jessica. The Sushant Mani movie in which Preeti is seen essaying the character of young Jessica has already been shot, but is yet to release.”
Asked how Baby came Preeti’s way, Rima said: “When the editing of Love You Jessica was in progress, Anubhav, who was present in the studio, was impressed by Preeti’s acting skills. He decided to cast Preeti in his next flick, Baby.”
Asked to share her experience of working with Anubhav, Preeti, who hails from Keonjhar, said: “Baby uncle (she calls Anubhav ‘uncle’) is very sweet. He treats me like his daughter. We had loads of fun on the set of Baby. He has promised to take me in his next movie. That’s not all. He told me that I would play his heroine when I reach the age of 16. He frequently calls me and talks to me. I really miss him.”
Born to mechanical engineer Sanjay Kumar and Rima, the little angel attributes her success to her mother. “As her parents, we give Preeti every support to make her dream come true. All depends on her. We won’t push her towards a goal; she should find it herself. We are fortunate to have a child like her who made us proud,” said Sanjay.