Model-turned-journalist-turned-actor Preetika made her debut in Tamil last year with the film Chikku Bukku. Now she is making her debut in Telugu film with Priyudu, opposite Varun Sandesh.

The film is directed by newcomer Sravan and will release on December 2.

Preetika is upbeat about Priyudu for which she was chosen from among 600 girls. She gives Radhika Rajamani the details.

How did you think of making a foray into Telugu films?

Honestly, it wasn't planned.

I was getting offers to act in Telugu films since I was in the tenth class. I chose to complete my education and then think about movies. I believe in destiny and Priyudu was destined to be my debut.

Sravan was casting for the movie and happened to see my picture on the cover of a magazine and contacted me through a common source.

He had auditioned 600 girls for this role and chose me almost immediately after he met me in Hyderabad. I liked his script and thought it would be a nice opportunity to connect with Telugu audiences. That's how Priyudu happened.

Is the film a love triangle?

No. It's a fun, college campus love story with a lot of comedy. It's the story of Madhu, who believes in love, and Karthik, who is frivolous about it. The story moves on with a lot of comedy, and eventually ends up as a very emotional love story.

What is your role in the film?

Priyudu is the love story of a college girl and Sravan was very clear from the beginning that the girl's role was on an equal footing with the guy's role.

Priyudu allows me to portray a variety of emotions. The emotional rapport my character shares with her dad (played by director Kaashi Vishwanath) is very beautifully portrayed by Sravan. 

You are cast opposite Varun Sandesh. How was he to act with?

Varun is ten films old and he calls me his best co-star to date. That's a huge compliment! More so because he is himself a very natural performer. His emotional scenes in Priyudu are definitely to look out for! 

What was Sravan like as a director?

Sravan doesn't appear like a debutant director on the sets because he is very clear about what he wants and there are no last minute changes in the script or dialogues.

Priyudu has been shot just like it was narrated to me on day one. I guess Sravan's nine years of experience being an associate to a lot of biggies in the industry, including M S Raju, has helped.

The film has another heroine, Shweta Basu Prasad...

Actually, Shweta will appear in a cameo role, and unfortunately, I don't have any scene with her in the movie. But I have seen her movies as a child artiste and I love her as an actress. She has also done a movie with my sister Amrita Rao.

Priyudu's music is composed by a new music director Mohan Jona. What do you feel about that?

Mohan Jona is someone to look out for. It's hard to believe he's doing this for the first time because his music is so classy.

All the six tracks in Priyudu are equally good. My personal favourite is a romantic number called Chaitrama Chandrama. I have two solo songs, which is rare for a Telugu actress I'm told.

The songs are definitely going to be the highlight of this film with singers like Shankar Mahadevan, Karthik and Benny Dayal.

How did you learn Telugu?

I took private tuitions at home in Mumbai just before starting this movie. But honestly, I didn't find time to study it the way I would have liked to. I have slowly picked up a lot of Telugu during the last six months on the sets of Priyudu. 

How do you feel now that the film is about to release?

Thanks to my elder sister Amrita's experience in Hindi films, I have a clear insight into the entertainment industry. I understand that at the end of it, every actor, director and the movie are victims of box office collections.

I believe that only destiny has a hand in a 'hit' film. So I am very cool about the whole thing. No pre-release anxieties!

I want it to be a runaway success, of course, but irrespective of that outcome, I am proud and content being a part of a movie like Priyudu.