Dubsmash helped Varsha Bollamma get her dream debut

 

The Coorg native, who grew up in Bengaluru, had always nurtured dreams of being an actress, but it wasn’t until the popular app came along that she was thrust into overnight limelight —after impersonating actress Nazriya’s dialogue from Raja Rani.

 

“I woke up the next morning to find 15,000 views for the video, and it was going viral on Facebook. Soon, even my Instagram videos were being compiled by fans and shared on Whatsapp. I realised it’s because everyone thought I was a Nazriya’s doppelganger and that made it all the more so quirky!” Varsha recalls, with a grin.

 

And indeed she does bear a striking resemblance to the Bangalore Days star — though Varsha maintains she doesn’t see it. “Nor does my mom! Initially the comparison annoyed me, but then everyone was being overwhelmingly sweet, so I learnt to embrace it. I hope I get to meet Nazriya one day; I’ll take a selfie with her!” she quips.

 

The teenager, currently a student of microbiology at Mount Carmel College, is currently juggling three Kollywood films on the back of a busy year that’s seen her life change drastically.

 

“I’ve always loved Kollywood for  its willingness to experiment, brilliant storylines and immense scope for actors to perform.  After graduating from school, though I wanted to get into films as soon as possible, I also wanted a back-up option ... so I took up a course, I liked. My family was more than supportive, though. Then, a year ago, a friend tagged me in a post on Facebook where new faces were being called for auditioning. I sent in my pictures, and the rest as they say is history!”

 

Varsha has shuttled between Bengaluru and Chennai over the last few months for her three upcoming projects: action-thriller Sathuran in which she’s paired opposite Moodar Koodam Rajaji; the comedy Ivan Yaar Endru Therigiratha (IYET); and the romantic thriller Yaanum Theeyavan.

 

“I’m the lead heroine in all the films — I play a simple girl working at a beauty parlour in Sathuran, while IYET has me essaying quite a serious character. Yaanum is inspired from real-life incidents and is Prasanth G. Sekar’s debut; the character has amazing scope for me to hone my acting skills and deliver on screen,” she says, happily.

 

Balancing her education and career has been challenging for Varsha, but the young debutante is also going that extra mile to ensure she’s not just another newbie. “I know to speak, read and write Tamil now! Over the last year, whenever I got any break, I kept brushing up on the language. I’d love to work with someone like director Atlee one day, and stars like Ajith sir and Arya. Outside work though, I’m a total couch potato. I watch the television and read books whenever I can squeeze in some time. As for romantic relationships, come on, I’m 19! I haven’t really given it a serious thought,” she signs off.