A prodigy in the making

Sadhna, who shot to fame with her role in Thanga Meenkal, won several awards for her performance. Right from national award to Tamil Nadu state award, she has tasted success through her debut acting venture. While we know her as a hyperactive child actress in the industry, there is an unknown side to her, who is currently pursuing her 10th grade in Dubai.

Her first love has always been dancing and recently, she performed her debut dance recital (arangetram) in Chennai, which witnessed prominent personalities from the dance and film industries grace the occasion. Speaking to DC, an excited  Sadhna says, “My mother Lakshmi Venkatesh is a dance teacher herself and owns a dance academy in Dubai. I grew up watching her and started learning Bharatanatyam ever since I was five. Dance is amma’s passion and she even did her Masters in it. It has been 10 years since I started learning the art and I must say that it has improved my confidence and mental fitness.”

According to Sadhna, dance paved way for her acting career. “Director Ram uncle met me during a dance class and offered me Thanga Meenkal. I’d say acting comes along with dancing. The expressions I give in a Bharatanatyam routine helped me emote on screen. I’ve grown to a point that I cannot choose one thing over another. Both acting and dancing are my favourites,” she quips.
Apart from dancing, Sadhna also learns sketching, music and veena — “Managing my school work and extra-curricular activities is challenging.

Thankfully, my parents and my school management are supportive. I think people should organise their time properly — that’s why I am able to multitask.”
Sadhna’s eyes glow when the topic veers towards her next flick, Peranbu, which has Malayalam star Mammootty as the hero. “When I shot for Thanga Meenkal, I was young and didn’t know what I was doing. With Peranbu, I was scared and sceptical whether I could pull it off. Ram uncle encouraged me and I am sure he knows how to extract work from me. Before the shooting commenced, I rehearsed meticulously for my role. I was glad that I could share screen space with an experienced actor like Mammootty sir. It was an enriching experience and I keenly observed his variations in expressions during the shoot.”

The actress urges children to indulge themselves in extra-curricular activities. “When we are in teens, it is the time to concentrate on individual development. After we grow up, our learning space would be curbed. Studies is also important, but we may not use it in our daily life. So, it is better that we learn as much as we can during our teens,” she reveals and takes leave.