"I want to be an actress," said Sitara Ghattamaneni at an event organised by a premium jewellery house to unveil her look book, in Hyderabad on Saturday. It is worth mentioning here that the star kid already enjoys a following of 1.2 million on her Instagram account, which is being handled by her mom, as she's a minor.
When asked if Sitara wanted to join the film industry, she replied with a loud 'YES' without a batting an eyelid.
Her actress mother Namrata Shirodkar said both she and her actor husband, Mahesh Babu have always encouraged kids to do what they want to do. "Kids' happiness matters the most," she adds.
Asked if she was not apprehensive as a parent to send her kid to the film industry, which makes the headlines for all kinds of reasons, Namrata is quick to add that there will be some rotten apples, but that cannot hold true for everyone in the industry She goes on to add that with the right guidance and directions, the cinema industry is a beautiful place.
What about her son Gautam Ghattamaneni's debut? Namrata says that he is still 16 and wants to finish graduation first. "It will take a long time for his launch."
Sitara recently debuted on the Times Square in New York for a jewellery Ad. She was reportedly paid a whopping remuneration.
Mahesh or Namrata, who did Sitara give her first pay cheque to? Neither, says Sitara, adding, she donated it to charity.
Being a brand ambassador apart, debuting on the Times Square was a surprise for her.
She recalls the day with a twinkle in her eyes and an infectious smile, "I was sleeping when my dad came and woke me up saying my Ad is out. I was like okay. Then he's like 'come, check out, it's on Times Square'. I said, 'What's that' and then when he showed me I screamed."
Her mother Namrata adds that Sitara got emotional at that moment.
What was superstar Mahesh Babu's reaction on seeing his daughter's Ad?
Namrata says Mahesh watched it over and over and had tears in his eyes. And the actor parents shouted from their rooftops (read social media) to announce to the world how proud they were of Sitara's milestone.
All of 11, Sitara is prepping for the magical world of movies. And the inclination undoubtedly runs in the family. About the influence of her mom, a former Miss India, Sitara says she learnt how to be confident from her. Why not, she's already earned the title Princess Sitara even before her onscreen debut!
