'I really like Sudeep's personality'

Though Deepa Gowda had done a film before she was signed for Last Bus, she credits this movie for having taught her everything about acting. Starting out with needing 31 takes, to canning a scene in a single take, the actress says she has come a long way professionally through the making of this film. Talking to BT over a bowl of ice cream, the actress opens up about the significance of this movie and why she aspires to work with Sudeep one day.Excerpts…
What is your character like in the movie? I play a Christian girl, who is a student. She wants to get married to her boyfriend, but her father is opposed to it, which is why she runs away from home with the help of a friend and ends up on the bus. That’s where the story of the movie begins. My character is a bubbly girl with a strong personality. She is aggressive, and very curious and eager to know everything that is happening around her. She’s a lot like me in real life, since I am also very strong and curious.
You were among the youngest in the team. How did you get along with the rest of the crew? Initially, I was very scared since I was going to be working with established actors and a director of the repute of (SD) Arvinda sir. I still remember that on my first day, it took me 31 takes to can a shot. Although Arvinda sir was very patient with me, I apologized to him later in the day, but he put me at ease by telling me to concentrate on what I had to do and that he would pick the best shots. After that, whenever he used to explain a scene to me, I used to discuss it with my co-actors like Manasa (Joshi), Meghashree (Bhagavathar) and Rajesh (PI), who used to act it out and show me how I could do those scenes better. That’s how I learnt acting, and eventually, I perfected my scenes and gave my shots in one take.
You haven’t had any formal training in acting… I never went to an acting school. After my 31 takes on the first day of shoot, I thought that I should join a formal course to prepare myself better for my next movie, but after completing Last Bus, I realized that I wouldn’t need that as this movie has taught me a lot. This has been like my acting school and I can now act much better. I’ve become very confident after this movie.
Another actress was supposed to play your character… Yes, I was lucky to get this role as another girl was supposed to do it, but couldn’t due to some issues. I got a call to audition for the role after the rest of the crew had already left for the location. The video of my audition was sent to Arvinda sir, who was on location. I got selected and left the same night to join them on location. Everything happened in one day.
What kind of movies appeal to you? I want to do all kinds of movies. I want to show my talent and be an actress, not a heroine. I don’t mind playing small characters, as long as I get good exposure in the film. But yes, I will always prefer doing experimental movies, so I will be looking out for such scripts.
Who are your dream co-stars? I had a small role in Puneeth (Rajkumar) sir’s Ranavikrama, and would love to work with him again. Apart from him, I would also like to work with Yash and Sudeep sir; I really like Sudeep sir’s personality.
What are your other interests apart from acting? I used to be a national-level athlete, so I still practise basketball every evening. I love watching movies and ensure that I watch new releases, especially Kannada films. Apart from that, I read a lot and like Sidney Sheldon’s novels.