''Whether insider or outsider, there should be equal opportunities regardless of their background,'' says Seerat Kapoor

Is there a single actress in Tollywood who hasn't been criticized for her looks? Well, meet Seerat Kapoor, the emerging queen of Tollywood. Seeing her performance and beauty, one can definitely say that the day is not far when she will literally burn the silver screen. She started her career as a dance instructor and got the chance to act in Sharwanand starrer Run Raja Run. It’s an impressive debut, driven by fine performances and confident direction. She was last seen playing Rukhsar in Krishna and His Leela, which received positive reviews from the audiences. In an exclusive conversation with ETimes, Seerat Kapoor talks about her acting career, nepotism, tells us through her journey in the showbiz and reveals more about her upcoming projects.

I think I would keep making short term goals as far as I remember. I was very intuitive to how I felt at that point of time. So while growing up, I have been extremely passionate about dance and art. I took baby steps towards it gradually. During my college days, my passion was always dance and music. I had joined Ashley Lobo, The Danceworx, Mumbai as a student. My senior advised me to take up dance as a profession, to teach people of various age groups at the time. So that’s how it really happened. I have also trained in Indian classical music.

I did not choose acting as a career. Like I said, I’ve learnt dance and music in my college days and joined as an instructor. It happened in 2014 literally. I received a casting call from the team of Run Raja Run just a few weeks before I had opened my mind towards acting. Then I auditioned for the film and bagged my first professional acting gig. So, that’s how I ended up facing the camera. It all happened quickly, and I am really grateful that I got to work with credible people.

I think every day is different, which is why I am always excited to know what’d I do when I wake up the next morning. I prefer to maintain my lifestyle in general. My routine includes the gym, eating right, watching a lot of interviews and getting inspired.

My first experience in the industry was very warm. It was a lovely experience working with the team of Run Raja Run. The whole team was welcoming and supportive. I was really blessed working with them. I always felt at home while working on sets. So, it just has been a thumping experience so far.

Honestly, as an actor, I am drawn towards versatility. That is what I want to be able to achieve when I look back at my career graph. I enjoy playing characters which have importance in the story. I would love to play layered characters that will engage viewers in the story telling. I always look for challenging roles where I can use my capabilities like acting and dance for making a significant contribution to the world of cinema.

In the South, I have been following Vijay Deverakonda’s work. He does some cool stuff. I would love to work with Sharwa again. Since Run Raja Run, people always wanted a sequel. Nani, Ram Charan, Dhanush, Mahesh Babu, Allu Arjun, Ravi Teja and the list continues. When it comes to filmmakers, I would like to work with Mani Ratnam sir and SS Rajamouli sir. I would be open to working with anyone aspiring to.

I personally feel that the opportunity should be equal to everyone whether he is insider or outsider regardless of their background. Off course, there are certain privileges for people who come from a filmy background. And I guess that’s quite natural. Each one of us needs to take responsibility to keep the atmosphere around us much more honest and encourage new talent along with the celebrities’ children.

Well, there has been a lot of speculation about his death. I literally obscured because I have known Sushant. He was a happy go lucky guy, spontaneous, intelligent and positive. To lose someone of this age, and more importantly of this mindset is extremely disheartening. He will always remain influential as a human being apart from being a profound artist.

I will appear in Aditya Mandala’s Maa Vintha Gadha Vinuma, opposite Sidhu Jonnalagadda. It is the perfect surprise for all those writing in, to see us on screen again together I have also signed another project which, will be disclosed at the right time. The official announcement of this project will be made by the makers soon.