Sneha is one of the few actors to win more awards outside her state than from within. However the laurels that she has won in her own state cannot be ignored. Sheha has won many awards consistently in Andhra Pradesh. The Government of TamilNadu has already announced that she will be honoured with the title of Kalaimamani. Sneha is by all means the first choice for a director with who has a sensitive story.

Sneha has acted with stars like Nagarjuna ,Balakrishna , Kamala Hassan, Vikram ,Surya and many others . Here are her answers during an interactive session with our reporter.

1. You entered the film industry in Telugu as “Suhasini” , how come you are known as Sneha?

My real name is Suhasini and when I signed my first film i intended to stay with that name. But the film ran into delays and in the meantime I had signed up for my first Tamil Film. As it happens to most actors the director suggested that I change my name to Shena . It has been a lucky change as this name.

1. Who was this man who made you change? People generally do not readily agree to change their names?

The credit goes to Susi Ganesan . I was shooting ‘Virumbugeran” under him at that time and the Telugu film which I had done was still pending for release. So I agreed.

1. So it was a really good move in your career?

Absolutely! I have enjoyed the success which I achieved with my screen name. I don’t think anyone knows or remembers me as Suhasini any more.

1. You are known to have a smile in your face most of the time. Do you find things amusing?

It is not that I find the world , but that I am a happy person from within. My father always hid his sorrows and only expressed his happiness. He was not pretending to be happy but he used to tell me that it was better to keep ones sadness to himself and share the joys with others. Nobody wants unhappiness. His advice was to be cheerful whenever possible and I try to be like that. I did not realise that it made me into a ‘Smiley”.

1. Did you want to become an actress. Was it one of your goals?

Well, my family expected me to become a dancer. Dance master Kala is related to me and when my photograph was published in Kumudam magazine, people approached her to get in touch with me. She took the initiative and said yes on my behalf.

1. Where did you grow up?

My father was in the oil industry and so we have lived in difference parts of the Persian Gulf.

1. Are you very happy to be in Cinema?

Either ways, I am content I have no regrets

1. Did you have any one as your role model when you came into films?

Not many but I admired Soundarya. Her roles were very selective. She used to do offbeat roles . She always projected a soft image.

1. What sort of roles do you like?

I like variety. If I play a college girl all the time it will bore me, it’s the same with glamorous roles. I look for variety when a director approaches me with a story . I always like to ask the director why he came to me and if he points out something about me that made him approach me I readily accept. That is why I readily accepted Pallikoodam in which i play a school teacher.

1. A hundred films have been made of teachers with a cane in hand. What is special about being this teacher?

It’s all about the treatment. Normally when I am narrated a scene I do it in my mind until I am satisfied. When I actually enact the scene I am a little disappointed and when I get to see it on the screen I think I could have done it better. But in Pallikoodam it was just the reverse. When the scene was narrated to me I thought OK. Then when I did it better in front of the camera I thought I did it well but when I saw the rushes I was blown away. Not because of what I did but because of the overall perfection of the scene.

1. How about the non - acting part of your life. Do you see marriage in your plans?

Not at this moment. Marriage is an important part of everyone’s life but I am in no hurry. I will wait for it to happen.

1. What do you look for in your would be life pertner?

Most girls will say no but we all have .I will look for qualities in my husband that every girl would. I want him to be interesting. People marry for love and I may too but he should be kind human being .

1. I hear that you celebrate your birthday at the Deaf and Dumb Children’s School .Is that done with any motives?

Yes, my motive is to bring in some joy in their lives. But more that that I think by doing that I draw attention to things we need to focus on. I love doing it and I just be myself.