How did your film career start?

I was studying at MMK College, Mumbai. That time, Salman Khan’s sister Arpita happened to see me. But, I didn’t know that she told her brother about me. One day, I came from the hospital and the phone was ringing at home. My thoughts were fully clouded with my mother, who was at the hospital taking painful chemotherapy for the cancer. I received the phone and words from the other end said: Hi, I am Salman Khan. Could I speak to Sneha Ullal – I felt that somebody was joking. I just put down the phone repeatedly. When my mom came home after several days, I told her what had happened. Casually, I gave her the incoming number and she tried it back. It was truly Salman Khan who called for me. At first, I was nervous. But, Salman was a sportive man. My parents agreed to the proposal to take me in for the film Lucky. The film brought me instant recognition and I am thankful to the Indian media which shot me to fame. Currently, I am awaiting the release of three films in the coming months. Two movies are in the pipeline in Bollywood. As you know, I am doing the lead heroine in Manoj Kumar’s Nenu Meeku Telusa.
You are having a good time there (Bollywood). Why testing luck here (Tollywood)?I have no calculations. After all, I never thought that I would become an actress. At the same time, I have no inhibitions. I just behave like a normal girl what I was before a heroine. Karunakaran just wanted me for his project. I found it feasible and my dates didn’t clash here. I sincerely did what I could do as per the script. Now that the film (UU) was released, everybody is telling me – Hi, Sneha, you did a fantastic job … this and that. I sincerely trust them. I didn’t lose anything by coming here. As an actress, I am busy here.
Will you settle here if your position gets established here?

Why not? I am not new to South. In fact, my dad hailed from Mangalore. Let me frankly tell you. All these years, I was with my parents in the Gulf. I am not a settler in Mumbai. There also I am just an actress. Here, the same. Now that I have chosen the tinsel world as a career, I have to persist, and I shall.
Which you feel is better – Bollywood or South?

Definitely, it’s South which makes me feel happy. In Mumbai, people are very rude and that is their lifestyle. I don’t have any grumbling. As of me, I am lover of silence and wish to do things without noise. Within a short span, I finished two films without much difficulty. Moreover, people here are very flexible and don’t mind encouraging us, as we don’t know Telugu. But, there, we will always be missing the special attention. Nobody will encourage us. But, just exploit our potential. Rather, I say, it’s a raw deal sans heart and soul.
Heard you are doing a Hollywood flick. What’s it about?

Yes. I am doing a Hollywood film. It is Gandhi Park, to be completely shot in the USA. Tom George is the filmmaker. I already finished two weeks shoot. Soon, I will be resuming the shoot in the coming days. In that film, I am doing the heroine, what you say female lead. I am even happier that I could spread my arm further into the West.
What is your ambition?

This is one thing which keeps me watchful always. I can’t tolerate cruelty to animals, birds or any living creature. I have taken a vow to spread vegetarianism as best as I could. If I get sufficient money, I will start a hospital for the animals. I love them like I love human beings. Everybody is equal in the eyes of God.
Were you a born vegetarian?

Or convert?

It’s like this. One day, I was driving home. I saw some guys whipping and chasing some goats. They came before my vehicle. I just chided them for being cruel to the animals. They shot back – Hello, don’t you eat mutton?

Their words stung me like anything. Guilt covered me. Instantly, I decided to quit non-vegetarian food. And I did it. I am into my third year as vegetarian. When I came here (Hyderabad), I met Nagarjuna couple and got thrilled at their work. Association with them helped me to turn more resolute about my dream for a welfare animal kingdom. Of course, it might sound a fantasy, but I am hopeful of it. I also join the fight against Cancer and Aids.
Did you make any charity so far?

I did it personally. I don’t want to talk about it. I understand your suspicion. Yes. A lot many people talk about animal welfare, alleviation of poverty, fight against AIDS. Mostly, these things are just limited to mere slogans. It has also become a fashion to be a volunteer. If I could do it wholeheartedly, I don’t need to open it to the public eye.
How’s your mother now?

She is doing fine. But, she lost a lot of hair due to chemotherapy. She needs our love. And I am ready for it.
Did you ever fall in love?

Your opinion about marriage?

To be frank, I never thought much about these things. I am still young. Just 20. If you insist, I just say: I love my parents a lot. My dad is so possessive of me. When I want to go on a picnic for a day or two, he doesn’t even entertain the idea of being away from me more than a couple of hours. He makes hungama like a child. Now, they are aging. Their happiness is my happiness. I am dead against the thought of marriage until and unless my parents are assured of their happy life post-retirement. I don’t mind even skipping marriage for their sake.
What is your opinion about skin-show?

Skin-show doesn’t come under entertainment. Of course, I heard a lot about this in Mumbai, Muscat and in Hyderabad. It’s everywhere. But, I am not a taker for this. You see my debut film here (UU). Karunakaran showed me very decently. The same thing is in Nenu Meeku Telusa. I was made to present some decent appeal in the song sequences, that too on the suggestion of director Karunakaran. In other sequences, you will find me very traditional. I like those roles. I wait for those roles. And I will never ever go after roles for money or career. I strongly believe that people in South really don’t like exposing. It’s more a fallacy of mediocre filmmakers, misjudging the taste of the audience.
What kind of food you like?

I already said simple vegetarian dishes. Mostly home-made food.
What’s your favorite dress?

Jeans.
What are your favorite places in Hyderabad?

So far, I saw only Golconda. Since I was working in films here, they took me to the shooting spots. Golconda is one such. I wish to see entire Hyderabad and Nizam splendor as a tourist. Or like a Hyderabadi.
Who is your favorite actor?

In Bollywood, it’s Akshay Kumar. He knew me as a child. He kissed me once. I still remember it.
Recently, SRK and Salman were at loggerheads again. Whom do you support?I don’t know what had happened there. I can’t take sides.
Who are your friends in Mumbai and Hyderabad?

I don’t have any friends at all. I just maintain Hi-Hi relation. It doesn’t mean that I am arrogant. But, I have a good friend, our family well-wisher in Salman. Now, I feel, it’s so long that we spoke again. Of course, he is busy.
What about your studies?

I am studying degree. I just took some break. I will continue.
What is life in your dictionary?

It’s humanism. Love for all.


How come you are in Tollywood?
I am from Bangalore. I have been associated with the films since 1991… that means from the time I was a child. My dad had produced about 20-to-25 films in Kannada since then. The ambience of film shooting is not alien to me. When I expressed my desire to enter into films (as hero), my mother insisted that I should make my debut only in Telugu. It is because she is from Andhra Pradesh (Chittoor district). In tune with my mom’s wish, I am here. Actually, I met director Karunakaran at a function in Chennai. Over a period of time, we got together and the project did materialize this way. I also like Hyderabad very much. I came here a couple of years ago and observed a lot many things about film industry here.
What’s the specialty of Ullasanga Utsahanga?
How different is the love subject in it?
It is not a commercial love story. It is different with fascinating and platonic love. It has the backdrop of a city. I play the role of a roaming guy in a colony and fall in love with a girl who comes there to spend the summer vacation.
Tell about that caption of the film – The Rain of Love?Actually, it was the caption considered for Karunakaran’s Tholiprema. Now, we took it and kept for my film. We actually thought of putting it as the title. Later we dropped the idea as it might sound as an English title.
How comfortable are you in dubbing?
It’s a not a big problem. I can speak good Telugu. In fact, we readied two options: Dubbing voice by myself and alternative from a dubbing artiste. Director Karunakaran will decide the final version on his discretion.
What about Sneha Ullal?
Did you find any Aish-like features in her?Not really. She has changed a lot and is seen with new looks. Her hairstyle also changed a lot. The credit goes to the director. Ullasanga Utsahanga is her debut film in Telugu. She is a busy artiste in Bollywood. I felt happy working with her.
Is there any resemblance between UU and Karunakaran’s film with Pawan Tholiprema?Nothing like that. My film is totally a different one. I had watched Tholiprema more than a couple of times. I didn’t find any similarity between the two.
Tell us about music director GV Prakash?
He is a genius. Now, he is just 21 years. Previously, he worked for Tamil hit film Veil. Seeing his raking performance, Karunakaran roped him in for our film.
Did you take any training in dance?
No. It all happened only after I got into the film. Choreographer Kalyan master did single card for this film. He is very friendly. He is very smooth and soft. That’s why I didn’t feel any problems. Not even once, I felt nervous.
Did you watch your footage in the film?
How did you feel?
Not much. I just watched two scenes. The film is currently under Digital Intermediate (DI) process and scanning. Karunakaran watched the output and expressed his supreme satisfaction about the output. Cinematography by Andrew Y. is fantastic. He was the assistant to PC Sriram.
What were the Kannada films that you watched in Bangalore?But for that hit film Mungaru Malai, I didn’t watch any Kannada film since my childhood. I regularly watch Telugu and English. I didn’t even watch Tamil films. It is because both Telugu and Kannada are given equal importance by Kannada people. To that matter, more importance is attached to Telugu films. There is no jingoism. I watched a good number of films of Chiranjeevi and Pawan Kalyan.
What is the budget of UU?
How many working days did it take?We have never compromised anywhere. We wanted quality first. The budget took us somewhere around Rs. 8 crores. The film was shot for about 120 working days. A good movie taken with Rs. 2 crore or Rs. 10 crore budget will collect the same revenue. Since this being my introduction film, we don’t want to take chances over quality.
Who is your favorite actress?
Soundarya.
What do you do at past time?
I go to gym, morning walk, golf etc.
Is Yasho Sagar your real name?
My real name was Bharath. I turned Yasho Sagar based on my horoscope and numerological suggestion. Yasho, I think a Sanskrit word, means fame. Sagar means as you all know – Samudram. This happened after the shoot was in progress.
When are you planning to release the film?
Most probably on the second Friday of July 2008.