My life has changed tracks many times but the first major turning point was graduating with a degree in advertising. And it was my interest in advertising which led me to the world of modelling and later, films.

I landed my first big modelling assignment in 2000 for Sreeleathers, a shoe brand. I won the contract in the face of stiff competition from many seasoned models. This was a huge boost for my confidence at a time when my career was just taking off. A series of campaigns for brands like Boroline, Mother Diary and Metro Dairy followed and soon I decided to move to Mumbai to seek more opportunities.

After I moved to Mumbai in 2003, I was walking down the street one day and was approached by Ravi Babu, the Telugu film director for the lead role in his film. I acted in five movies in Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. In 2007 I was approached by Sagar Arts to play Sita in Ramayan, aired on NDTV Imagine.

The role was a major turning point as I became a national face overnight. During this time, Gurmeet (who played Ram) and I toured the whole country and were amazed at the way people looked upon us. We garnered a massive fan following — including elderly people — and they even touched our feet because we played Ram and Sita. The serial concluded in 2009 and several offers for roles in television serials poured in thereafter.

But my sights were set on films and at the moment I’m excited about playing the lead role in Hyderabadi Damaad, my first Bollywood film. I play a tennis player, a role that has been inspired by the life of India’s tennis star, Sania Mirza. I’ve shed a lot of weight for this film and I hope the audiences like it since I’m finally playing the role of a girl my age.

(As told to Nandini Guha)