Bhubaneswar, Feb. 19: Getting into films was her childhood dream, but she never expected it to come at such an early stage in her life.

A second-year undergraduate student of KIIT University, Ipsita Priyadarshini, has bagged the lead role in Marathi film-maker Adeeth Bhandarre's upcoming venture Ek awaaz.

The film is a supernatural thriller, portraying a struggle between the everyday world and the sinister beyond. Ipsita, 19, plays the role of Nishi, an optimistic and brave character, who tries to unveil the realism behind the paranormal activities.

Ipsita, who always aspired to become an actor, learned through her friends that the auditions for the film were being held at Mumbai and Pune. She had taken part in various rounds of the auditions.

"I had a lot of apprehensions before trying my luck. First, getting myself recognised amid the participants, who were already trained from acting schools, was a challenge. Moreover, I had no prior experience of working in films, so that fear was also very much there," said Ipsita.

But, she feels that what clicked was her confidence and interest in the supernatural, which of course is the theme of the film.

Speaking about her experience during the shooting, Ipsita said: "All the crew members were very supportive. We shot at extreme temperatures, and I came to know about a number of techniques of film-making."

The film to be released both in Hindi and Marathi is scheduled for April.

Speaking about Ipsita, the director of the film, Bhandarre, said: "She is a very hardworking girl. We are quite upbeat about the film, and I am hopeful that the audience, especially the people from Ipsita's state, will appreciate her role."

Earlier in 2014, Ipsita had tried her hands at the Miss Vizag beauty pageant. She was shortlisted among the top 10 finalists where she stood fourth and also bagged the miss popularity award.

The young talent has been into modelling since the past five years and sashayed the ramp for a number of prominent cosmetics, perfumes and car manufacturing brands.

"At the end of the day, I aspire to become a supermodel. I want to work in films as well, but being in the glamour industry is my ultimate aim," said the young woman.