Life’s indeed a fairytale. That’s the story Arshya Lakshman brings to life with her journey, as she makes her entry into the dream factory, essaying the pivotal role in the second instalment of the Amazon Prime thriller series Suzhal-The Vortex. She didn’t just enter the scene but crash-landed in style, shouldering a central character in her very first on-screen appearance. But that’s only half of the story. Much like auto driver Manickam, who had an untold backstory, Arshya also has a story. Hold On! It’s not anything as intense as Baasha. Instead, it’s an inspiring story about her trip from the boardroom of a successful startup to the captivating world of film sets. In this candid interview, Arshya reflects on her past and on her new avatar as an actor giving a sneak peek into her exciting upcoming projects.

1. From a successful entrepreneur to facing the camera—What made you take that leap into acting?
   So here is a quick background. I did my visual communications and wanted to get into movies immediately as a filmmaker because I knew acting would not be an option, but coming from a middle-class Army/Military family my father wanted me to be super successful in the business world—not in the world of movies where we knew nobody and don’t belong!

Being the older daughter and Daddy’s little girl, I obeyed. I wrote my GMAT and went abroad to finish my Masters in Business. I then joined startups, large corporations, started my own companies, worked for a venture capital firm, headed innovation, et al. But through all this, I always felt like I had never reached my ultimate peak of success, especially from within. I never felt that I truly belonged. It was strange because, according to others, I was ‘successful’. My family, especially my sister and mother, told me to get back in touch with my creative side, whether it’s acting or music, to just start expressing myself, maybe as a hobby.

I slowly started with a photoshoot, some theatre performances, and a few auditions for the screen. I felt like those small moments came more naturally to me, and I somehow did my best. I felt that it was where I could thrive, given the right opportunity. Just like that, one day, within 24 hours, I decided that I was not going to continue in the startup/corporate world anymore, and I became a full-time actor! I’m blessed that every single one of my family members encouraged me and was the wind beneath my wings.

2. You landed a central role in your very first project. What’s the story behind this fairytale?
   It truly is a fairytale. From being a nobody to knowing no one in the industry, the odds are pretty much stacked against someone like me entering the industry. I very quickly realised the fact that it really doesn’t matter how many startups I have run or what accolades I have won in my previous life. In this new career, I am an intern. I have to learn, grow, and hopefully make my mark. I went out scouting for roles that inspire my inner artist. I was always aware of my privilege. I didn’t look to become an actor for only money or fame. Also, I knew my bread and butter didn’t depend on it, because I had gone through the struggle of earning and had established myself to be independent and financially stable. This meant I wasn’t ‘desperate’ to become an actor, but I was ‘HUNGRY’ to become an actor – they are two completely different things!

So I did what I do best – hustle! I asked friends, friends of friends, and relatives. I went and tried to meet various casting directors, producers, and directors. I sent hundreds of voice notes, created a resume, a visual portfolio, and a video of rasas of 13 expressions in one take. One day, a friend told me about this audition at Wallwatchers, and I jumped at the opportunity. One online meeting and one offline audition later, I had the contract in my hand the very next day. I met the directors, producers, and production team for the first time. The team at Wallwatchers (Director duo Pushkar & Gayathri’s film production house) were super professional, polite, and kind. I didn’t know anything. It was a totally cold audition and shoot.

A lot has changed since then. Post Suzhal, I went into acting school, coaching, workshops, Tamil reading and writing lessons, Theatre workshops, etc. But Suzhal was totally cold, and I prayed to God that it would all work out! Once in a lifetime fairytale for sure!

3. What surprised you the most about working in front of the camera, compared to the world of startups?
   There are a lot of similarities between the two industries, but you are right, I was taken by surprise by a few things. The creative process depends a lot on so many circumstances – from weather, emotions, creative wavelengths needing to match, subjective opinions on the process or the outcome, and unpredictable schedules. All this was very different to me. In the startup world, especially with tech products, it’s very often an objective workflow throughout the day.

Also, working in front of the camera as an actor is like a constant test—every take, every new dialogue, every new character—it is exciting and like an exam at the same time! So you go to work every time, not knowing what the result will be like. This can be daunting for some and exciting for some!

4. Do your experiences as an entrepreneur influence the way you approach, acting, or a film set?
   Absolutely, yes! I actually planned my brand or career like I planned for my startup launch. I approached myself as the product, doing a SWOT analysis on myself. I also hustled like a typical entrepreneur, meeting hundreds of people in the hope that something might click somewhere, knowing that I am here to learn in every meeting, grow with every opportunity. I also did a target audience analysis, which industry can I work in—Tamil, Malayalam, English? In fact, before I quit the business world, I sat down with my financial condition on an Excel sheet to do the risk analysis of being an actor and understand if I could take that plunge, and if my future is sorted financially.

Now coming to acting or a film set, the way I analyse my scripts, break down my dialogues, practice, and do the homework, comes a lot from my startup experience of research and groundwork. Also, the confidence of approaching a film set, or a team of famous movie stars/directors/producers come from the years spent in building your own company, creating products, meeting investors—the confidence it gave me to approach a film set helped me realise that ultimately we are all human beings from Meryl Streep to Kamal Hassan.

5. How did you get into the skin of Saroja, especially with the character holding a massive suspense at the end?
   I prepared myself mentally first to distinguish myself from my character. I took time to understand body language, dialogue delivery, memorisation of the dialogues, etc. I also, during the course of the shoot, learnt to stay within the character while on set, something I didn’t know I should do. Another important thing that I had to learn was to change how much I move my body, face, eyebrows, head, etc, to make my acting more appropriate for the screen rather than the big screen. It was work for sure, but I think I didn’t realise what it all takes. This being my first ever role, everything was new and a learning curve! But I guess that is the whole joy of following your passion and being open to learning and growing.
   
6. What kind of roles or stories excite you now as an actor? Now that you have begun your career portraying a character with a distinct shade, will we see more of it?
   Honestly, the reason one becomes an actor is to explore a variety of different roles, characters, and genres. So, I seriously don’t want to box myself into just one type of role. I haven’t tried comedy, romance, or family drama yet, so it should be fun to do something new! I am open to multiple languages like Malayalam, Telugu, and English (British or Hollywood industry). The world is shrinking, and all actors, I believe, can be on a global stage working together in harmony and with love.
   
7. What are your future projects?
   I have a movie releasing in theatres across the US, UK, and Canada. It is also releasing on Apple TV and Amazon Prime and is called ‘A Song for Eresha’. Apart from that, I have a few projects that I am waiting to close, and I look forward to an update soon.