Asmita: From ramp to celluloid sprint

Hyderabad: From the time she was 11, Asmita was smitten by the glitz and glamo'ur of modelling. 'I was fascinated with the idea after watching a Miss India pageant on television and since then I always dreamt of becoming a Miss India,' shares Asmita.

Well, her childhood dream did come true albeit in a small way. Asmita was one of the finalists at the Miss India pageant this year. She is only too happy to talk about it.

'I was preparing myself for the last two years and I finally got my chance this year. It has been a dream come true and the whole experience was an eye-opener. I got to interact with some of the best models, choreographers and fashion designers in the industry and I even bagged the Tissot Femina Miss Perfect Time,' she beams.

Born and brought up in Shimla, Asmita is a Commerce graduate from Delhi. She then moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in modelling. 'My first big break was with Uninor. It paved the way for a whole host of prestigious campaigns for brands like Airtel, Coca-Cola, SBI credit cards, Imperial Blue and Big Bazaar, to name a few,' she shares.

Asmita was also shortlisted for Channel V Get Gorgeous last year. That's when her life took a turn towards cinema. 'I got a call from my casting agent about an audition for a Telugu film. I went to the audition, and the next thing I knew, I was playing the lead in Brahmi Gadi Katha' she says.

It was not something she was expecting. 'I had never thought about acting until then, as I was too engrossed in setting my career on track. But this came as a pleasant surprise,' she shares.

With Varun Sandesh in the lead, Brahmi Gadi Katha released in July. 'The role was challenging, exciting and had a lot of scope for me as a debutant. It was a great learning experience and I loved every moment of it,' she says.

But easier said than done. Asmita had to face her fair share of challenges too. 'Language was an issue initially. But I managed to get the hang of it, thanks to my co-star Varun Sandesh and the director Eswar Reddy. They were very patient with me and put me at ease. I am still not fluent in Telugu but I will be soon enough,' she declares.

Tollywood has been quite lucky for her. 'It was during the shoot of Brahmi Gadi Katha that I got the call for Miss India. So, Tollywood has been more than lucky for me,' she says smiling.

Asmita is currently busy with her modelling assignments but is also interested in doing Telugu films. 'I've been busy with my modelling commitments off late. I have heard a couple of scripts as well but nothing has materialised. Hopefully I will be acting in another Telugu film soon,' she says.

An athlete during her college days Asmita is a fitness buff. 'I've always been a very sporty kind of a person and have represented my school and college in athletics. That's something that has stayed with me and I love my work-out sessions,' she shares, adding, 'I also like learning new languages, socialising and reading.'