Acting in Mungaru Male 2 was like 10 different films

Like a lot of youngsters, Neha Shetty grew up with showbiz dreams ' films is what she wanted to be in. As a stepping stone, she had ventured into modelling and was balancing it along with her academic pursuits, when the call for a

Kannada

film happened. 'I always dreamt of getting into films, but didn't think it would happen so soon. I am only 18 and thought of it as a career option after completing my engineering degree. When I got the offer to star in

Mungaru Male 2

, I was over the moon, and, thankfully, my family was very supportive and asked me to go ahead and fulfill my dreams,' says Neha excitedly.
But with no prior acting experience, being on the set almost turned out to be her undoing. 'On my first day on the set, I got to meet my co-star Ganesh. He is such a big star and I was jittery. Then, to top that, I had a lot of lines and I was a complete bundle of nerves,' recalls Neha.
But then Ganesh sat me down and explained that I needed to relax, believe in myself and understand my role to make things easier. Luckily, my character in the film is pretty much like how I am in real life. I am a very bubbly person and like to do what I set my mind on. Relating to the character helped me a lot,' says Neha, adding, 'I am very lucky to have started my film career with a direction and production team like this. Considering that I am so young and both my parents are working, I often used to travel alone, but the team made sure that I was never lonely and made me feel at home and comfortable. I never felt that I was the newbie on the set and that I don't know anyone.'
Ganesh, she says, was at the forefront of making her feel at ease. 'When he is on the set, everyone is all smiles and jovial. Throughout the making of this film, we have had a lot of fun. During the shot, Ganesh is so focused on his work, but the minute director Shashank calls cut, he would be back to cracking jokes,' says Neha.
Shooting for the film, says Neha, has been like working on 10 different films. 'I did song-and-dance routines, I shot for an action sequence in which I was hung by a rope, I rode a

camel

and even fell off it. I shot in snow, rain and sun. It was quite a roller coaster ride, but one that I am glad I was a part of,' says the young actress.