Nikhila Sankar is a testament to the fact that the times we live in provide artists with multiple ways to showcase their talent. Short films, YouTube skits, feature films—the actor has dabbled in it all. With two releases last week in the form of the OTT film Dopamine @2.22 and the theatrical film Petta Rap, the actor sits down to talk about a journey and career that can truly be used to describe her as a 'new age talent.' Starting with a 10-second role in Maanaadu, Nikhila went on to act in films like Gatta Kusthi and Payanigal Gavanikkavum, before landing roles in Good Night and Lover. On predominantly playing girl-next-door characters, the actor reveals, "That's the kind of roles I've been offered, perhaps because of the way I look and come across." So, is acting in realistic roles more difficult than dramatically heavy roles? "Even though these are realistic roles, the characters are nothing like me in real life. I am an energetic girl. So, there is always an element of performativeness that I should create. But, since I love the job, whether it's challenging or not, it's been enjoyable."

About her characters in all these films having a sense of conscience, Nikhila shares, "It's more of a coincidence, really." But for Nikhila, that doesn't mean that there aren't things she looks for while picking roles. "In general, I make sure that even if it's a role with little screen time, it creates some kind of impact. There should be a scene where I get registered. I also realised I seem to prefer roles that are either funny and jolly or bold. I try my best to avoid glamorous roles. Because of some boundaries I have, I've even rejected some lead roles I was offered, but I think that's okay."

For someone who didn't have acting dreams as a child, Nikhila seems to exhibit a sense of clarity about the kind of work she wants to associate herself with. "I choose my projects very carefully. Even though I can't call myself a big name, I think I've started to lend a sense of credibility to the people who do know me. They've begun to expect content of a certain standard from me." How did she reach here, being offered work at regular intervals? "I was actually pursuing engineering, and I started out wanting to become a singer, which I'm still pursuing. A friend of mine randomly suggested that I try out acting, and I did some auditioning. One thing led to another, and I landed an opportunity in a YouTube channel."

Despite being part of feature films, Nikhila continues to act on YouTube. "We try to release one video a week. I play the lead roles in these videos; I owe many of my opportunities to this." What do the next few months hold for Nikhila? "I am part of Suzhal 2, which will come out around this year's end. After that, there is Atharva's DnA. I also just wrapped up my portions in Raghava Lawrence's Bullet."