The first day I acted opposite Darshan during Yajamana shooting, I forgot my lines: Tanya Hope

Tanya Hope, who is making her Kannada debut with Yajamana is already creating buzz with the song Basanni baa. And for this, she has music composer and the film's director, V Harikrishna to thank. The peppy song, featuring Darshan, is already a hit. “I am happy to be called Basanni. I always wanted to be a part of a dance number, an opportunity I got with Yajamana. So far, I have only done songs that feature me in montage shots. Being Basanni, even for a few moments, was exhilarating. I like dancing, and I went on to do a full performance. I should thank the choreographer Ganesh, who was very helpful with the dance steps,” says Tanya. 

She is not just Basanni in Yajamana, says the young actor, adding, “My name is Ganga in the movie and I am a journalist. As an independent journo in the film, I help Darshan in a case that he is fighting for.”

Like every newcomer, Tanya too had butterflies in her stomach when she had to face the camera with big stars. “The first day I had to stand opposite Darshan, I forgot my lines. Even though I was trying to keep calm, at one point, I froze. Everybody was waiting for me to perform, but I went blank. He did see me getting nervous and told me, ‘Stay calm’ and asked me to look at the camera and deliver the dialogues. Eventually, I got comfortable,” she says.

The film also sees her sharing screen space with Rashmika Mandanna, and she is quick to explain that they have completely different roles. “Hers is a love angle and I am involved in solving a case. We are part of two different dimensions of the story. At no point is there is any overlap in our roles,” she says. 

Tanya never imagined that she would have two films of hers -- Yajamana and the Tamil film, Thadam --releasing on the same day (March 1). “I will be in Bengaluru and I am preparing myself to watch back-to-back films.” 

Talking about how she was inspired to enter cinema, she says, “When I was younger, it was my sister, four years my senior, who always thought of acting, modeling and dancing. She was my inspiration to become a heroine. When we were young, she was the filmy one and the ‘Madhubala’ in the house. However, she didn’t end up pursuing it, but here I am.” 

Discussing about her career so far, Tanya, who does not come from a film family, says, ‘‘From my first film, I’ve enjoyed acting. I now love it so much that it’s just a part of me. I debuted in Telugu in 2016, and have had three releases in Tollywood.” She is now looking forward to her debut in Tamil and Kannada. 

Even as she is trying to get comfortable in each industry, Tanya adds, “I’m not saying that I am there or I am perfect. However, I am putting in an effort and I am not willing to give up and let it go. These are the key principles I am following in the industry. I believe that if you have an unrelenting spirit, you will succeed.”  

Irrespective of the language, Tanya wants to go wherever good work takes her. “Watching myself on screen gives me a different kind of high,” she signs off.