Sandhya's Entry To The World Of Showbiz At 40

40s is the phase to get comfortable in your chosen career. To live in the shadow of your children’s career. But for Sandhya, it was the time when she embarked upon a new profession - Acting. Tollywood actress Sandhya Janak, who has acted in more than 160 movies and over 40 Ad films, tells us about her unusual journey.

"Acting as a career wasn’t something I had planned. It happened. Of course, I grabbed the opportunity when it came knocking on the door. I was a science journalist before I stepped into the shoes of an actress. During my Journalism days, I wrote articles on subjects related to why women suffer and women scientists. These were later converted into video scripts for documentaries for UGC, New Delhi. I worked on those scripts, and went on to write more such scripts for other projects. It was during one of those projects, I met Tollywood director Sekhar Kammula to discuss a script. Soon after that meeting, he offered me a role in his then upcoming movie ‘Happy Days’. I was to play the leading actress Tamannaah’s mother. That was how my acting career began. I like change in my life. Before I took up Journalism, I was a teacher. However, my father was a little unsure of my decision. He would say – “Why do you wish to be in the public eye now?” But I was quite sure of what I was getting into. I would say – “A chance like this comes rarely. I believe in living an exciting and fun life. Monotony is a big no-no. When I entered the industry, people on the sets made me feel comfortable. We hear all sorts of rumors about the film industry, but I have to say that I made acquaintances with some of the nicest people. There are some very thought provoking projects I have done. I recently wrapped the shooting of a very special international Ad film that is backed by an NGO. It talks about how physical disability is not a measure of one’s competency. The Ad shows a differently-abled girl who comes out with flying colors in a job interview just like any other girl. My family is pretty self-reliant. I have taught the family to fend for itself. Of course, sometimes I cook food in advance and leave it in the refrigerator. I have taught both my sons the basics of cooking. In times of need, they manage on their own.”