We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Priya Bhavaani. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Priya below.

Alright, Priya thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I’m really grateful for all the projects I’ve worked on so far, especially since they’ve highlighted important topics, such as mental health, cultural pressure, racism, or climate change. A film I did called “Nectarines” was one of the most meaningful projects I’ve been a part of. When I read the script, the character’s journey strongly resonated with me and I instantly connected to the script because it addressed issues pertinent to the South Asian community. The story was brilliantly written, and one of the most clever scripts I’ve read. I felt it really pushed me as an actress, so I’m very thankful to have been a part of it! The cast was not only predominantly Indian, but more specifically, South Indian, the writer/director (Harika Bommana) was a South Indian woman, and the crew was predominantly female — a very special project to be a part of due to the authentic representation both in front of and behind the camera!

I grew up primarily watching Hindi and Telugu films – they had (and still have) a huge impact on me and sparked my desire to act. But growing up with the narrative that Indians are meant for STEM career paths, and not artistic career paths, I grew up secretly aspiring to act. So a year into my career, seeing people who looked like me, not only pursue the same thing, but also be on the same set, was really validating and empowering. It also felt like I was a part of exactly what I loved watching growing up, which was incredibly gratifying!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m an actress based in Atlanta and I have wanted to act for as long as I can remember! I’ve innately gravitated towards films/acting since I was a child, completely enamored with the larger-than-life Indian movies I grew up watching! Since I was a kid, I was conditioned into believing that becoming a doctor was the best career decision I could make, so I grew up secretly aspiring to act, re-enacting my favorite scenes in front of the bathroom mirror. I had to learn the difference between what I wanted for myself and what others wanted for me. I had actually moved to Atlanta for a Master’s degree completely unrelated to the arts, but after moving here, I formally started acting in 2021, as I started taking classes and submitting myself to roles through Backstage and Actor’s Access.

Since one’s acting career path is a very non-linear journey and unpredictable, I’m constantly trying to remind myself that this is a marathon and not a sprint. So, I’m making sure I get valuable training with scene study and acting technique, which I believe is vital to becoming the best actor I can be. I strive to be the hardest worker in a room and take pride in my work ethic! I’ve been a part of commercials, short films, indie films, student films, and feature films, and am looking to get as much experience as I can under my belt, participate in projects that are very meaningful to me, and meet other passionate creatives! I’ve been told by many cast/crew members that they appreciate my lively energy on sets!

My dream is to convincingly play a wide range of characters across various genres, especially characters who are very transformative in terms of body language, skillset, etc. I’d really like to challenge myself and be as versatile of an actor as I can be. Also, growing up mainly watching Indian films where dance/music are an integral part of our cinema, I have grown up with a passion for dance. It would be really fulfilling if I could be in a project that required my character to dance — I’d be able to live out both my passions simultaneously!

Acting is a window into stories, lives, and experiences that I otherwise couldn’t have in my own real life. I think it’s so special to be able to share stories and allow people to connect and feel the feels! Movies are a very impressionable medium, with the capacity to inspire, educate, make people feel seen/heard, or simply entertain! I’ve turned to films, TV shows, and music for comfort, reassurance, and validation, especially during difficult times. Because of how healing and motivating they’ve been, and continue to be for me, I would ideally like to be a part of something that can do the same for others, which is why movies and acting have such a special place in my heart. My dream is to act full-time and work across multiple languages/industries. I especially want to be a part of projects that shed light on social issues, whether that’s through dramatic or comedic work.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think sometimes non-creatives struggle to understand just how tough this profession is — often times, acting is dismissed as something frivolous, especially when you’re not super established. But my teachers tell us that we are “doing the job” by training and auditioning; booking a gig is just a promotion or expansion of the business — so we are, in fact, constantly working. The significant uncertainty of the profession makes it tough to begin with — uncertainty in terms of when your next audition is, whether you’ll book the gig, whether or not you’ll get your “big break”, let alone when. There’s a lot of work that goes into it as well — into taking classes, auditioning, learning lines, rehearsing, reading plays/books, and most importantly, consistently taking care of yourself because you’re your own instrument and literally the face of your own business! All this to say, none of these are complaints. I used to get really affected by how others perceived the profession or my desire to pursue this profession, but all of that has really subsided and I’m much more unfazed by the misconceptions and judgment now.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I’m really grateful for the teachers/classes I’ve come across, because they have been and continue to be absolutely necessary for my acting! Your teachers have such a significant impact on shaping your career, so it’s really important, in my opinion, to ensure classes are a priority investment. I would highly recommend the Houde School of Acting, where I train in the Meisner technique with Diana Frankhauser and Jessica Houde-Morris, and the OA Training Studio, where I train with Vas Saranga! In addition to classes, other resources I would also recommend, as they are highly educational, are: – The Houde School of Acting Blogs (https://www.houdeschoolofacting.com/blog), many of the posts written by my teacher, Diana
– Backstage Magazine (https://www.backstage.com/magazine/)
– StageMilk (https://www.stagemilk.com/)
– Kurt Yue’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@ActingCareerCenter), through which I found the Houde School of Acting
– Joe Funk Photography for headshots (https://joefunkphotography.com)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.backstage.com/u/priya-bhavaani/
• Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Headshots: Joe Funk Behind the scenes pictures: Kayla Marcus, Anthony Hudson, Logan Wallace