Exclusive! Sadaa: Hello World made me understand that the struggles in every industry are quite similar

After a sabbatical from the Telugu industry for over a decade, Sadaa is back in the news for her latest web show Hello World, a workplace drama streaming on ZEE5. After a fruitful stint in films and television in recent years, the project marks her foray into the digital space. In a chat with OTTplay.com, the actress opens up on the show, how it addresses the life in the corporate sector and discusses her passions beyond showbiz - entrepreneurship, veganism and photography.

Saying yes to Hello World:

One of the main reasons that convinced me to say yes to Hello World was for the credibility of the production house (Pink Elephant Pictures) and the fact that the OTT platform was finalised even before the shoot commenced. I am always wary of the setup and the ambience of a project and I’ve been approached for many OTT projects before. In most cases, they shoot the show first and approach the OTT platform later.

When I heard the script of Hello World and had confidence in the team, there was no looking back. It was something I hadn’t done earlier and it was a welcome change. The show is about how internal politics affects the lives of corporate employees and why we need to maintain a perfect balance between our professional and personal life views. The show touches upon a gamut of issues in the IT sector with authenticity.

Reuniting with Aryan Rajesh for Hello World, 18 years after Leela Mahal Center:

Aryan Rajesh and I didn’t speak much during Leela Mahal Center, he is a very shy person generally and is in total contrast to Naresh, who’s very outspoken. I too didn’t go out of the way to engage in conversations then and there’s not much we could discuss beyond work. It was similar for Hello World too - he’s a no-nonsense guy, sober and very quiet. We caught up on our lives over these few years for a few moments and got back to our work. That’s about it!

The working experience with director Sivasai Vardhan Jaladanki:

As a director, Sivasai knew what he wanted and it is such a relief for any actor. He has a clear head and handled an ensemble cast on the set well. He was calm, cool and composed and sure of the work that had to be done. It comes from a lot of experience and I was very happy working with him. The experience was largely pleasant because he knew his job in and out.

The costumes were designed by him too. Except for my hair and makeup, he had done it all and I found his aesthetic sense refreshing and I’d never worn such saris before. Despite being an IT professional, they made Prardhana’s look stand out - the colour palette and design were not overpowering and not overly subtle at the same time.

Showbiz lessons over the last two decades:

The 20 years have been a product of wonderful and not-so-great experiences. I’ve always taken up projects that piqued my interest. There have been extreme highs and lows in my career graph. People still consider me a good actor after all the years and it’s proof of the impact I’ve made. Post COVID, theatres aren’t witnessing rosy times and the digital medium has opened up so many avenues. It’s good to explore a new medium now. There’s innovative content coming my way and we’re going beyond run-of-the-mill stories.

Embracing the digital medium:

OTT hasn’t restricted itself to the mainstream formula and has come up with refreshing stories that haven’t been touched before. Hello World, for instance, is a rare web show that digs deep into the realities of the IT industry (the director Sivasai Vardhan has even worked in the corporate sector). I’m friends with the IT crowd in Hyderabad and I understand their challenging day-to-day realities and the show reflects their situation to perfection. I haven’t signed new films/projects regularly in the recent past because of a few experiences that have worked against me. I’ve been wary of the crew, and the production houses I associate with.

If her real-life leadership experiences helped her play the role of a project head better:

I’m not sure if my leadership experiences have helped me perform this role any better. In the case of Hello World, it was all about understanding the role and playing it as per the needs of the script and director. As a leader, it’s tough to alternate between being friendly with your subordinates and calling the shots when necessary. Prardhana in Hello World understands this balance well.

I’ve understood that beyond the profession, the struggles in every industry are similar. Nothing comes easy for people and you need to work hard for it. It takes effort to make a mark in any organisation. Knowing an IT couple from the city personally, I am aware of their work schedules. Even when they have time between two safaris for four-five hours, they switch on their laptops and attend work calls hurriedly.

On working with a female producer for Hello World (Niharika Konidela) and the enhanced female presence on film sets over the years:

It’s amazing to see women being a part of the filmmaking process at every level - production, direction, cinematography. There was talent earlier too but it was still a male-dominant industry and to a large extent, it still is. Now, at least women are finding their foothold and making their presence felt. It’s such an endearing thing to see. Men and women should get equal opportunities and it has to be on merit.

In terms of equality, there’s a long way to go. For a woman to get the same kind of recognition as a man, the path is all the more difficult. The sad part is that, even if a woman is as successful, they don’t give her due credit for it and claim she’s a gold-digger or used others to climb up the ladder. It would be nice to let go of such nonsense. Overcoming work politics and making a mark in your career is already difficult and statements like these are extremely demotivating.

Turning an entrepreneur with Earthlings Café, Mumbai:

When I started Earthlings, I had very little knowledge about F&B and running a business because I’ve been an artist all my life. I’ve learnt mostly on the job, every day was a learning experience - from handling the staff to guests to taking stock of their complaints. If somebody from the business fraternity had done it, maybe it would’ve been easier for them. Being a vegan restaurant, the challenges for Earthlings doubled. However, the café was started to promote veganism and give people an option to consume healthy food. All our efforts, I must say, have paid off - we have received great reviews and feedback.

Tapping into the photographer in her:

Trust me, I’ve planned nothing in my life, from photography to veganism to my film career. I’ve only embraced opportunities that came my way. Once I started living the life of a vegan, it took me to my destination and decided my path. It was an overnight decision to start Earthlings Cafe. Before we were shooting for Teja sir’s film in Panna, I had never been to any forest/tiger reserve in my life.

The fact that we were shooting in a tiger reserve pushed my interest to explore it. I did a couple of safaris and I was hooked to it. Next month while we were shooting at Jabalpur, I went to Kanha. Until then, I was always depending on someone else to take pictures for me. I was somewhere feeling dependent on others. The company later asked if I would want to carry a camera with me and I chose one. I am still learning photography, I am an amateur and have a long way to go. I haven’t even scratched the surface. I would want to develop this skill.

Finding peace amidst the wild:

I like to be in the jungles and I find so much peace in them. India has a such rich heritage of flora and fauna and I haven’t known about it for the longest time. I am making up for lost time now. Youngsters, instead of making customary visits to Paris and other international locations, should explore our jungles. We need to appreciate our natural reserves and give them revenue in some form. If we don’t support them, who else will? The kind of peace you get in the middle of a forest, when your mobile network isn’t working, the happiness is unmatched. You breathe fresh air and become one with nature. What more do you want?

Even when my acting career wasn’t doing well, I invested my energies into rescuing animals. Even recently, I rescued a kitten and I put it up for adoption. When I am not working, there are so many activities that take up my time beyond acting. For me, it has never been about parties and socialising. Looking back at my life, I’m proud to have done many meaningful activities and did nothing which I would regret later.

My life revolves around animals and nature. I’ve never had many friends in my life. Somewhere, I’ve been occupied with activities that go beyond humans. While working in films too, when I’m done with a schedule, I return to my home and I have enough on my plate. Regardless of what you say about unconditional love or mutual understanding, human relationships come with a lot of drama - be it parents, friends or relatives. With animals, they don’t have any expectations from you apart from food. They just want to be loved.