BETWEEN STARDOM & STRENGTH

ACTRESS MEGHANA RAJ SARJA OPENS UP ABOUT EMBRACING MOTHERHOOD AGAINST ALL ODDS, WINNING A STATE AWARD AND MORE

- BY IKYATHA YERASALA

GRACE, GRIT, AND GROWTH — FEW EMBODY THESE WORDS AS BEAUTIFULLY AS MEGHANA RAJ. THE TALENTED ACTRESS, WHO RECENTLY BAGGED THE KARNATAKA STATE AWARD FOR IRUVUDELLAVA BITTU, HAS WALKED AN INSPIRING JOURNEY THAT'S SEEN HER EXPERIENCE A ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS. IN THIS HEARTFELT CONVERSATION WITH PROVOKE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE, MEGHANA OPENS UP ABOUT HER LATEST RECOGNITION, NAVIGATING LIFE AFTER THE LOSS OF HER HUSBAND, THE LATE CHIRANJEEVI SARJA, HER UPCOMING TAMIL FILM AND EMBRACING MOTHERHOOD WITH STRENGTH AND RENEWED PURPOSE.

Winning the Karnataka State Award for your film Iruvudellava Bittu - how does it feel to win this award for a role that's so close to your heart?

I did not expect to win a State Award for this film, as it was set in an urban environment — it was about people working in the corporate field and how work culture influences relationships. I felt it was a great role, but never thought of it as a State Award-winning character. But Chiru casually remarked that I’d done well and that I'd win the State Award. It feels great because there were many commercial films for which I thought I'd win awards, but they never came my way. After this win, I feel validated. I'd like to dedicate this award to my Mom - she's the unsung hero in my journey.

You recently posted about how Chiru asked you to take up this role. Can you tell us a little about that?

So when this film was offered to me, I was also offered a role in a magnum opus that had many stalwarts from our industry starring in it. Iruvudellava was directed by a newcomer. I was about to get engaged in a couple of days and married soon after. In Iruvudellava Bittu, I was to play a mother — and I thought if I did that role, I'd be stereotyped as a mom and only get offered similar roles. I had my inhibitions, but my mom told me it was a great character.