Whether it’s a new role, a new city, or a new challenge, Sapthami Gowda believes life’s best experiences begin with curiosity

CINEMA & BEYOND | IN CONVERSATION

Before audiences knew her as Leela in Kantara, Sapthami Gowda was a competitive swimmer, a civil engineering graduate, and someone who once imagined a future far removed from cinema. Yet an unexpected opportunity changed everything.

A Karnataka tourism video eventually led to an audition for Kantara, setting in motion a journey she could never have planned. What followed were workshops, character preparation, and months of learning as she stepped into cinema for the very first time.

“As a beginner, you’re very hungry to do something great,” she says. “I was really happy, but I was also nervous because I desperately wanted the part.”

The experience became more than just a breakthrough. It introduced her to new industries, new languages, and the challenge of constantly stepping outside her comfort zone.

“I’ve been very blessed to work with people who helped me with my characters, language, and everything around it,” she reflects.

But away from film sets and premieres, another passion continues to shape her life: travel.

THE ATHLETE WHO NEVER LEFT

Before acting, there was swimming.
Sapthami spent much of her childhood waking up at 5:30 a.m., training twice a day, balancing academics with state-level competition, and building a discipline that still shapes how she works today.
“As a kid, I was an athlete all my life up until 2018,” she says. “For me, the hours don’t matter. When I’m on a set and the call time is 4.30 in the morning or even 4 o’clock, it doesn’t matter.”
Looking back, she sometimes wonders how she managed such a demanding routine.

“Every single day for 20–25 years, it was waking up at 5 am, swimming, school, back to the pool, training twice a day, and then studies,” she recalls.

Yet the mindset remains unchanged.

“At my age, I’m still hungry for more. I want to work more,” she adds.

NEW LANGUAGES, NEW WORLDS

Working across industries has brought its own challenges.

For Sapthami, The Vaccine War represented the steepest learning curve.

“I think for me it was The Vaccine War, mostly because of the industry and the language,” she says.

While she was concerned about speaking Hindi with a South Indian accent, the character itself helped ease those worries.

“Thankfully, Dr. Sreelakshmi was herself South Indian, so naturally she had a South Indian accent while speaking Hindi,” she explains.

More than language, however, she believes the people around you make the biggest difference.

“The entire team was very accommodating and friendly,” she says. “Irrespective of language, I think the team matters a lot.”

Her move into Telugu cinema brought a different experience.

“Hyderabad has a way of welcoming people. It’s a very warm city,” she observes.

She still receives messages from Telugu audiences encouraging her to do more work there.

“They’ve been very kind and very loving,” she says. “Hopefully, with God’s grace, I’ll be able to do more work there and surprise audiences with the kinds of characters I take on.”

THE THRILL OF DISCOVERY

“Travel gives me a completely different adrenaline rush,” she says. “You’re about to experience a new cuisine, a new culture, heritage, and meet different people.”

For Sapthami, travel is far more than sightseeing. It is about curiosity. She loves picking up small details from different cultures, learning new words from unfamiliar languages, and understanding how people live in places far removed from her own.

“When you’re warm as a traveller, people give that warmth back many times over,” she notes.

That openness to new experiences is perhaps what makes travel feel so rewarding. Every destination offers the possibility of discovering something unexpected.

Travel, she believes, does something much deeper too.

“Travel really reboots your entire system, your mind, your soul, and your body,” she says.

THE MEMORIES THAT STAY

Some of Sapthami’s favourite travel memories have come from work assignments rather than holidays.

While shooting Thammudu in Araku Valley, she found herself witnessing something she had never seen before.

“Every night after pack-up, I would see hundreds of fireflies. I’ve never seen so many together in my life,” she shares.

The fields seemed to glow. The skies appeared illuminated. Nearby, a tribal village introduced her to unique flowering trees used in local cuisine, including one flower whose colour changed through the day.

It is these unplanned moments, rather than famous landmarks, that remain closest to her heart.

Another memory comes from a very different setting.

During a trip to Switzerland, she stumbled upon a Michelin-starred restaurant and ordered what sounded like a surprisingly simple meal.

“I had a mushroom jus with chicken breast schnitzel and mashed potatoes,” she recalls. “It sounds very simple, but it was the best version of that meal I’ve ever eaten in my life.”

Her family still talks about it.

WHAT HOME LOOKS LIKE

For all the places she visits, home remains simple.

“The first thing I ask my mother to make is akki roti,” she says. “I absolutely love my mom’s akki rotis.”

“The moment I eat them, I instantly feel like I’m back home,” she adds.

THE TRIPS STILL WAITING

Sapthami’s bucket list is far from complete.

At the very top sits Machu Picchu.

“I studied about it as a kid, and I’ve always been fascinated by it,” she says. “I’m very intrigued by the place and its history.”

For now, however, one destination remains closest to her heart.

SAPTHAMI’S WEEKEND PICK

Destination: Hampi

Few places combine history, culture, spirituality, and natural beauty quite like Hampi.

Don’t miss:
• Explore the ruins with a local guide
• Visit the Virupaksha and Vittala Temples
• Make time for Panchamukhi Anjanadri
• Slow down and soak in the atmosphere

“It’s a place that constantly makes me wonder how something so extraordinary was built,” she says.

LIFE BEYOND THE SCREEN

When she’s not travelling or working, Sapthami looks for ways to disconnect.

“Mandalas, puzzle games, brain games, I enjoy all of it,” she says.

Colouring, reading, and stepping away from technology help her slow down.

“The moment you pick up your phone, you end up doom-scrolling,” she notes. “So consciously stepping away from devices matters.”

She has also rediscovered reading.

“I recently finished Mahagatha, which explores stories around Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara,” she shares.

Travel, however, remains her biggest indulgence.

“I’m definitely not a light packer,” she laughs.

In fact, she describes herself as the person carrying the heaviest luggage on every trip.

“I buy extra luggage before I leave and often buy more before I return,” she says.

A PHILOSOPHY FOR LIFE

Three words are permanently inked onto Sapthami’s arm: Learn. Explore. Create.

Of the three, she believes she’s currently living “learn” and “explore” most actively, while “create” remains the next frontier, through cinema, meaningful experiences, lasting memories, and new experiences still waiting to be discovered.

“I actively do a lot of exploring and learning,” she says. “Creating is probably the one I want to do much more of.”

For someone whose career arrived through an unexpected turn, the philosophy feels fitting.

LOOKING AHEAD

For Sapthami, success isn’t tied to one profession, destination, or plan.

It’s about showing up fully.

“Whatever you choose to do in life, do it with all your heart,” she says.

Whether it was academics, swimming, or acting, she says the approach has remained the same.

“Keep your heart open because life has a way of bringing beautiful opportunities your way,” she says. “Be brave enough to take them.”

And perhaps that philosophy explains everything.

“Life is beautiful,” she says. “Enjoy it. Let it happen to you.”