Authentic and honest roles connect with audiences: Sampada Hulivana

Time of India

09-07-2025

Sampada Hulivana has stepped into a world that's both challenging and rewarding, with her upcoming movie, Ekka. In a chat with Bangalore Times, the actress speaks about her journey, the process of getting into a role and why she is in no hurry to slow down.
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Excerpts:
'WHY I SAID YES TO EKKA...'
When the story came to Sampada, she was drawn to the film instantly. 'The moment I heard the narration, I just knew I had to be a part of this. I was excited to work with
and
,' she says. Her character in the film further hooked her, she explains. 'I have played lighter parts before, but this character in Ekka demanded something deeper. It felt grounded and real, which excited me,' shares Sampada.
I am the kind of person who watches a take and immediately thinks, 'Could this have been better?' Even if the director is happy with my shot, I feel like I have more to give
Sampada Hulivana
'HONESTY IN YOUR CRAFT MATTERS THE MOST IN THE FILM INDUSTRY'
Sampada believes that being honest while playing a character is very important. 'The audience can always tell when an actor is faking it. Authenticity and honesty make a character feel real on screen and help connect with the audience, too,' believes Sampada.
For my character in Ekka, I had to stop thinking like myself and fully consider how Mallika (her character) would react in each situation
– Sampada Hulivana
'EVEN THOUGH COMEDY SCARES ME, IT IS A GENRE I WANT TO TRY'
Sampada, who is fairly new in the industry, is already looking forward to what kind of work she wants to do.
'Comedy is something that scares me, but also it's a genre I'd love to explore. It is a challenge to make people laugh, and if you can do that, you are doing something right,' she says.
'WOMEN ARE CAPABLE OF ACTION-HEAVY ROLES'
The industry tends to forget that roles for women do exist outside of love interests and family dramas. 'Women are capable of doing action-heavy roles. Undoubtedly, emotional arcs are significant in movies, but they shouldn't be the only stories women tell,' says Sampada.
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'THE KANNADA FILM INDUSTRY HAS DEPTH, BUT WHAT WE LACK IS NATIONAL VISIBILITY'
'The Kannada Film Industry has always had powerful, historic and rooted stories, such as Ulidavaru Kandanthe, Kantara, and KGF. These films are not remakes or copies; they come from a very specific sense of identity,' says Sampada. She also feels that national visibility for Kannada films is a challenge. 'Every language has its moment, and I hope ours is coming as well. A lot is happening in the Kannada Film Industry.
We just need people to look our way,' she shares.