We had the good fortune of connecting with Gayathri Pusuluri and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gayathri, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Here’s to the souls that dream. I’m an actress, a dancer, and a yoga teacher who once dreamed of becoming. From the moment I can remember, I’ve been an artist. I was always creating stories, enacting plays, choreographing movements, and performing them. When I was a kid, I enjoyed acting as an actress, host, and enacting everything for my family. Thereafter, performing dance forms such as Bharatanatyam, Hip-Hop in schools, events, and leading to acting in Shakespearean, Theatrical plays, and films. Art is within me and is a way I express myself and the life around me, whether it be through playing characters, dancing my feelings, breathing and stretching in yoga. As a college student, I used to create stories and enact all the roles in them for my friends. I love to put on a show for myself, and others, to see them laugh, praise, and feel something. Growing up with my parents and the society there I couldn’t openly pursue or have the choice to pursue acting as a career, and the reason why I have an engineering degree in Computer Science is to please my family. I chose to make acting my career because that’s where my heart lives/laughs/loves, and I also knew that it would be challenging to stand against everyone and choose acting as my career but heart wants what it wants. Eventually, my family got on board too. There is a saying from a Telugu movie Fidaa ‘గట్టిగా అనుకో అయితది’ which translates to ‘strongly desire it and it’ll happen’. I believe in this because thoughts urge action, action does the work .

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m an actress, dancer, and yoga teacher. I’m an actress, dancer, and yoga teacher. I’m represented by Avant Artists, the team is amazing there. I graduated from UCLA in acting for film & TV. I believe and am told by many that I’m great at playing dramatic roles and comedic roles whether it was for films or commercials. I have taken improv at UCLA and I’m planning on taking more improv classes. My dream roles would be to play Nina Sayers from the movie Black Swan and The Bride from the movie Kill Bill. I’m working on films, commercials, music videos, and dance videos. I’ve played from an angsty teen to tech-savvy GenZ, from a yoga teacher to a mermaid, from an entrepreneur to a party girl. I have recently worked for a Google commercial. I have acted as a mermaid in M.I.A Yung Daril’s Music Video, it was fun and exciting to do. I’ve played Robin in Tag Team film. I’m so proud of my work in the theatrical plays in Silence Please play where I’ve played Rangamma, in Keerthisheshulu play where I’ve played Janaki both of which are educating and enthralling. I’m so thankful for the opportunities given to me to play in films No means No, Iddarammayilatho and Ismaart Girlfriend. I danced in the Euphoria festivals of my college in which I choreographed dance for a few songs and directed/produced/organised/ led as a model/dancer for a themed Fashion Show. I have a YouTube channel where I produce/write/act in those films. I’m looking forward to and super excited to play the lead actress in the feature film, which is in pre-production. I’m getting roles as a dancer in commercials and music videos. I have written a script I’m passionate about and I’m super thrilled to act in it soon. I’m so proud of it. It is my dream project. My first project in LA was Consumption film and it was great shooting. I also got to work on big production sets like Dr. Phil, Press Your Luck, America’s Funniest Home Videos and brands such as Honda, Sephora.

 My story? It wasn’t easy would be an understatement for the battles I’ve fought. Growing up in Hyderabad where almost everyone loved films and yet so little to know about how to actually be in them? At least in my social circle, no one did pursue acting. Having no one who’d understand why I love what I love in my family, having to get a bachelor’s degree and then “choose” what I’m passionate about, and constant societal pressure to hold a tech job and pursue acting as a side job (as it was near to impossible to make it in the film industry), gender(female) pressure to not go out more, not to talk to people, not to socialize more, not to express yourself with dance, acting, clothing, makeup, hair but I was getting more and more inspired by the art in films and that’s what kept igniting my inner fire. My journey was organic. I started acting in dramas and dancing in schools, colleges, and events. Then I started designing clothes to express my desire to wear original, authentic, beautiful clothes to keep alive my inner expression of art. I started acting for the camera in films, created a YouTube channel, and wrote, produced, and acted in them. That’s when a highly watched YouTube channel’s writer reached out to me and I began acting in their production. Importantly, studying theatre and acting in plays on the stage in front of many people and receiving much appreciation. There was a particular incident, where I had just performed my first theatrical play, walked down the stage, and met my almost convinced parents. I’ve seen that they’ve seen that this is what I enjoy and I’m great at. Finally, the decision which changed my life in a good way is to leave the tech job and pursue acting. It took blood, sweat, and tears to be here and I’m so happy that I’m living the dream.
As Shah Rukh Khan said in Om Shanti Om movie ‘अगर किसी चीज को दिल से चाहो तो पूरी कायनात उसे तुमसे मिलाने की कोशिश में लग जाती है’ which translates into ‘if you really desire something from the heart and work for it then the whole universe will work towards giving you that’. I know that it won’t get easy from now but I’m here to give my work and enjoy it while I’m at it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Knowing my best friends, they’d love a week trip getting the whole package of the area covering everything. I would first and foremost take them and myself to Yosemite National Park and enjoy the waterfalls while the breeze sets on our faces and cover the tunnel view while we’re at it. We would get back home. We would jet ski to Santa Catalina Island and enjoy water activities such as snorkeling. End the visit with freshly caught sea bass cooked to perfection at the local restaurant. The next day we would go to Lake Hollywood, get good pictures of the Hollywood sign, drive to Griffith Park, and enact the iconic La La Land scene. We would end the night with amazing views of the city of stars and make a wish. We would be going to Malibu Dume point, hopefully sighting some dolphins, soak in the Sun and would head to a spicy authentic Indian restaurant in Venice and eat until we can barely breathe and get back home and dance to Hyderabadi DJ songs to burn the calories. The next day we’ll head to Sequoia National Park, visit the sequoia trees and the General Sherman Tree and complete the visit by spending time in the lake at sunset. Finally, I would take them to brunch on Melrose and show them the UCLA campus and the famous Royce Hall. We would go to the Regency Village Theatre in Westwood, and if we were lucky we’d catch a movie premiere and walk on the red carpet.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There’s so much love, support, strength from many people in my life and here goes. I’m blessed with my family(mom, dad & sister) and their amazing support in this career path. Their decision to get me trained in dance, and their support when I decided to choose acting as a career over a software job and move to a different country. I’m fortunate to have been guided by incredible teachers, mentors, coaches, and yogis/yoginis on this journey. I’m lucky to hear and listen to the strong voices while I was studying Theatre where I’ve been guided to unleash myself and let go of the fear of embarrassment that comes along with vulnerability on stage. Theatre is the place where I started to use my voice, listen to my inner monologue, and embrace different perspectives on life. The tremendous positivity and the words of affirmation I got while I was studying acting at UCLA gave me the push to fight the uncertain thoughts and celebrate my achievements. My professors at UCLA had given me lots of encouragement and insights into the Hollywood industry. Of course my best friends, friends who encourage, support, and defend my decisions to fill my life with laughter, and positivity. They give me courage, strength, and support to go on in life. My journey with yoga has taught me how breathing can be a massive force to heal and integrating pranayama into everyday life brings me peace. I’m thankful for Shoutout LA for giving me the opportunity to share my story. Finally, I’m thankful that movies exist in the world and to everyone who make them happen.

Website: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm13829141?s=eac4d1fe-9b09-023a-fa66-5818e9351397&site_preference=normal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gayathripusuluri/?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@gayathripusuluri

Image Credits
Lena Lee, Matt Marcheski, Snvps, Sonya Katarina

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