Sharmiela Mandre, who acted in Telugu film Kevvu Keka, is all set to make her debut in Bollywood next year. The Bangalore-based actress has been roped in to reprise Deepti Naval's role the Sai Paranjpye's 1983 classic, Katha. An ecstatic Sharmiela says, "I grew up watching Hindi films and there's no denying that every actor aspires to act in Bollywood. But I didn't know what to expect when I auditioned for the film. I didn't get a call for a long time after the screen test, so when I was offered the film, I was least expecting it."
Set in a chawl in the suburbs of Mumbai, the film has Sharmiela playing a Maharashtrian girl. "It's a very challenging role and quite different from the roles I did down South. I know that it's very difficult to step into Deepti Naval's shoes; however, there's no question of imitating her in the modern version. For the past few days, I've been working on my Hindi diction because the dialect spoken in the chawl, is very different. The role demands me to be physically fit as well. It's a big opportunity for me and I want to give my best," she says.