Avika Gor was recently in Kazakhstan to attend the premiere of her first Kazakh film, I Go To School. As she aims to be known as a global actor, she hopes that her first tryst with international cinema proves to be “a stepping stone into the bigger picture”. Ask her if Hollywood is on her mind, too, and she says, “Why not? I would love to be a part of films across languages if I get a good opportunity.”

Gor shares that people in Kazakhstan are familiar with Indian TV soaps. In fact, the likes of late actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor, and actors Shah Rukh Khan and Mithun Chakraborty are quite famous there. Elated to join that list, the young actor is glad to be considered “the face of India” in Kazakhstan now.

“I feel happy and grateful, as not many people have been to Kazakhstan for a premiere. This is a big deal, and it feels amazing to create history for our country,” says the actor.

So, how did the film happen to her? “Nurlan Koyanbayev, one of the biggest producers there, invited me for his talk show when I was in Kazakhstan in 2014. I’ve visited the country a few times to promote my shows and films. Ever since, we’ve kept in touch,” the 24-year-old elaborates, adding, “He told me that he has a script and he wanted me to be a part of it. I read it and loved it.”

The Balika Vadhu actor remarks that working with a new set of people in a different country wasn’t an uphill task for her.

“I knew the makers since the last eight years. They are my good friends and hence, it was easy for me to trust them and their calibre. I faced no difficulty as such. The way of working is very different, but I was never made to feel left out,” the actor ends.