Her film industry roots as daughter of Tamil actor-turned-politician Khushboo Sundar and director-actor Sundar C, make her a nepo baby, but Avantika Sundar is clear she’s not letting this influence her debut.

Did she think at any point that her parents should have launched her since they own a production house? “I didn’t want that, but I would also be lying if I said I would have waited for someone to approach me. It would be wrong of me not to acknowledge that I have a leg up in the film industry thanks to my parents,” she says.

She divulges that her parents never offered to launch her either, but her debut would have been difficult without their support. Details of the project are yet to be revealed. Avantika shares that her parents warned her to expect scrutiny when she debuts because of who they are: “I think that’s completely fair, and I am prepared for that.”

She does acknowledge that her stint at acting school helped prepare for her life as a public figure, as it let her “get over being introverted and shy because I was very self-conscious. Drama school really forces you to cover all this while honing your craft. Having been in front of and behind the camera at school, I learned that everyone on set is important,” she explains.

Does she already feel pressured to succeed in the industry? “I do have that thought in my mind, but I can’t say that I’ll be as successful or more than them. I can hope and try my very best to get there. The audience’s perception of you is important — if they like you, they like you, which leads to more opportunities. Today’s audience is very smart and vocal about their opinions, and I respect that. So, failure does terrify me, but I have an amazing support system,” she replies.

As she signs off, Avantika notes, “Cinema is a very unpredictable industry for everyone, including actors. You can be successful one day, and the next day, you’re not. Or, off the bat, you are nobody. Personally, I want to act for as long as I can and give it my best every single time.”