Nikhil Saketh a.k.a Karthik - Affectionate And Easily Likeable, Golconda High School

Meet Nikhil Saketh who plays the role of Karthik in Golconda High School. The shy, affectionate 13 year old studying in his 8th class in Johnson Grammar School, Habsiguda brings a great amount of acting experience behind him. There is something about him and his demeanour of course that gives him away as one inclined towards the artistic, as one who is disposed to a dreamy, gentle and soft approach to life.

Nikhil a.k.a. Karthik

Nikhil has acted in two movies 'Chukkallo Chandrudu' (a Sddharth starrrer) and 'Bommalata' (a movie made for the film festival which got a national award). 'I have been dancing since I was 3 years old,' he says earnestly, his face all concentration. 'I participated in television shows such as Dum Dum Diga Diga pretty early on which gave me great exposure. And then I did some ads - Shriram Chits, Yashoda Hospitals, Margadarsi Chits to name a few'.In dancing he prefers and has trained in the western genre. 'However I have not been practising for a while now,' he says smiling.

'I landed the role in Golconda High School because of a happy circumstance my mother,' he says. 'My mother works with Rainbow FM and met director Mohana Krishna some time ago when he came to the studio for a show. She might have mentioned me and it all worked out and I auditioned for Ashish and Karthik and here I am playing Karthik.'

Nikhil loves playing cricket with his friends but has no great ambitions in the game. He is more interested in choreography as a career option. 'I will study computer engineering,' he says, 'as my discipline, but I would eventually like to do something in choreography'. You can see it in his eyes that he will do a good job in that area if he takes himself seriously and that it is something that he enjoys and loves doing. I hope in my heart that he does have the wisdom to choose what he loves doing and am assured when I look at the lad - despite his delicate and gentle looks, he seems every bit the sort who will go through the grind but stick to his belief. Nikhil has an interesting hobby apart from playing cricket and dancing which is building and taking apart stuff like cardboard models. 'I really like doing that,' he says. Hmm, the makings of an engineer and an architect as well.

'I love watching movies of course,' he says, 'I mainly watch Telugu movies. My favourite movie is Gharshana and I watch all types of movies. I like Hritik Roshan.' In music he listens to anything with a nice beat and loves the song Jam by MJ. 'I have had a good experience here while on this shoot,' he says. 'Friends, cricket, jokes and time pass. Very nice.'

One look at Karthik and you know he is not a trained cricketer. But when he had to make that extra effort, he never baulked away from the task. For all the training schedules, he was made to do drills and practice certain strokes while knocking, and he did that with great seriousness. As an actor I have not seen him perform yet but I hear from Sagar who is absolutely convinced that he is a very 'intense actor'. I am looking out for him when the movie hits the screens.

As a person, Nikhil is very much the 13 year old with his growing up angst. He is very affectionate in a different way - not effusive or articulate like some of the others - but shy and reticent. He will wait for the others to finish their greetings and then come to meet you. While speaking to him I realised that he was not vague or dreamy as one would expect someone his age to be; he had pretty precise and clear answers that he had thought out well. It was a common thing for me to correct his body language whenever he would come to me - stick out your chest and stand erect like a sportsman I'd say - and he'd immediately do that with a smile.

An intriguing character and someone who appears to have figured things out in his mind pretty clearly, Nikhil is one of the most likeable chaps on the set. He is highly unobtrusive and prefers to operate in his own world instead of competing in the crowd. Not for him the push and shove style, he will make a mark in his own time, his own style. Good luck to you Nikhil and I am keen to watch your performance in Golconda High School just as much as I'd like to see your future endeavours turn successful.