In the past, Avantika Vandanapu visited India as a child actor when she shot for Telugu films, including Brahmotsavam (2016) and Premam (2016). But her latest trip to the country is special. In a way, it reminds her of the journey she has made as an artiste. “It’s surreal [how life has] come full circle, from my roots as a child actor here to now leading a Hindi series like Big Girls Don’t Cry. This homecoming feels like a dream come true,” she says. 

Vandanapu plays Leah Joseph, one of the lead characters in the Prime Video offering that is set in an all-girls’ boarding school. The actor spent the last two weeks in Mumbai promoting the series, and fell in love with the city. “I loved the hustle culture. I would love to come back and spend more time discovering the city because I always hear so much about its hidden gems. I was around avid film lovers, and will take back the amazing conversations I had about cinema.” She also squeezed in a three-day trip to Kashmir with her family.