Loved the vibe of Hyderabad while shooting here for my Tollywood debut: Amy Aela

Singing and dancing started out as an outlet for dealing with her anxiety. But her hobby has opened up a new world of opportunities for Amy Aela. The Allahabad girl became an overnight social media sensation after the Asees Kaur’s single Tu Lagdi Ferrari, featuring Amy, became a huge hit. With over half a million followers on social media, the 23-year-old soon caught the attention of filmmakers down south and is all set to make her Tollywood debut with debutant Chakravarthy’s 100 crore starring Kannada star Chetan Kumar.

“I was initially apprehensive about doing this film because I don’t know any Telugu, but Chetan convinced me to do it. The storyline is whacky and that got me excited. I even found a language coach to help me with mouthing the dialogues,” Amy said in an Instagram Live with Hyderabad Times.

Born in Allahabad, Amy moved to Australia as a kid and grew up there. However, Amy’s time in Australia wasn’t very pleasant. “I was often bullied as a kid and a few years ago, I even struggled with mental health issues. Dance, music and acting helped me cope. They also opened a lot of new doors for me,” she said.

The social media sensation said she enjoyed every minute while shooting in Hyderabad. “It’s such a vibrant city, I love the vibe here. I’ve heard a lot about the city’s biryani but I’ve been a vegan for the last 16 years so maybe l’ll try the veg biryani while I’m here,” she said, adding, “I recently shot for a single called Evarura Aa Pilla with Mehaboob Shaik and I had a great time. It’s easy to feel like an outsider when you don’t know Telugu, but Hyderabadis have always found a way to make me feel at home.”