Girl next door when she’s not in uniform

When not in uniform, Bhavana Kasturi is the quintessential girl-next-door, who makes no bones about admitting her fondness for T-town superstar Venkatesh and former cricketer, Rahul Dravid.

And despite being multi-faceted – a trained Kuchipudi dancer, classical singer and national-level basketball player – Bhavana is also modest and self-aware. “I cannot even compare myself to The Wall,” she quips when asked if she sees any similarities between Dravid and herself.

If it is the ace player’s “humility and honesty” that appeals to her, she’s awestruck by what the seasoned actor does on screen. “And he also has got a daughter named Bhavana!” she says with excitement, quickly adding how megastar Chiranjeevi is another of her favourites. “Who can forget his film Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari. Chiranjeevi’s dance in the movie was fantastic and Sridevi was so beautiful,” she says. While she enjoys her movie-time, Bhavana has only managed to watch Baahubali: The Beginning, in the recent past. And what did she love about it? But of course, Rana Daggubati’s acting!

But while Bhavana enjoys her movies and music, her life largely revolves around her husband, Capt Dheeraj. They were childhood friends who became life partners. “He is someone who strongly believes that I should pursue my goals and dreams,” she says.

And no matter how busy life keeps her, Bhavana makes it a point to keep in touch with some of her close friends, including two from school. The ‘single child’ of the family, raised by a doting mother, she is a self-confessed Hyderabadi to the core.