For me, Teachers’ Day is really about celebrating Amma: Amrutha Iyengar

On Teachers’ Day, actress Amrutha Iyengar pays tribute to the most influential teacher in her life — her mother, Bhargavi. A teacher for over four decades, Bhargavi not only shaped Amrutha’s academic foundation but also, unknowingly, laid the groundwork for her journey in cinema. ‘MY MOM TAUGHT ME KANNADA; IT STILL HELPS ME AS AN ACTOR’Amma taught me Kannada and social science at home, and the way she explained things always stayed with me. Even today, her lessons help me as an actor. She used to say, ‘If you want to perform well, know your language well.’ That advice made it so much easier for me to pick up other South Indian languages. ‘AMMA SAW MY POTENTIAL EVEN BEFORE I DID’Though I grew up in an academic household, Amma never discouraged my creative side. She was part of every cultural event in school and always took me along. Watching those performances made me want to dance and act. She encouraged me, saying, ‘Opportunities don’t come to everyone. Take them.’ She believed I was meant for acting long before I realised it myself.‘A TEACHER IS ALWAYS A TEACHER, EVEN AT HOME’Even now, when I rehearse lines, she corrects my diction and pronunciation. She gives me feedback on interviews and reminds me to use richer Kannada words to connect better with the audience.‘AMMA LOOKS AT ME AS A STUDENT WHO CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE’ If I play a teacher on screen, she guides me on posture and mannerisms. If my character belongs to a specific community, she makes me research their lifestyle and mindset. To her, I’m not just a daughter — I’m a student who can always grow. ‘SHE TAUGHT ME SOME OF THE GREATEST LIFE LESSONS’The lessons I’ve learnt from Amma aren’t just about academics or acting. She always said, ‘Never miss an opportunity. Go, listen, experience.’ That mindset has taken me far. And she constantly reminds me to stay humble. She says, ‘No matter how successful you are, stay grounded. Don’t forget your roots or your language.’