Tell us about yourself and your upcoming film.
Jo Sharma: Hello everyone! I am Jo Sharma, originally from San Francisco, USA. M4M (Motive For Murder) is my debut feature, and it’s a massive project releasing in five languages. Directed by Mohan Vadlapatla garu, I play a character named 'Radha'—a fierce crime investigative journalist.
Coming from the US, what was your experience working in the Indian film industry?
Jo Sharma: I have a background as a theater artist in America and even run my own theater production company. However, for this film, I trained under Mohan garu for three years. I was also a co-writer for M4M alongside Mohan garu and Rahul Adavala. Being involved in the writing process helped me design Radha’s character with a lot of depth and strength.
The film has already garnered significant international buzz. Could you share details about the awards?
Jo Sharma: It’s been overwhelming! We have won 15 international awards before the release. This includes Best Film at the Los Angeles Film Festival, Best Director in London, and I was honored with Best Actress awards at the New York, Hollywood, and Santa Monica film festivals. The biggest highlight was our global premiere at Cannes, where international audiences gave us a standing ovation. Seeing foreigners connect so deeply with a Telugu-rooted film was a moment of immense pride for us.
What is the USP (Unique Selling Point) of M4M?
Jo Sharma: It’s a seat-of-the-edge murder mystery. The killer in this movie has a very artistic yet dark "signature"—he arranges the bodies to resemble famous masterpieces by legends like Raja Ravi Varma and Picasso. This is a concept that hasn't been explored globally. To make things more exciting, we’ve announced a ₹1 Lakh prize for anyone who can correctly identify the villain on the first day of release!
Tell us about the production and your roots.
Jo Sharma: The film is a joint venture between Mohan Media Creations and McQueen Group USA. We produced it with high technical standards on a significant budget. Though I live in the US, I was born in Hyderabad and raised in Nagpur and Mumbai. My parents are from Vijayawada and Guntur, so I am fluent in Telugu, Hindi, and Marathi.
Who are your favorite actors in Tollywood?
Jo Sharma: I have immense respect for legends like Chiranjeevi garu, Balakrishna garu, Nagarjuna garu, and Venkatesh garu. I also admire Prabhas garu for changing the image of Tollywood globally with Baahubali. I love the work of Ram Charan, Allu Arjun, and Mahesh Babu, but I am particularly a huge fan of Jr. NTR’s dialogue delivery and acting prowess.
What is your ultimate goal in the industry?
Jo Sharma: I want to be a versatile actor. I love dancing and acting, and I am looking forward to doing roles that blend glamour with high-octane action. Ultimately, my goal is to be recognized as a "Beauty with Brains." I hope the audience supports M4M and blesses our team on May 8.
