American actress and entrepreneur Jo Sharma is making her Tollywood debut with the suspense thriller M4M (Motive for Murder), which is slated for a worldwide release on May 8 in five languages, including Telugu and Hindi. The actress says Telugu cinema has now attained global recognition and describes her debut as a dream beginning.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Jo Sharma said that her theatre background in the United States helped her perform confidently in the film, directed and produced by Mohan Vadlapatla.
“After Baahubali, Telugu cinema has become world cinema. I’m happy to begin my acting journey with a Telugu film,” she said.
Jo Sharma, who is also the CEO of McQueen Group USA, said she balances multiple responsibilities as an actress and entrepreneur. “My theatre experience in the US helped me slip into the character with ease. It is a role that combines beauty and brains,” she added.
The actress revealed that she had memorable interactions with several Indian film personalities during her journey. “Balakrishna garu blessed me at the IFFI event in Goa. Recently, I also showed him a song from our movie, and he wished me good luck,” she said.
She further thanked producer Dil Raju and actor Sonu Sood for launching the film’s trailer. Jo Sharma also recalled meeting Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, and Rajkummar Rao during Waves 2025, where she attended as an American actress and delegate. “I still cherish those moments,” she adds.
Jo Sharma | Image by Arrangement
M4M is expected to have a wide release across the United States through AMC theatres and local cinema chains in nearly 15 states from May 7 onwards. Jo Sharma expressed confidence about the film’s prospects, pointing out that it has already won recognition at several international film festivals, including the Los Angeles and New York film festivals.
“We have even announced a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh for viewers who can correctly identify the killer in the film,” she said.
According to the actress, the suspense thriller revolves around a serial killer who decorates victims’ bodies like famous paintings inspired by artists such as Raja Ravi Varma and Picasso. “The killer’s motive is very unique and difficult to guess,” she noted.
The film is jointly produced by Mohan Media Creations and McQueen Group USA with high production values and advanced technical standards.
Though based in the United States, Jo Sharma said she has strong Telugu roots. “I was born in Hyderabad and raised in Nagpur and Mumbai. My parents are from Vijayawada and Guntur, so I speak Telugu, Hindi, and Marathi fluently,” she said.
Talking about her favourite Tollywood actors, Jo Sharma said she admires veterans like Chiranjeevi, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Nagarjuna Akkineni, and Venkatesh Daggubati. She also praised Prabhas for taking Telugu cinema to global audiences with Baahubali: The Beginning.
“I also love the work of Ram Charan, Allu Arjun, and Mahesh Babu, but I am a huge fan of Jr. NTR for his dialogue delivery and acting prowess,” she concluded.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
