1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I am from the beautiful city Chandigarh. I did my post-graduation in Marketing in HR from Delhi. I come from a family of doctors so I had nothing to do with media before I moved to Mumbai. I participated in various contests while I was growing up in Chandigarh and I was very active in my school and college co-curricular activities which is what gave me confidence. That's when I realised that to be on stage is my ultimate dream.
2. Did you ever think or dream of being an actor?
I think while growing up, every little girl dawns her mother's dupatta, makes it a saree and stands in front of the mirror posing for hours and I have done that as well. But I never thought I could pursue being a performer professionally. I never thought of being an actor. Acting came as a byproduct of being in Bombay.
I always loved to sing and dance and that was something which I always wanted to do but I never thought that I could convert that dream into a reality because I knew nobody in Bombay, my family knew nobody in the industry. It never crossed my mind as an option for a career. So as much as I liked doing all those amazing things, I never thought that I would end up being a professional in the field of media.
3. How can one approach their career and have the confidence and belief to become an actor?
I think acting requires a very different skill set. Other than the fact that you got to be a good actor, the ability to be absolutely uninhibited and to not worry about people judging you, I think that is the most important thing. When you are in a field of work which is viewed by millions of people, it is bound to be scrutinized by those people.
So, not only do you need the ability to be a good actor but the grit and determination to hang in there, face a lot of criticism and deal with a lot of failures. So self- confidence and passion for acting are something that would keep you going if you want to become an actor.
4. If not this, what would you be doing?
Oh my god! That is a tough question for me! Because I love so many things. I definitely would be doing something in the food space as I am very passionate about food. I have always wanted to go somewhere and do some nice baking course or a healthy food course or something. Maybe I would have been a chef or a food critic or a food taster or a travel blogger. I guess anything that has to do with travelling and eating food. I think that is something that excites me!
5. For a complete outsider with inroads, what advice would you like to give?
The only advice I would like to give to any outsider who wants to come to Mumbai to pursue their dream in media or whatever it is that you require a lot of patience to be here and to find the right work. There is a lot of work. People do get work, that's not a problem, but to get good work in your terms and to do the kind of work that you want to do requires a lot of patience. It requires a lot of money as well because living in Mumbai is very expensive.
So, to support that life, you need a good amount of money to keep you sailing through and not get you frustrated that you picked up the wrong kind of work. And also, you need a good support system. By that, I mean family and friends, people in the city to back you up. It can be very frustrating to live alone. I know a lot of people who stay alone and the struggle is real! So to have somebody who you can go to and who has your back through thick and thin is very very crucial.
6. What is your mantra of success?
You know success is different for different people. Everybody's parameters for success are very different. Some people find success in lots of money, some find it in lots of awards, some find it in big houses and big cars. My definition of success is slightly different. I believe in having work-life harmony. For me, that is very very important. As much as my professional success matters to me, so does my personal success.
I probably pay equal or more weightage to my personal life than to my professional life because I think that is my soul. Love feeds me. So my husband, my daughter, my friends, my family make a very big part of my happiness and that leads to my success. So all the songs, shows and travelling would mean nothing if I don't have somebody to come back home to if I don't have a family that loves me if I don't have friends who support me and cheer for me.
So, I think success for me is this beautiful work-life harmony that God has bestowed upon me. So, that for me is my Mantra of Success, to find your own harmony in whatever you're seeking. I would say don't have a skewed or lopsided approach towards success.
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
I am not an avid book reader but I read this book by Brian Weiss called 'Only Love is Real'. It talks about how souls who really love each other and are connected with each other will reunite time and again in different lifetimes and births and I truly believe in that. I truly believe that people who are connected with the soul, they will come back to meet you in every lifetime.
It's a beautiful book and I think everybody should read it. I believe in a lot of spirituality and I believe in the world that exists beyond the world we live in. So it's very intriguing to read about it.
Interview By - Suhani Mangleek
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