Shivani Baokar - It’s Us Who Always Think That Things Are Unattainable Because We Don’t Have the Right Connections (Television Actor)

I think it’s just the confidence that you have in yourself that opens up many options for you, because if you don’t try, you will always keep contemplating about it and you will never get there. It’s either about you trying to keep balancing your life or just go for what you feel and give it your best shot. I also believe in following my intuition.

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

Ever since I was a child, I was always attracted to posing in front of the camera. But, as children, we barely pay attention to the traces life is leaving behind to your destined career and keep living merely in the moment. I’d always been active in all the extra curricular activities in school, be it singing, dancing, sports, and even electuation competitions. 

Only when I joined my college dramatics group, I knew that I had to make acting my career and I did all that I could to manage my academic career alongside this distant dream of mine. I knew I could not leave my academic career and keep hoping that as an actor I would click one day. 

Therefore, I kept pursuing my dream alongside my academic career, which was working as a German language expert in one of the big IT MMCs. When the big chance came in front of me, I was nearly about to not take it up because I didn't even see it as THE chance back then. 

But only when you’re about to give up, life gives you the most unexpected. Not did I just take up the chance, but it turned out to be the most challenging and the most rewarding venture in my life till date, and the chance was Zee Marathi’s Lagira Zhala Ji.


2. Did you ever think or dream of doing a tv show?

My family has always been supportive towards my career in acting, and when I first discussed this at home, my mother put in a vague idea in my head that she wants to see me in Daily Soaps, because that gives you an extended family and people love and accept you as their own family. So yes, I will not deny the fact that I did wish of beginning my career with a daily soap. 

3. How can one approach their career and have the confidence and belief to make it on a tv show?

I think it’s just the confidence that you have in yourself that opens up many options for you, because if you don’t try, you will always keep contemplating about it and you will never get there. It’s either about you trying to keep balancing your life or just go for what you feel and give it your best shot. I also believe in following my intuition.


4. If not this, what would you be doing?

Well, I had a lot of things figured out back then. But, the most sane thing to do would be continue working as a German language expert. Maybe work as a freelancer and then go abroad to master in my field of education and settle down there itself.

5. For a competitive outsider with no inroads, what advice would you like to give?

It’s us who always think that things are unattainable because we don’t have the right connections. But who says having the right connections makes you successful always? Instead of wasting your time introspecting about things, I would say just keep trying wherever possible, whenever possible and however possible. Keep working on yourself and keep believing in yourself.


6. What is your mantra of success?

If you’ve patiently gone through my answers to the previous questions, ‘Try Try till you succeed’ is the mantra you’d be guessing that works for me right now.


7. Which is your favourite book and why?

Being a bibliophile, I cannot be partial towards any book in particular because I feel that books have feelings too. But here’s one beautiful pick for you, and that is ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee, because the main message the author wants to give to the readers is not to treat others according to who or what they are, but according to their behaviours.

- Shivani Baokar 

Instagram @shivanibaokar 

- Interviewed by - Nishad Kinhikar