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You’re a qualified dentist and then you landed up into acting and modeling! How did this happen?
Everyone asks me the same question like, ‘Dude, why from this to this?’ Because usually there is a perception that actors are not very… you know (qualified). But that is so not true. Everybody’s well read and very learned over here. That is why they are here. All my life, I always wanted to be an actor. My mother wanted to be an actor, but then parents were a little stricter than today’s parents. And my naani was also very enterprising types. So I think it runs in the genes. And that’s how I decided, but I was very quiet child. Nobody would have ever thought in their wildest dreams that I would be coming to Bombay and be able to do this. I feel that God is really kind to me. I am no extraordinary. It’s God and my karma. And I feel, it’s my parents blessing.
We are born and raised in Indian culture where we celebrate festivals, and you know, everything… there’s naach gaana. We have grown up watching this, so I was like, mujhe screen pe aana hai, I want to be like this. I want to wear these fancy clothes. And that’s how it started.
There are many budding artistes who want to be an actor. You’re from Delhi, and you’ve studied dental sciences. Tell us about the opportunity or that thought in your mind that made you take the first step into modeling and acting.
It was actually Miss India pageants which I saw in Times of India. And my friends were like, ‘Hey, you’re a stylo.’ Everybody called me a stylo, not with my name. And they thought isko thoda chadha dete hain. And I got really excited, and I filled in the form. And I participated. And that’s how my journey began.
All girls are like that, we all want to be appreciated, and everyone telling, ‘Oh, you’re so pretty.’ At that time, we don’t know whether we’re going to be getting into acting. And there is a pedestal like Miss India pageant, or Miss Universe and all this, because we celebrate women that way. And we think, ‘Oh, you know, this is THE thing for girls.’ Then I got a little serious, I started attending classes and workshops at modeling school, then I went to National School of Drama. I could not enroll myself there because my father wouldn’t allow. I come from a Brahmin family and they said, hamare ghar ki ladkiyaan… you know, whatever the notion about Bollywood is because of whatever reasons, which is not true. Honestly, I just want to tell this to everybody. So you have to keep up the spirit. You have to be very positive. Don’t listen to what people are talking. Because if you are right, nobody can do anything to you. That’s the thing.
Now people are really nice over here in Bollywood. There are so many casting agents, you have so many opportunities, you can go for auditions. They’ll send you the script now. COVID has taught us that nobody needs anybody. Currently, I’m doing two other shows and my three shows are lined up to release and I auditioned for them when I was in LA last year. I didn’t even meet them. So my point is, it totally depends on you how you take life and how passionate you are about your this thing. So you have to be very driven. And just be honest and hard work always pays off. In fact, I didn’t even know where the casting directors sit. I used to save in my internship. I used to go to the hospital and I used to tell my dad, “Sorry, I’m telling you the truth now.” I used to lie to them that mera night shift hai, and I used to save that money to fly to Bombay. And today I’m living here in the same place, earlier I used to go around in rickshaws. So it gives me goosebumps even today when things are moving, and I’m taking baby steps and moving ahead. So I just want to tell that everything has a route, everything is easy if you decide that you want to make it happen.
With over 2.5 million followers on Instagram, you have a massive reach. How do you manage your account and how has that helped you to connect with your fans and followers?
I handle everything on my own, right from work to everything. Thanks to social media and the Instagram team. I think the app is amazing. Everything has good things and bad things about it. But it’s a boon because it gives you a great reach and connectivity to the audience and people. It speaks about your personality. Aur mai kisiki ki nahi sunti hoon.. ye daalo, ye mat daalo, ye caption mat likho. I don’t go by any of it. Sometimes you get bored also, you’re worried it’s been days you haven’t posted anything. You decide whether you want to be an influencer or an actor with that quality. It’s commendable how all the content creators are doing that, but everyone’s prerogative and everyone’s priorities are different. So mine is this and I don’t get pressurised by number of followers. I’m really thankful and grateful to my Insta family and so much love to you all that you’ve showered so much love in such little time. Thank you for loving me so much at the starting of my career. But I’d say, don’t get so pressurised, keep concentrating on your work. At the end of the day, remind yourself this is not what I came for. This is a byproduct of our profession. I don’t want to be preachy. I don’t know about others. So yeah, this is what I follow.
Do you believe that life is all about making choices, and then just sticking to them no matter what? And secondly, then how do you tread that path? Because saying it is one thing, but doing it in reality is not so easy…
See, difficult and tough is an understatement. Like I said, you have to be passionate enough and driven enough that nothing stops you. I lied not to hurt anyone, but to make my things happen. I couldn’t have said, Hey Papa, I don’t know anything. I’m just going.” Who would have allowed me ever? A father who doesn’t allow a daughter to walk out of house after 7pm in Delhi, because Delhi’s unsafe that way. How would you allow a daughter to pursue acting or Miss India pageant or anything for that matter? Now they’re happy and proud parents, I must say, because without their support, I wouldn’t have been here. But then if I talk about three years back… I think you have to keep doing it. Like how we have to study to become a graduate. It’s a consistent inward, it cannot happen without study. You can’t just go and write exam. So same way here… you cannot just land up in front of the camera. You have to work hard towards it. You have to study acting, you have to do things. And also by studying acting, I mean, you need to polish your craft if you’re serious about it. See, nobody can make you an actor if you’re not an actor. You can only polish your skills.
Tell me about your first audition. Did you crack it?
So I was in National School of Drama. And I had no clue. I went there and I went at the reception. I was like, ‘I want to learn acting.’ And they were looking at me like that. And by that moment, that time the Acting Director of NSD was passing by. His wife was a doctor. And I said, ‘Sir, I’m a medical student. I want to be an actor. Can I meet somebody here?’ So he laughed at me and said come. So that’s how it started. And I think he sympathised with me because his wife was a doctor. And that’s how my journey began. So I did my workshop workshops there and eventually in a span of few days, team from YRF was there for some auditions. I didn’t crack that, but I landed up in Bombay because of that. I did my few months of training at YRF – learning acting and all. They guided me, but things didn’t work out. But what happened out of those auditions and learning of acting and diction, I cracked the audition of ‘Ranchi Diaries’. So dots are connected. So I always feel nothing happens by accident. Now when I sit back and think, God has planned for all of us. Yes we have to keep working hard. We cannot just sit at home and start criticising people. No, we cannot do that. Everybody has their own journey and karmic cycle. I totally believe in karma and energies. So for me, it is one of those, that’s how I got ‘Ranchi Diaries’.
I happened to work with some of the best actors in industry. Being a newcomer, just a naive girl who didn’t know anything about fashion and glamour, same year, I got Most Stylish Diva awarded by Lokmat.
You did your formal training in acting after Miss India happened. When did you realise that this is the path you want to take and not become a doctor?
I was one of the finalists of Miss India by the way. But because my father thought that my daughter would have to wear a bikini…. (laughs) Not that I refrained, I post everything now. He’s very much happy and okay, because he’s understood that this is our profession, and that he should let me do what I want to do. Maybe our parents are… they have great acceptance, I must say. We are born in a very amazing country. Our parents do have wisdom, but it’s just about breaking the society norm.
Coming from Delhi in a city like Bombay, was it a struggle for you first to explain to your parents because there is usually a perception about Bollywood? Then struggling to get into the industry, starting your Bollywood journey is difficult without networking…
I do zero networking. Like I said, I didn’t even know where casting agents are, who to reach out to. Of course, Miss India gave me wings to my dreams to initiate my journey. It gave me immense confidence that yes, I can go out and do something in life. And I can tell everybody that okay, I’m capable. But I would say that you have to be really… not networking… There was somebody recently telling me ‘Soundarya, you don’t drink? You don’t smoke? How would you socialise, you need to have a glass in your hand to socialise.’ I was like, ‘It does not matter what is in my glass. My glass and the content does not decide whether I should be getting the work or not.’ So again, it’s how you take it, because there are people who have opinions. You don’t have to get intimidated by that. And there is nothing serious called ‘networking’. The networking can happen when you make a mark. Before that, nobody will entertain you also.
For all the budding actors and actresses, there’s this thing of being associated with good agencies…
So yes, it’s equally important at a certain stage. Also, you have to make an effort to be there. I’m very thankful that I have a very good team working with me, for me, and standing by me – Times Talent. And also, I would like to thank the platform of this pageant, which has actually made girls aware that they are capable of much more. So hats off to the MD of our group, because I think that is one of its kind that has given entitlement to all the women and you know, budding kids like us. So that is one thing, and everything is important. Your PR is important. Your networking part, I think let them do the networking part. You do your job of being an actor. So that’s where the agency is really important. So I’m thankful to my Times Talent agency.
Did you ever face nepotism in the industry?
I was told the very first day and I knew that person is a very good casting agent. I don’t want to name him. He said, ‘You’re not dating an actor, you’re not dating a producer, you’re not dating a starkid. What makes you think that you are pretty talented and you know that will make you a star? So I looked at him and I had a flashback of my journey. So tears were rolling down my cheeks and I remember I was sitting in Lokhandwala Starbucks. I had no clue, I came back and I cried… But that day gave me a reality check. If that wouldn’t have happened, I wouldn’t have been sitting here talking about my show ‘Raktanchal’. That gave me a kick that now I will tell him. Then ‘Ranchi Diaries’ happened.
Sometimes, people like this negativity, and failures are important for your growth. They give you a good push, and yes be an eagle. It’s okay to walk alone. It’s okay to fly alone. That is what will make your identity. There was a very big budget film last to last year that came to me. I was told on the last minute that I was being replaced on the insistence of a production house. They replaced another actor of the same agency later. That incident broke me again. But I think my work will pull work, and my parents are super proud and happy. So that is my driving force. So nothing bogs me down.
Soundarya Sharma is a Times Talent girl. Times Talent is one of India’s leading talent discovery and management firms, catering to films, Web series/TV shows, TV commercials, print shoots, appearances, events, celebrity-driven brand activations and more. Contact: www.instagram.com/timestalent
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