Actress Sharmila Joshi, who featured in movies like All The Best, Shudh Desi Romance and Beewakoofiyan, and TV show Manmohini, feels working for the two platforms has been a great experience.
Talking about her journey, she says, “The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, mine was back in school. I had been an aggressive sportsman and also creatively inclined and I did my first play in the 1st grade. I had also been a part in inter states later and then the journey continued. I did a workshop and got a break as one of the main leads in a play. From there, I was a part of lot of plays and then serials happened. One fine day, Neeraj Vohra, the legendary director and screenplay writer, called for me for an audition and he offered me a role in his film for YRF, the Mecca for every actor. Shanooji called me for an audition for the film Shudh Desi Romance and I got the film and from there I have been a part of 3 films of YRF.”
Ask what made her get into TV after doing big banner films, she adds, “Doing serials is a different game altogether. Your work is seen every day and one reaches directly into the drawing-room of the audience. It’s different and you are scared of overexposure though. To your own strength, an actor needs to be smart enough to know his/her area of expertise. The experience of working in a daily soap makes you live the character for a longer duration and this makes an actor better in his/her skills.”
Do you think it has been a risk as actors get typecast? “Getting typecast is any actor’s fear, but if you don’t play with fear, how will you move on? One should be bold enough to change that and change one’s shape, that is one’s style, look and many more factors are involved. I believe that no one’s role is similar to others, genres can be similar but the character is always different. I have always got the opportunity to play interesting characters, be it films or serials. For me what’s important is my confidence and honesty with my work. And by god’s grace, I have never fallen short of them ever.”
She continues, “I wish a little of everything. In films, I’m longing to do more and more and I dream of being a part of a Karan Johar film. I have really enjoyed working in daily soaps and web series is what I am looking forward to because of the content it has. At present, I am looking forward to an English play. I am an honest actor and I wish to do everything that comes my way, since I strongly believe that we have one life, so do all you can.”
