Vijaylaxmi Singh, the talented actress is presently part of the popular Star Plus show Imlie, in the role of Radha Tripathi. She has been part of TV shows Dil Toh Happy Hai Ji, and web series Rasbhari, Breathe: Into the Shadows, Virgin Bhanupriya etc.
Vijaylaxmi is extremely glamorous in real life but does not hesitate playing the motherly ‘gharelu’ characters on TV. Ask her whether she feels bad stepping out of the glam real-life look for her onscreen roles, and the actress is quick to say, “Not at all, because that is what an actor is all about, playing other people, stepping in other people’s shoes. But I do want to play glamorous roles too, be it Indian or western in look. I do not feel bad playing characters that are contradictory to my personal life. Rather I take it as a challenge and work on it. I feel good when the audience finds my character convincing. But I do not want to get typecast.”
The actress started her acting career in 2011 and has set an example for all the women who bury their dreams after having a family. “Many of my friends and acquaintances who used to disapprove of my choices are getting inspired, this motivates me to do better. There has to be a work-life balance. I do not approve of a set-up where women have to give up their dreams and aspirations for everyone in the family. Family should also share work and responsibilities so that women are able to pursue their profession, passion and dreams. A progressive mother also sets a good example for the new generation, kids learn by example and not by telling,” she states.
“Also, financial independence and a sense of achievement is important to feel self-worth. I feel grateful that I am able to inspire women in some way. I am thankful for the upbringing I got from my parents Mr Jai Chandra Singh and Kamlesh Singh and for the support of my family.”
Talking about how she bagged the role in Imlie, Vijaylaxmi states, “I had been giving auditions from home. The first shutdown had just got over when I got this project. Radha in Imlie is a very interesting character. I had cleared a couple of more auditions for other shows, but I liked Imlie the most.”
Talking about her life and acting journey, the actress shares, “If one is determined to work hard, nothing is impossible is what I believe in. Once I was sure that I wanted a career in acting, I started working towards it. I was clueless about the industry, so I took baby steps, e.g. joining theatre and as I slowly became aware, I ventured deeper and applied for commercial acting work. The more I dabbled in it the more I liked it. There were times when there was a lot of work and sometimes there was no work at all, but I kept on applying, auditioning and working on myself. For every opportunity I got, I made sure that I gave my 100 per cent. There are good people here, they want their projects to be the best. So they make a choice /or select an actor who will complement their project. Outsider or not, everything seems difficult unless you learn and try. Having said this, I still have a long way to go.”
On the way her character in Imlie has graphed out, she explains, “I am happy with the way my character is developing in the show. Radha is a lady who takes care of her family, is very self-disciplined and manages the house and instils order in the house. She does it very happily and makes sure that every kid and every person in the family is happy, however in times of crisis, we get to see a side of her that is tougher. She takes a stand and does not easily bend rules. Integrity and honesty is important to her and we can see it even stronger in her character now. She’s not illogical, there is a valid reason for her anger.”
Talking about her bond with her co-actors in Imlie, she is quick to say, “I have a friendly bond with Sumbul, Mayuri and Gashmeer. We have also spent some time together during breakfast or our meals or in some sort of getting together, especially when we were in Hyderabad.”
Best of luck, Vijaylaxmi!!