2nd May,2024, Mumbai: Working in a daily soap opera is not simple, according to actress Hemani Chawla, who portrays Kasturi in Dabangii: Mulgi Aayi Re Aayi, produced by Invictus T Mediaworks. The actress continues, saying that the only thing that gets her through her busy day is her enthusiasm for acting on screen.
Hemani reveals how demanding it is to be a television star
It’s true that working in television may be very demanding. I haven’t slept or eaten much in the last three days of relentless work. I can’t speak for others, but maybe because I genuinely enjoy what I do, it sustains me. Taking care of one’s personal life is never easy. Readjusting to reality might be difficult at times when your body and mind have given up on you. The strange thing is that I also lose my mind when I take longer than a day off. I have the urge to return to the set and pursue my passion of performing in front of the camera. That, I suppose, is what motivates me even now,” she remarks.
“Night shoots are no fun because they can completely disrupt your sleep cycle”: Hemani
“Night shoots are no fun because they can completely disrupt your sleep cycle,” she continues. The next day, I started to resemble a zombie. I don’t take any particular action in this regard. I consider myself to be a pretty dedicated actor, therefore if I am asked to work nights, I do it. Food, rest, and everything else are secondary to me. I always make sure to give a project my all—blood, sweat, and sleep—once I’m given it.
Says her, a daily soap is a daily chore, particularly during the heat. “Usually, the heat makes you feel more exhausted. To be honest, I don’t always feel motivated—physically, not psychologically. I make an effort to eat a light, healthful diet throughout this hot season. I believe that a person’s nutrition affects much of what they encounter throughout the day, which is why I try to eat light, avoid the food that arrives on set, and eat fruits every morning. Thus, the saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the lazy away.”
Hemani Chawla says “Being on TV requires a lot of resilience”
The actress continues, “Being on TV requires a lot of resilience.” But not everyone is cut out for television. It takes a lot of mental and physical strength to use this medium. In addition, there is no appropriate TV planning or structure in place. With movies and web series, you know you have to give up and push yourself for a month or two at most, but with TV, things really get hard because there’s no planning involved or structure in place. The fact that the checks keep coming in also makes me less of a whiner,” she adds.
Still, some actors would prefer not to be recognised as TV actors. Hemani, nevertheless, is not one of them. “I suppose it is really impolite if people make fun of or criticise TV stars. I think it demonstrates their hypocrisy. TV is a very respectable medium; its reach is comparable to that of films, without comparing stars. Furthermore, I honestly believe that watching TV and learning from it are quite challenging. I wear this name like a crown, putting everyone else aside,” she declares.
Hemani Chawla talks about her personal experience of working as a Television actor
She remarks, “I have always been fond of working in TV,” when asked about her favourite aspect of her job. While other performers have expressed dissatisfaction about leaving television to pursue roles in films, I feel the exact opposite. Forever, I want to work on television. First of all, you maintain a daily interaction with your audience. It also provided me with a great deal of financial stability. Thirdly, compared to films and online series, there is less ambiguity.
By-Sapna Meena