Actor Deepshikha Nagpal, best known for her powerful portrayals in films like Baadshah and Koyla, has carved a niche for herself in both Bollywood and television, often in strong, negative roles. But behind the screen success lies a personal struggle. In a candid conversation with SCREEN, Deepshikha recalled how her on-screen image led to harsh judgments, not just from the audience, but from society and even her family. (Also Read: Deepshikha Nagpal remembers how humble Shah Rukh Khan was during Koyla shoot: ‘He'd sleep amid machinery, lights’)
Deepshikha Nagpal recalls being judged for negative roles
Speaking about how she was offered only negative roles after Baadshah, Deepshikha shared, "I didn’t want to do those because people started judging me. Back then, negative roles weren’t respected. ‘Yeh toh side actor hai, bure kaam karti hai’ (She’s a side actress, does bad things). You don’t want to hear that when you’re living in this society. On TV, I also played negative roles because of typecast. Koyla was negative, even though Bindya was not negative; she was in love with SRK and saved Madhuri, but because she worked with Amrish Puri, she was negative. In Baadshah, just because I was with the villain, I was negative."
She admitted that while playing such roles gave her creative freedom, it came at an emotional cost as people used to judge her. The actor recalled that after the passing of her parents, with no one to guide or appreciate her work, Deepshikha found herself isolated. She revealed that even her relatives looked down upon he career
The judgment even trickled down to her daughter. "Instead, I was told, ‘What have you done? Tumne toh kapde utaare iss film mein... Tum toh aise ho, tumhare bacche tumko respect nahi karenge.’ I felt ashamed. I started questioning why I ever did Koyla or Baadshah. I developed so many complexes that I stopped telling anyone what I was working on. My daughter used to break Koyla CDs. All of it made me go silent — it affected me psychologically. I felt like a failure — as an actor, in my marriage, everywhere. I was broken inside."
{{/usCountry}}The judgment even trickled down to her daughter. "Instead, I was told, ‘What have you done? Tumne toh kapde utaare iss film mein... Tum toh aise ho, tumhare bacche tumko respect nahi karenge.’ I felt ashamed. I started questioning why I ever did Koyla or Baadshah. I developed so many complexes that I stopped telling anyone what I was working on. My daughter used to break Koyla CDs. All of it made me go silent — it affected me psychologically. I felt like a failure — as an actor, in my marriage, everywhere. I was broken inside."
{{/usCountry}}But acting, she said, ultimately became her refuge, helped her heal after she learned that there's no market for your sorrow.
About Deepshikha Nagpal
Deepshikha has often spoken about how she never intended to become an actor, landing in the profession by accident. She made her Bollywood debut with the 1994 film Gangster and went on to appear in films like Karan Arjun, Baadshah, Koyla, Barsaat Ki Raat, Dillagi, Rishtey, Partner and more. On television, she gained popularity through her memorable negative roles in shows such as Son Pari, Karishma – The Miracles of Destiny, Baal Veer, Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, and others.
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