Diana Penty: Very tough, stressful to stick to your beliefs and not give in to rat race of Bollywood

The ruthless nature of the film business and the fact that time is considered money here is something actor Diana Penty is well aware of

The ruthless nature of the film business and the fact that time is considered money here is something actor Diana Penty is well aware of. The Cocktail (2012) star feels because of this, sticking to her beliefs and not giving in to the rat race gets tough.

Actor Diana Penty was seen in the film Shiddat recently.

“Tough is an understatement. It’s very tough and stressful and more often than not, you tend to find yourself in a sort of dilemma — you’re torn between sticking to the films you truly believe in on one hand, and following the advice of the people around you on the other. When it comes down to it, I always land up following my instincts with regard to the work I do and I try to maintain a healthy balance,” admits the 36-year-old, who was seen recently in the web film Shiddat.

What came to her rescue is ‘patience’, and Penty quips her friends used to say she has the patience of a saint. “But the film industry has made me learn patience all over again. I have learnt along the way that things will happen at their own pace and time. What’s important is to keep the faith and continue to work hard,” she tells us.

Penty believes that while the nature of the business won’t change, there are a few things which should. To begin with, she wants more stories revolving around women.

“I would write way more female-oriented stories than there are today. It’s important to acknowledge that there has already been a huge shift in the industry’s attitude towards women these days. There are a lot more films that have women playing central characters than there used to be before. But I feel there is potential for so much more!,” says the actor, set to star next with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Adbhut.

Talking about the project, she shares, “It’s a psychological thriller. I’m really looking forward to it because it’s a character and genre I’ve never attempted before. We started shooting in Mumbai and will soon be travelling for the outdoor schedule of the film.”