All industries are difficult but things here are more complex, says actor Manisha Saxena
The actor calls her journey spanning eight years challenging yet fulfilling one.
Actor Manisha Saxena calls her journey spanning eight years challenging yet fulfilling.
“The entertainment industry is not an easy place to survive for months, let alone years. All industries are difficult, but here things are a bit more complex due to the ever-increasing competition. That’s the way I’ve been focused on taking up roles that have space and strength to stand out,” says the Rishta Likhenge Hum Naya (2017) actor.
She adds, “I started from a Doordarshan show and soon got the daily soap Pahredaar Piya Ki (2017). That changed a lot for me as it was a big show in terms of premise, casting, and budget. As a beginner, I was trying to figure things out. I did a cameo in the film Wajah Tum Ho (2016). It was then I realised that if television was providing me with better work there was no need for me to accept roles that have nothing much for me to do.”
Saxena feels to be in form one must plan their career accordingly. “When I was getting into the industry, TV was huge as there was no OTT to compete with. Good work was happening and shows like Mangalam Danglam, Radhakrishna (2018) had a loyal audience base and it gave me a strong footing. The only thing I had in mind was ke bas kaam nai rukna chahiye. I knew, as an actor, I was ready to shoulder shows in a larger context. That’s when I decided to look up for shows that saw me as a protagonist. I was more than prepared to take up the charge. I had to wait a bit, but that decision worked in my favour,” she says.
The Lucknowite is enjoying her leap from small roles to parallel lead and then eventually playing lead. “Today, if you miss an opportunity there’s no coming back. In these eight years, things have only got tougher for us all so it’s more the reason that I have been focussing on my show Milke Bhi Hum Na Mile. Hard work and perseverance do pay off in the long run, this is the only standing truth of this industry