Conversations about how the lines are blurring between mediums with no more demarcations for actors have been going on for a while, but Rashami Desai says the ground reality is still different. Desai, who has dabbled with films, TV and web, is primarily known for her stint on the small screen.

“When I get categorised for certain platforms and they say that yeh toh TV actress hai, toh bura lagta hai. People don’t want to see the good work I have done,” she says.

Further calling out the biases that exist against TV actors, she says, “They’re open for new people but humein TV actors bolke kaam nahi dete hai. The influential people get better projects and better space. It is wrong. I don’t like it. It is humiliating and insulting.”

Desai, who has been a part of Hindi, Bhojpuri and Gujarati films, adds: “Even people in TV will not respect TV actors so much. They treat you like you are not good, and they give preference to film actors. But I have learnt that you have to demand for it and when you demand, they do it,” she says.

On why she thinks many from TV fail to make their mark in Bollywood, the actor says, “Being a part of Bollywood has a different flavour. But actors have to be very patient. Sometimes everything is finalised and the last moment because of a call, you get replaced. But hats off to such TV actors who make a transition from TV to films. Now I am happy that people are open to taking actors from TV in web and films,” she concludes.