This month marks actor Sanya Malhotra’s five years in Bollywood. In 2016, she made her debut with Dangal, and over the years, she has carved a niche for herself with slice-of-life films. So, what has changed in five years? “The film (Dangal) did exceptionally well. It paved the way for my career. I had a sense of belonging to the film industry from the beginning, but there’s a sense of comfort now,” Malhotra says.

She adds, “I have had the opportunity to work with some great directors and actors. I feel grateful and blessed.”

The 29-year-old had two releases this year — Pagglait, which saw her playing a young widow, and Meenakshi Sundareshwar, where she essayed the role of a wife in a long-distance marriage. Ask her if the success of Pagglait put faith in her own choices and she admits, “I never lost confidence in myself and I’ve always believed that I was going the right way. But this film came to me at the right time. I was given a lot of freedom to play my part. I learnt a lot about myself throughout the process of filming.”

Meenakshi Sundareshwar, on the other hand, received mixed responses for what many believed was a skewed representation of Tamilians. “I was prepared for it. I think people began judging the film right from the beginning, without even watching it. And at one point, I had to convince myself that the reaction I’d get wasn’t in my control,” she shares.

Focusing on the silver lining, Malhotra adds, “We began shooting for it right after the first lockdown, when I was dying to be on a set. I loved travelling to Karaikudi (Tamil Nadu) to shoot the film. The memories are still vivid in my mind. I choose to focus on the love we got after the first song was released.”