Where Bhagyashree made her comeback with a supporting role in Thalaivii last year, her actor-son Abhimanyu Dassani is making his presence felt, one film at a time. Now, following in their footsteps, Bhagyashree’s daughter Avantika Dassani is making her acting debut with Mithya.

At a time when the nepotism debate has highlighted star kids’ easy access to the industry, Avantika insists she landed the show after several rounds of auditions. “I was auditioning for this role just as other actors do. When I told my mom that I got the project, she looked up at me and asked, ‘Which one?’ [Since] I had auditioned for a couple of other projects, she didn’t know which one I had bagged,” says the actor.

She firmly believes that the advantages or pitfalls of being a star kid fall to the wayside when one is facing the camera. “I don’t think the baggage [of being a star kid] affects you as an [artiste]. On set, you are the actor [regardless of your background]. Whether you’re a star kid or a newcomer gets sidelined as long as you stay focused.”

The ZEE5 series sees Avantika as a student who is accused of plagiarism by her professor, essayed by Huma Qureshi. What begins as a matter of academic deception soon snowballs into a mind game between the two. Even as she is proud to have bagged a venture on her merit, the actor admits her family was initially apprehensive about her foray into the industry.

“I am an emotional and sensitive person. Any protective family would be concerned, since this line of work has so many ups and downs, and one has to take criticism [on the chin]. But when you are passionate about [your craft], everything takes a backseat. My family saw I wouldn’t be happy if I wasn’t doing this. From then on, they have been encouraging.”