Rajshri Deshpande has been part of quite a few acclaimed projects, including the recent Trial By Fire, not to mention Sacred Games and S Durga (2017). The actor, however, is not bothered by the pressure to recreate magic again with the projects to follow.

“Oh God! Agar next project kharaab ho jaayega, toh kya hoga? I always feel failure is part of the game. Even if I don’t do well, I don’t want to take any pressure. That show worked because of the cast and crew. Everyone was involved in it. If tomorrow, I do something that is not edited or directed properly, [it’s out of my control]. I don’t understand this pressure [for] my next project,” she says.

The 40-year-old is not a believer in the numbers game either, and doesn’t let fame get to her head. “If the project doesn’t work, will you say Rajshri failed? It’s part of the game. Aaj theek hua hai, kal nahin hoga, parson shayad ho jaayega. I always feel, this is not a race we are running — at least I am not. Number one, box office position — what’s all this?” asks Deshpande, who was also seen in web series The Fame Game.

It’s only the craft and her passion that drives her, and not quantifiable results. “This industry is so volatile... Why I am here, is to do meaningful projects. This is my joy, love, my passion for cinema. I have come from zero in my life, I don’t mind being zero again. I am in a comfortable space,” she signs off.