Saumya Tandon says she only accepts awards if she feels she is deserving of them. The actor, who hails from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (MP), was recently given the Champions of Change award by the state’s Governor, Mangubhai C Patel.

“I am not too much of an awards person. I barely go to any such events. I received this one as the honourable Governor was presenting it. I come from MP and the place has a lot to do with my growing up years and my personality,” she shares.

Sharing why she stays away from award shows, Tandon explains she’s often expected to perform for free in exchange for an award. “The honour I received in MP isn’t like a typical film award, for which I have to perform for them. If they (award show organizers) pay me for the performance, I agree. If it’s not done with the right intention, I don’t go for it,” she says.

Talking about the state, the 38-year-old says she “grew up with historians around and also did theatre with people so good at Hindi and Sanskrit”.

She adds, “I owed it to the land to be there for the ceremony. If I was born in a big city, I could have got more exposure and perhaps my entry into the industry would have been faster and easier. But I feel the fact that I am rooted is a result of a stable upbringing and I owe that to MP.”