When Nia Sharma stepped back from television to explore opportunities in other mediums, she didn’t anticipate how challenging it would be. While offers did come in, they were either not interesting enough or did not materialize.

She shares, “Breaking an image and exploring a new medium can be extremely challenging. While the people I met knew me and appreciated my work, it didn’t translate into anything substantial. Ab iss beech mein teen saal kahaan chale gaye even I don’t know. Several television shows were offered during this time, but none resonated with me. I also feel the television medium has suffered in the last few years, and nothing seems to be working.”

Nia returned to the fiction genre with the supernatural show Suhagan Chudail after a four-year hiatus. “My initial reaction was ‘No way I’m returning to television with a show like Suhagan Chudail’. During the first narration, I was told the character was 200 years old, and I was stunned. This was followed by several meetings where they managed to convince me. And now that I am part of this show, I realize I am perfect for it,” says the actress, who is also seen in Laughter Chefs.

Taking a break from TV was a risk, the Jamai Raja actress admits. “People around me would often doubt my decision, wondering if I would fade away. They would ask, ‘Aaj kal kya kar rahi hai?’ At times, their opinions would get to me, but I knew I was refusing work for a reason. Fading away has never been my concern, which is why I could sit back and handle the pressure. I want to be respected for my work. Sometimes, when you browse Instagram, it seems sabhi aagey badh rahe hain, poori duniya hi achha kar rahi hai, and you are the only one lagging. But you have to snap out of that thought and realize it’s okay not to follow the crowd by overselling yourself. That sense of contentment comes when you’ve done meaningful work and are satisfied in your space. I am glad I don’t have to take up shows to stay relevant,” she shares.

The actress admits securing content-driven projects with the right budget at this stage in her career is challenging. She says, “Often, people don’t approach me because they assume I charge too much, which might be true (laughs!). Then, there are times when the projects you are excited about don’t take off. Getting your terms and conditions agreed to at this stage isn’t easy.”