Wamiqa Gabbi is currently basking in the success of her latest release, Bhool Chuk Maaf. But as the actor reveals, this moment has been a long time coming. Though her breakthrough came with the 2023 web series Jubilee, she admits the road ahead wasn’t as smooth as one might expect.

“Jubilee definitely helped build my confidence,” says the 31-year-old, “but I still faced a lot of challenges afterwards.” She adds, “I was getting some offers, but I was also getting rejected. Things didn’t magically become easy for me after Jubilee. It took me a while to process all the rejections and understand why they were happening.”

Wamiqa reflects on the realities of the industry, saying, “That’s when you start to understand the other things at play — the politics, the layers of reasons behind those rejections. It’s not just one or two factors. You have to break through all those barriers just to make yourself visible. And then, you’re simply waiting for the next opportunity to prove yourself again.”

As someone without a film industry background, she admits the mental toll is real: “As an outsider, everything depends on what I did in my last project. There’s always a chance I might not get another opportunity. So, all my energy goes into giving my best in the moment, while hoping for another chance to show what I can do. It’s a tough journey.”