After nearly eight years, Rashami Desai returned to fiction shows with Sayonee, where she plays a mother to grown-up children. In a chat with us, the actress talks about moving to Chandigarh for work, facing body shaming and lessons she learnt from her failed marriage. Known for shows such as Uttaran and Dil Se Dil Tak, Rashami says she is open to exploring different roles, including that of a mother. “I’m young, but not too young to explore such roles,” she says.

Relocating for the show means living away from her family. “The production house has given me a beautiful place and I’m living comfortably there. I miss my family, but they keep visiting me,” she shares.

Rashami has been body shamed in recent years, but she refuses to let that affect her. She says, “I have often been told at auditions that I am fat or not suitable for the role. On social media too, I get trolled. But I choose not to react because I don’t want to focus on the negativity. I rather keep myself busy learning things and improving my craft.”

Rashami, who was married to actor Nandish Sandhu, divorced in 2016. She says she has learnt from her past without dwelling on regret.

“I can’t say whether I made the right decisions, but given the circumstances, I did what I felt right at the time. I wouldn’t say I regret it, but in retrospect, I feel I could have done better,” she reflects.

The actress remains open to marriage and companionship. “I do believe in love and I want to get married. I have no interest in staying alone. I seek companionship and it is beautiful,” she says, adding, “Modern life and professional pressures can make people wary of commitment, but technology and independence cannot replace human connection.”