Showing posts with label Nia Sharma interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nia Sharma interview. Show all posts
Tying each other rakhis has become an annual ritual for Krystle Dsouza and I-Nia Sharma
8:48 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; August 10, 2024)
Their on-screen camaraderie may have ended when Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai wrapped up in 2013, but Nia Sharma and Krystle Dsouza have effortlessly translated their on-screen chemistry into a strong off-screen bond, nurturing it over the years. This Raksha Bandhan, they will celebrate their relationship by tying the sacred thread of love and protection to each other for the fourth consecutive year.
‘Tying each other rakhis has become an annual ritual for us’
Nia recalls, “One Raksha Bandhan, my brother Vinay, who is based in Bengaluru, couldn’t make it. Krystle, who became my neighbour in 2021, surprised me by showing up with a rakhi and a beautiful hamper. That’s how it started, and it has since become an annual ritual for us. We are continuing the legacy we created as sisters on our TV show years ago.”
Krystle says, “I have an elder brother, but he moved to Canada around 10 years ago, so I haven’t been able to tie him a rakhi. Since the show, I have always felt a special connection with Nia. On the show, we would tie each other rakhis, and I felt the need to keep this tradition going. Once we became neighbours, I thought it was the universe’s way of telling us we were meant to be together (smiles).”
‘Despite others trying to pit us against each other, it never affected us’
Reflecting on how they developed a strong bond, Nia shares, “I was just six months into the industry, while Krystle had already done a few shows. We would attend workshops together for Ek Hazaaron Mein.... She would pick me up in her car since I didn’t have one. Then, during a month-long outdoor schedule in Rishikesh, we shared a room, and that’s how our bond grew. There was a brief period when a slight rivalry emerged because our on-screen characters were pitted against each other, but we were mature enough never to let it affect our friendship.”
Krystle says, “When we started, we didn’t receive the star treatment we might get today. During our outdoor schedule, we shared one hotel room and had to wake up at 4 am for a 5 am shoot. I was more punctual, so I would wake up early. I would drag Nia to the washroom and throw her in the shower so we could get to the set on time. We always made sure to take care of each other. On days when I wasn’t well, she would ride a bike in Rishikesh to take me to the set. Our bond was strong from the start, and despite others trying to pit us against each other, it never affected us. I like to believe we have a past-life connection.”
‘Both of us are crazy, wild, and like to live life to the fullest’
Despite their different personalities, it’s the similarities they share that have strengthened their bond over the years. Nia says, “Even though Krystle played the older sister, and I played the naughtier one in the show, in real life, we are the same age. Both of us are crazy, wild, and like to live life to the fullest. We don’t get to meet often because we are busy with our own lives and friend circles, but whenever we do, we can laugh about anything. Hum aankhon aankhon mein kisi ko dekh kar hassna hota hai hass lete hain. I am a little louder, and she has become calmer (laughs!).”
Krystle believes the differences are the best part of their relationship. She adds, “We are very different and that’s the best part. I am the calm, and she is the chaos. She is really chaotic! Though we are very different, we share some similarities – we have our values in place, we are both hardworking, and independent, and we have worked hard to achieve something for ourselves. Somewhere in those similarities, we meet. But yes, we are very different in terms of personality.”
Kitchen confessions:
Talking about their skills in the kitchen, Krystle shares, “I see myself as the more responsible sibling in life, while Nia is the more skilled one in the kitchen. I remember inviting her over for tea and making the worst tea possible. She drank it, cursing with every sip, but still finished it (laughs!). The next day, she invited me over for tea, and that’s when I realised she was the better cook.”
Currently, Nia is busy shooting for her TV show, Suhagan Chudail, while Krystle has been travelling for over a week. So, how does she plan to tie rakhi to Nia this year? “It’s a ritual I can’t miss at any cost. So, I will fly back to be with Nia on Raksha Bandhan,” Krystle affirms.
Sometimes, on Instagram, it seems sabhi aagey badh rahe hain and you are the only one lagging-Nia Sharma
8:01 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; July 23, 2024)
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.”
On her return to TV after a break
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.
‘It’s okay not to follow the crowd by overselling yourself’
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.
‘Getting your terms and conditions agreed to at this stage isn’t easy’
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.”
The perception that actors with a huge following on social media can get ratings for a TV show is bizarre-Nia Sharma
8:00 AM
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; August 27, 2021)
Nia Sharma never minces words. This time she has shown support for experienced actors like Mouli Ganguly, who recently said she was rejected for a TV show because she did not have a huge following on social media. Nia posted a message on Instagram expressing her support for Mouli. In an exclusive chat with us, Nia says, “There are issues in every field and profession, but sometimes it is appalling to read or hear about things that happen in showbiz. TV industry has no dearth of talented, experienced actors, but they may not have a good following on social media. How does that matter?”
She further says it’s disrespectful to judge an actor on the basis of their social media fan following. She shares, “Social media should be limited to your personal life, it can’t be a basis to cast someone in a project. There are some senior actors who have a limited following, but they are doing wonders in telly shows.”
Nia, who is very active on social media and has a notable fan following, says that so far in her career, she has bagged projects on the basis of her talent. She explains, “Yes, I have a great following, but that hasn’t helped me bag a role. On the contrary, when I did Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai 10 years ago, I was not on Instagram, but the show had a good viewership. Casting was not dependent on social media earlier. Currently, this entire perception that actors with a good fan following can bring good ratings is bizarre.”
The actress agrees that social media does help actors bag digital collaborations and stay in touch with their fans. “It has its positives, but equating it with a person’s acting talent and overall popularity is unfair,” says Nia, who was last seen in Naagin 4, which ended in 2020.
Those associated with Sushant Singh Rajput’s case should speak up and the rest should shut up-Nia Sharma
8:17 AM
Nia Sharma feels that people who are not associated with the investigation of SSR’s death need not add to the noise
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 16, 2020)
“I came to Mumbai 10 years ago with the dream of becoming a news channel reporter but I was destined to be an actor,” says Nia Sharma, who hails from Delhi.
Thankful for her career and success today, Sharma is saddened with the negativity around the industry. Of late, the entertainment industry is being targeted and she finds the scenario “unbelievable”.
“News channels are stooping low and people are being judged on chat shows. I wonder, if courts are required anymore,” she says, adding, “I think, people who are associated with the subject (investigation of Sushant Singh Rajput’s death) should speak up and the rest should shut up. They don’t need to add to the noise. People are tweeting from their beds just to be in the limelight. That is not needed. If ones who don’t need to, shut up, then the voices that matter will be heard. We are taking pride in digging out stuff and pulling people down.”
The 29-year-old says that now it’s become a game of “mud-slinging” and whoever jumps in also gets dragged in. “Everyone has gone berserk and people are harping on the same things till someone doesn’t collapse. No one is understanding what’s happening. We should just let people who are involved in the matter, do their bit and figure things out.”
Sharma, who got selected for the TV show Kaali after auditioning in Delhi later bagged Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai. The role established her in the industry and then “there was no looking back”.
Having done a number of TV shows such as Jamai Raja, Naagin 4 and a few web shows, too, Sharma admits she didn’t have to struggle much. “I couldn’t be happier of how my career has turned out. I was such a raw girl, who didn’t even use kajal in college, unlike many today who are so fashionable. I was an ugly duckling, a simpleton. But I aspired to be fashionable and walk out of stores with huge shopping bags. Ever since my acting career started, I have groomed myself to become the person I am today. It has been a self-processed journey,” she concludes.
I overcame my fear of water and performed only to win-Nia Sharma
8:29 AM
Nia Sharma, one of the first TV actors to resume shooting in the ongoing pandemic, triumphs in the special one-month edition of KKK
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 31, 2020)
In 2017, Nia Sharma participated in Rohit Shetty’s stunt-based reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi (KKK) Season 8 and finished fifth. This year, she returned to Khatron Ke Khiladi—Made In India, and took the trophy home. “Midway through season 8, it was only about winning. This time, it was 20 days of fun, filmi style,” she says, admitting that the last time, her fear of water ended her journey prematurely. “It has haunted me for the last three years. This time, I overcame my fear and performed only to win.”
The actress insists that the pandemic didn’t deter her from participating in the show. “I was one of the first from the TV industry to resume work and had been shooting for the last month-and-a-half for Naagin before KKK. I wasn’t afraid. Once you step out of your home you have to set your fears and inhibitions aside,” she reasons, calling Rohit, the “pillar of KKK”. “He is a mentally amazing person, who personally invests in the show. This time, he even brought his own stunt team and made us feel so comfortable.”
Nia shares that the semi-finale task was the biggest challenge. “There was a plank in mid air that I had to cross to enter the Top 3. It was raining and the plank was shaking so hard. Once I completed the task, I cried,” she says proudly.
A celebration is pending, given the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. “I would like to go to Lonavala with my friends and stay there for some days,” she says dreamily. “The Film City helipad, where I have shot most of my scenes in fiction shows, will now be my winning spot. Whenever I go back there, I will remember it as the place where I killed it in the finale task. For now, I’m tending to my injuries.”
Having been part of two of the biggest shows on Colors, Naagin and KKK, will she now complete the trifecta with Bigg Boss? Nia breaks into peals of laughter, “I do shows that I am convinced of. If you don’t see me in a certain show, it’s because I said no to it.”
I was obsessed with my weight... I have even starved to look a particular way-Nia Sharma
7:47 AM
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; November 19, 2019)
She is hot and sexy, but not many know that actress Nia Sharma has battled eating disorders. In a candid chat with BT, she talks about her obsession with body weight, how her love life is not for social media and why she is finally happy to do a woman-centric show. Excerpts:
In showbiz, there’s a lot of pressure on actors to look their best all the time. How do you cope with it?
People have always seen me as someone who is fit and has a good figure because I have maintained myself well. But, with time, there are physiological factors that make you put on weight. For the past few years, I have suffered from the fear of getting out of shape. I was obsessed with my weight and if I put on even one kilo, I would start fretting and fuming over it. So much so, that my conversations with my friends were all about my weight worries. And in order to look a particular way, I ended up starving myself. While I never had cheat days and followed a strict diet, there were times when I just let myself go and overindulged in food. And when I ate a lot, I would feel extremely guilty. So, I would try to throw up what I ate. This was a practice for many years, but I now realise that it is one of the worst things I did to myself. My friends Arjun (Bijlani) and Ravi (Dubey) sat me down and explained that this was not healthy. Even when I suffered from slight bloating, I would throw up deliberately. Finally, it left me feeling very weak. I would like to tell women to stop doing this, if they suffer from such fears. In fact, the fear of gaining weight led me to skip my lunches and dinners. I used to only have protein shakes and work out like mad. But I do believe that working out is not the only solution to maintain a healthy weight. You need a healthy diet along with it. I have suffered from this eating disorder, but thankfully, I am now over it.
You have always kept your personal life under wraps. So, are you in a relationship?
I have never spoken about my personal life because I feel that my love life is not for Instagram. I am nervous to share private pictures on my social media accounts. In the last few years, a couple of relationships ended abruptly. I now feel that if I am with someone, I’d rather make it work than talk about it to people.
Who is your ideal guy?
I want someone who is educated and when I say educated, I mean someone who is mature enough to respect a woman irrespective of her profession. I can’t be with a guy who is fighting with me over what I wear. A relationship can’t be about the clothes that a girl wears. I am what I am today because of my sheer hard work and discipline. Even my mother tells me, ‘Nia, we are happy for your success and you have the freedom to follow your desires’. So, I can’t allow a guy to dictate what I should wear to a party. Having said that, I am very accommodating and adjusting in a relationship. I want a guy who will let me pursue my ambitions, stand by my side and have full faith in me. That’s why I find it very funny when actors say that they don’t want to marry someone from the industry. Why not? Actually an actor will exactly understand the pressures of the trade, your sense of fashion and the erratic working hours. I would love it if I have a handsome actor by my side.
You have always been vocal about what you feel. In an industry where diplomacy is the norm, does this pose a problem for you?
I don’t feel that I owe anyone anything. My journey has been organic and over the years I have picked my own set of friends and have never been to a party to just ‘network’. I respect people and they should respect me back. Everyone knows that I am not here to lick anyone’s ass. I have been often termed as being rude but what is wrong in asking for what is rightfully yours. If you don’t give my remuneration on time, you can’t expect me to be nice to you. I will never compromise on bad working conditions. In the past, I have worked so many extra hours and suffered health issues for months. I have decided to not work for more than the required number of hours and live a healthy life. I might be termed as someone who is fiesty and speaks her mind, but at least, I am called professional and disciplined.
Are you happy that with Naagin, you will now play the title role?
I don’t think anything can be better than being part of Naagin. I have enjoyed my previous work, too, but for the first time, I will be the title character in a television show.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)