‘There is always certain pressure’
caught up with the hotright-now actress Tejasswi Prakash to discuss her journey, pressure of success, inspirations, the best advice she ever got, girl power and future hopes.
How do you reflect on your acting journey?
I would say it has been adventurous and fulfilling. I have played so many characters, been on a reality TV show and so much more. As an actor, I’m on a never-ending journey of getting better and doing better, and this is what I love the most about my profession. Besides you also make friends in the industry who help you grow as an actor and even as an individual. It’s nostalgic to look back and see how far I have come. (Smiles) But I am just getting started.
How much do all the awards mean to you, including winning
Bigg Boss 15?
When you receive an award, it means your work is given special recognition. It does matter to me but what matters the most is the ever-increasing love I get from my audiences. For me, an award is just a bonus. I would say that each award and every trophy does matter somewhere as it adds so much more recognition to your work.
How do you deal with pressure?
I feel as an actor there is always a certain pressure. We play a vital role in changing attitudes or setting a trend. Irrespective of whether you are successful or not, there is always pressure. Once you are successful, there is al-ways pressure to perform better. As an artist, I take that in a positive spirit and focus on working towards my better self.
Naagin 6
How much does that success of mean to you?
Yes, Naagin is one of the most-loved franchises. The craze is so much that it’s now in the sixth season. The success means a lot to me as it helps me know that my fans and other Naagin franchise supporters have loved my character, and the show’s storyline. There is so much more that’s going to blow the viewers’ minds.
What do you believe is the secret of a great performance?
There is no secret recipe for success I feel. The main two ingredients for it are consistency and lots of hard work. When you drive all your energy into these two elements, success comes knocking at your door. I feel when you look for shortcuts you stop appreciating everything that you have and don’t value your craft well enough.
What are your future projects?
The plan is to play as many diverse characters as possible and learn as much as I can about my craft. For me, 2023 is going to be a year all Sunil Shetty about learning, evolving, doing new things, and staying connected to my roots.
Do you have a dream role or project?
If I had to choose one, it’s honestly so difficult to do that. Having three various platforms of television, OTT, and cinema, it’s hard to choose that one dream role. I would like to play characters that challenge me and demand a different version of me, something that enables me to deliver to audiences the kind of performances they get excited to see from me.
What do you enjoy watching as an audience?
There is no particular choice as such. Most of the time I watch content that helps me learn more about my profession. However, I do enjoy watching documentaries and thrillers. And who can say no to comedy? Laughing always puts you in a good mood.
How do you balance your professional and personal life? How do you feel about being a strong symbol of girl power and an inspiration to so many?
I feel ecstatic about that. If I had to put my feelings into words about this, it would be difficult. I am always working towards becoming a better version of myself and hope to inspire people not just across India, but worldwide too.
What is the best advice you have ever got?
The best advice I have received is to never look back. The only time I should do that is to see how far I have come. I should also remember my mistakes as a lesson, so that when a similar situation arises, I can handle it better.
What inspires you?
My fans inspire me. There are days when I feel low and a bit overwhelmed, just like any normal human would. Then when I look at my social media family online, it instantly acts as a charm. It’s a different feeling. They inspire me to be better every day and really push myself. Then there are some fans who send me words of healing, power and so much more. When you have such a rock-solid family, you don’t need to go somewhere else to find inspiration.