Mithya actor Avantika Dassani asserts that the never ending debate on nepotism was one of the key factors that held her back from taking the plunge into acting. She armed herself with business and marketing degree and also took up a corporate job before eventually joining the industry.
“I do accept that taking acting was somewhere on my mind but I was just going with the flow. I really worked hard in studies, topped my college went to London for higher education and got a scholarship before joining corporate world for three years,” shares Dassani on her visit to Lucknow.
Talking about her decision to try acting, she adds, “Honestly, I was doing well but somewhere I was not very happy with what I was doing. My brother (actor Abhimanyu Dassani) asked me to join some workshops. And, trust me, just on the second day I was like this is it! I loved the process and decided this was it.”
She adds that at one point she did try to hold herself back! “Yes, I think I was holding myself back! I didn’t like to fall for the perception of filmy family, star kid and all this nepotism debate. Now, when I look back, I feel those opinions were not important. In my growing up age, I used to get disturbed by all that but now I’m happy that I have armed myself with education and work experience which will surely help me in life and make my craft richer.”
Dassani says she has learnt the reality at home itself. “It was very early I understood the kinds of struggle one has to go through. My mother had groomed us well and personally I had seen my brother struggle and work really hard which added to my experience. Yes, there are some advantages but Bhagyashree ki beti hone se kaam nahi milta! Only the ability to perform, fitting in character and marketing value is what will fetch you work.”
On taking up an OTT series, she says, “With pandemic the landscape of cinema has changed. This medium is growing by leaps and bounds especially for actors like us. It gives us a great chance to stand out from the rest. I feel blessed to begin my acting career with a wonderful team Rohan sir (Sippy), Goldie (Behl) sir and actors like Huma Qureshi, Rajit Kapoor and Parambrata Chatterjee. It was written by Purva Naresh, a Lucknowite, so it was a special feeling to be here.”
Dassani will be next seen in a Tamil film Nenu Student Sir! with Bellamkonda Ganesh Babu and is in talks for her next project along with hoping for the second season of Mithya.
“My brother has extensively shot his film here but I never been to Lucknow. And, eventually, in just over a month this is my second visit — first was to attend a wedding and this time for the LitFest that too as a panelist with stalwarts from the industry,” she shares on a signing off note.