‘You’ve to do a non-glamourous role to be accepted’

Soundarya Sharma made her Hindi film debut with Ranchi Diaries that hit the screens in 2017. Three years later, she marked her foray into the web space with Raktanchal, a crime drama. Known for her glamorous image, the actor was seen shedding her popular avatar and playing rather gritty characters in these projects.

“It was a conscious choice,” she says, adding, “People will see whatever you serve them. And it is totally the actor’s call as to how they want to be seen. In Hollywood, Julia Roberts is considered the most glamorous actor but she isn’t considered dumb. But here in Bollywood, you’ve to do a non-glamourous role to be accepted and be taken seriously.”

The actor confides that screen time isn’t her priority as long as she’s able to capture the imagination of the audience. “I’m open to doing a dance number or even play a small role in a big-budget film. Priyanka Chopra (Jonas) had just one song in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013) but when she came on the screen, it was magical. So, I believe even a smaller part can sometimes do wonders bigger than a character that you see throughout a film. It totally depends on the character that you play and ultimately the fate of the film,” she elaborates.

So, what are the factors that draw her to a project? “It has to be a good story as it is the main hero in today’s time. It needs to connect with me. The second criterion is my character. The third is the production house and the platform. To get a better understanding, I went to New York Film Academy and Lee Strasberg Theatre And Film Institute,” she replies.

Going ahead, Sharma reveals that she has a chock-o-block schedule. “I had started shooting for two web shows but we had to postpone them due to the second wave of the pandemic. I also finished shooting 80 per cent of the second season of Raktanchal. I recently signed a film but that too had to be halted. Another show was supposed to release on May 15 but we couldn’t shoot for the promotional material and so, that got postponed too,” she concludes.