The story behind getting the role of Urmila Behan

Acting has been a passion of mine since my school days, inspired by my mother's wish for me to communicate with audiences. I joined the drama group in school, which marked the beginning of my journey in acting. My drama teacher noticed my potential and cast me in a Doordarshan play, Santa Kukadi. That experience opened doors to a world I would come to love deeply.

I began participating in school dramas, then moved on to college plays, inter-college competitions, the Malhar festival, and the Dany Drama Competition. Eventually, I transitioned to theatre, where I honed my craft further. In 2010, while performing in a play by Ugryan Entertainment, a colleague informed me about an audition for the TV serial Saathiya. I auditioned for three characters — Kokila, Hetal, and Urmila — and, after 15 days, was called to sign the contract. At that time, I was unaware of the industry's workings and had no contacts. For me, my work has always spoken for itself, and I never saw my journey as a struggle.

I never imagined I would appear on television. Whenever I watched shows, I wondered how those actors made it. But I was content doing my plays. I believe if you view your journey as a struggle, you feel pain, and I never wanted a painful path — I always wanted to enjoy my work. 

There are always ups and downs for an actor. After Saathiya, I didn’t get another show immediately. Later, I worked on Saathiya 2 and in 2021 for Pandya Store. In 2019, I was in a show that started in April and shut down in October. The producer initially refused to pay us, which was a tough period. But the cast united, met with the channel, and after the lockdown, we recovered 70% of our dues. 

Currently, I am working on United State of Gujarat. If a good offer comes for film or OTT, I will definitely consider it.