New Delhi: Actor Sakshi Tanwar is now a household name in India because of her portrayal of various roles. Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in India, she has not been stepping out of her home much. There is a particular reason for that. Sakshi Tanwar believes in the mantra of ‘less is more’. It has helped her pick up exciting characters and stories in her career.
The Alwar-born actor became a household name with 2000 daily soap Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki (2000-2008). Sakshi followed it up another show Bade Ache Lagte Hain (2011-2014). She then moved to the OTT space with web series Karrle Tu Bhi Mohabbat, which reunited her with Bade…. co-star Ram Kapoor, and The Final Call.
Tanwar’s next digital outing is thriller movie Dial 100. She said streaming platforms have given her the opportunity to play diverse roles while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
“Kahaniii… I did it for eight years and then I disappeared for two-and-a -half years. Then I did Bade Ache Lagte Hain and fortunately that also did extremely well. After that, I knew I couldn’t work at this pace anymore. I believe everybody needs to slow down. Daily soap is very demanding, the commitment is very high,” the actor said.
“When OTT happened, the platform suited me more as I was able to portray more characters in less time. I also got the opportunity to explore more stories. The commitment is now in terms of months not years and that’s more like me. I’m secure and content with what I’ve done,” she added.
Sakshi started her journey on television in 1998 as a presenter on Doordarshan’s film songs based programme Albela Sur Mela.
In over two decades, apart from starring in two popular TV shows, Sakshi has appeared in pivotal roles in superstar Aamir Khan-led biopic Dangal and Sunny Deol’s Mohalla Assi.
Sakshi informed her friends always told her that she is being ‘lazy about’ her career. However, the 48-year-old actor believes the slow pace has worked in her favour.
“My friends used to tell me that ‘You’re giving up so much work and being lazy about it’. And I agree with them. I’ve been lazy about even meeting people sometimes. But now when I think about it, everything has turned out in my favour,” Sakshi informed.
Her choices are instinctive, but are exciting enough to push her to give 100 per cent as an artist, Tanwar said. “I choose as per my mood, and mostly I’m not in a mood to work. I just want to relax and be in a lazy mood all the time, “she quipped with a smile.
“But in that process, what has happened is that when something has really excited me, then only I come onboard. I believe when something really excites someone, they give their 100 per cent to it and things fall in place. And this is what has worked for me,” she added.
Working for two months and then taking an equally long break, is what Sakshi is trying to do. There is a reason behind it. She tries to spend more time with her daughter Dityaa.
“I want to be with my daughter and family. That’s one of the reasons why I don’t take a lot of work because I enjoy being with her. I need something very engaging to bring me out of my home,” the actor added.
And mystery thriller Dial 100, directed by Rensil D’Silva, offered all that and much more to Sakshi.
The film, a story of one night, follows police officer Nikhil Sood (Manoj Bajpayee). He gets a call on the police helpline from a woman (Neena Gupta), who wants to commit suicide. As secrets from the past are revealed, Nikhil races against time to save his family.
“Dial 100 perfectly suited what I wanted to do at that time. It was the combination of Manoj sir, Neena ji. Rensil sir and a great story that made me say ‘yes’ to the film. I couldn’t have asked for a better team,” Sakshi pointed out.
Backed by Sony Pictures Films India in collaboration with filmmaker Siddharth P Malhotra and Sapna Malhotra’s ‘Alchemy Films’, Dial 100 is currently available on ZEE5.
Sakshi is also currently filming the last leg of her Netflix series Mai, produced by Anushka Sharma.