There is no shortcut to success: Bhumika Chawla

In a career spanning two decades, actress Bhumika Chawla has 40 films to her credit. At the release of the thriller U Turn, she sits down for a chat with DC and tells us that she’s not interested in adding numbers to her kitty.

“I am very happy to have a Tamil release after a while. My last film was Kalavadiya Pozhudugal, which released last year, though it was made a long time ago. I watched the original Kannada version of U Turn, and I quite liked it. The fact that I haven’t done a thriller for a long time is what made me choose this script,” she says.

Ask her if she had any apprehensions about playing second fiddle to Samantha Akkineni, and Bhumika says, “No, not at all! I am generally never apprehensive about my co-stars. For me, the script should be exciting and my character should be impactful. In U Turn, I had a role that I hadn’t attempted before, and it was also very challenging. I am looking forward to seeing the audience’s reaction.”

Talking about all that she’s learnt in her career, she says, “It’s been almost two decades. God has been kind, and so has the industry and my well-wishers. I have learnt there is no shortcut to success. You have to work hard and remain humble, no matter what, unless someone tries to misuse and disregard your kindness and humility. What goes up must come down. In the end, everything in life is transient, and we all leave this world empty-handed. Never let the success take you to the sky, nor let failure get to your heart and make you depressed.”

Now that she’s back, we express a wish to see her in more Tamil films, to which she responds, “I would love to do more Tamil films, and I am getting some offers. It depends on the kind of script and the team associated with the project.” She says that she hopes to see writers coming up with more meaningful, female-centric films.

The experienced actor also reveals that the casting couch is not a myth. “Casting couch definitely exists, though I haven’t had to face it — God has been kind. But it’s not just in cinema, that kind of power play exists in all fields,” she says.

Though she doesn’t publically endorse any cause, Bhumika is an advocate for compassion towards children and the elderly. She says, “I believe time is your most valuable commodity. If you can share your time with the elderly, small children, or those in need, there’s nothing like it.”

As she signs off, the actress adds, “Try to eat and sleep on time, and exercise. Most importantly, stay happy and peaceful.”