Despite being successful, a few actresses have admitted that they don’t have work, though they exude confidence that they will come back stronger.
A couple of days ago, in a lengthy Insta post, Anchal Singh made startling revelations of the difficulty she has had in finding auditions and jobs in the last six months. The young actress was part of two web series, Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein and Undekhi Season 2, this year, and her performance won rave reviews.
Anchal’s case isn’t an isolated one! The likes of Nia Sharma, Shweta Tiwari, Natasha Doshi, Ester Noronha, etc., too have admitted that they have been missing in action (MIA), despite getting noticed for their performance earlier .
Tomorrow will be better!
It’s rare to see celebrities being transparent about their professional and personal lives. So, in an industry where treading a diplomatic path is the need of the hour, why are actresses admitting to lack of work?
Ester Noronha says the problem is that actresses are forced to fit people’s expectations.
“So what if I am out of work? It means I am prepared to wait to get better work tomorrow. Even if I taste success, if my next film doesn’t do well, I am back to Square One” she comments, adding that it is important to understand the reason for being without work. “It could be out of choice, majboori (helplessness), expectations, or other reasons,” she points out. “Success does make us happy, but it is not a validation of our ability. Our work ethics drive us. Over time, I have realised that we have put ourselves under pressure for no reason,” Ester adds.
What are these young actresses trying to communicate by acknowledging that they don’t have work? Aren’t they apprehensive that they may be labelled and not be considered for future projects? Or are they trying to show audiences what they are missing out on?
“It’s a case of a woman speaking confidently and standing up for herself; nothing can affect her,” explains Ester. “Even a seasoned actress like Neena Gupta asked for work on her Insta, so what’s wrong in accepting that you don’t have work?”
Believe in yourself
If an actress is brave enough to admit that she finds getting work tough, she is coming from a place where she’s being unapologetically honest. She has nothing to lose!
Natasha Doshi reveals that she often faces the question, “What next?” When she has no work, she doesn’t have any qualms about admitting it. Acknowledging that it does take a lot of strength to own it, she says, instead of ignoring the situation, people should actually pay heed to what is being said, and appreciate the frankness. “Celebrate women's bravery, because there’s no point in having a voice if you don’t use it. Your voice can be used to create change,” comments Natasha.
“Of course, to be this honest, you need to be confident which stems from your belief in yourself. That should exist irrespective of your work status. Don’t seek validation from work. And truthfully, that is very hard. But whether you have work or not, believe in yourself,” Natasha stresses.
Keep looking!
Young actress Divi Vadthya, who won applause for her performance in Bigg Boss 4, says today’s women are progressive. Commenting that anyone would feel low for lack of work, she says actresses should constantly make an efforts to find opportunities. “Since most actresses don’t have mentors, it is challenging to come up with strategies to bag films. I have been through a phase where there was little work, but again, I have done a few films which haven’t been released. Unless those films are released, people can’t see my work. How can filmmakers think of us if we don’t have enough visibility,” she asks.
