Sayani Gupta recently shared her experiences about leaving a stable corporate job to pursue her passion for acting, and the initial shock and resistance it generated within her family.
Gupta recounted a conversation on Cyrus Says, where she remembered the early days of wanting to join the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) to study acting. Her mother was strongly against the idea of her daughter becoming an actress. Gupta recalled her mother's extreme reaction, saying she threatened to slit her wrist if she went and couldn't believe it. Her mother didn't speak to her for a month after she got into FTII to pursue acting. Growing up, Gupta's mother had a negative perception of actors, which further fueled her disapproval. She revealed that her mother used to lock her in her room to prevent her from attending theatre rehearsals, associating actors with a derogatory term.
Despite her mother's disapproval, Gupta was determined to follow her dreams. She found her corporate job unfulfilling, stating she was bored despite making a lot of money because she was a workaholic. She didn't see herself in that role long term. Gupta initially tried to hide her enrollment in the FTII acting course from her mother, but her mother found out almost immediately upon her arrival on campus.
Interestingly, a shift occurred when Gupta's mother was offered roles in student diploma films at FTII. She accepted three out of five offers and admitted to Sayani that maybe doing this for the next 2 years wasn't so bad.
Sayani Gupta made her Bollywood debut in 2012 with "Second Marriage.com". She gained recognition for her supporting role in "Margarita with a Straw" (2015). Gupta believes that actors should focus on their craft and not be overly concerned with the commercial aspects of filmmaking. She emphasizes the importance of portraying characters effectively and contributing to the director's vision. Gupta recognizes that in Indian cinema, actors are often placed on a pedestal, but she considers herself equally important as other members of the film crew.
