Delnaaz Irani: Never said I want to be an A-lister

MUMBAI: Actress Delnaaz Irani, who made a name with her roles in films such as Kal Ho Naa Ho, Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha and Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, says she has never felt the pressure of competition. The actress adds that she always wanted to just concentrate on her work.

"When I joined the industry, it was very small. Firstly, there was no pressure of social media and no daily soaps were being made. There were a few directors and a handful of producers who used to make good serials. I started doing theatre and then serials, I took the most normal route and I never said I want to be an A-lister actress or a Yash Raj heroine. I took up acting as a hobby and it became my profession," she told IANS.

The actress, who has been part of the industry for two decades now, says it was her passion for the craft that took her through. "Even after doing so much work and being in the industry for so many years, we also face a lot of failures, we also go through a lot of ups and downs, but we are still here because we are so passionate about our craft. So, people need to be focused when they come here," she says.

Sharing a piece of advice for newcomers, she says: "Earlier there was theatre, and there were only films being made. But there are a lot of opportunities now for newcomers, like web series and brand promotion. But having said that, they need to be careful and passionate about what they are doing, because if they come here with the thought that 'I am not doing anything in life and so let me become an actor', then it will die off very soon. There has to be a lot of passion from within because people only see the glamour when they think of acting. But there is a lot more to it. They need to have determination and focus," she says.

However, she confesses that it's essential to have a support system if you plan to stay in the industry.

"It's also very important to have good family support. I was from Mumbai and I had a very strong support system. My mother was always with me, that's why it was difficult for anyone to misguide me. But for someone coming from outside, it is different. They are alone and trying to make it big in the industry, so they need to have that kind of backing of people understand them and guides them," she says.