Supriya Khan: I never planned to work in this industry!

MUMBAI : Actress-producer Supriya Khan, who has been part of projects such as Kabhi Idhar Kabhi Udhar, Damini, Marathi shows-Silsila, Campus, Mumbai Police, Zunj and Filmy Chakkar and Marathi film 'Char Divas Sasuche Char Divas Suneche' says that being part of showbiz just worked out for her, and she never actively planned to be part of it. She says that she comes from a very different background and had other plans for her future.

“I come from a diverse cultural background. I was born and raised in Mumbai and my father, who was a mechanical engineer and builder, played a significant role in shaping our family. I have a younger brother, Abhijeet (KK), who is a music director,” she says.

She adds, “My mother, on the other hand, is a homemaker. My childhood was wonderful, filled with cherished memories. I attended Gyankendra School, which is located in Four Bungalow, Andheri. Later, I pursued my higher education at Mithibai College.”

Talking about how acting happened, she says, “My career journey has been unexpectedly interesting because I never planned to work in this industry. I didn't even know how to get into it, nor did I have any interest in it. I was content doing fashion shows in college. My initial goal was to become a customs officer, so I pursued various diplomas in fields like airlines and travel tourism. I even secured a position at Damani Airlines, but just when the training was about to start, the merger between Damani Airlines and Jet Airways was in progress. This meant our team had to wait until the merger was completed to begin training.”

She adds, “During this waiting period, I visited my former college to meet a friend and deliver some documents for his exams. Coincidentally, they were filming a TV serial called 'Waqt' for the Adhikari brothers at that time, which aired on DD. Gautam Adhikari spotted me there and was impressed, offering me a significant role as the step-daughter of 'Raza Murad' in the show. Initially, I was not interested in acting and repeatedly declined the offer. However, Hemant Bhai, who was close to Gautam Bhai and involved in the production, also tried to convince me. A friend attempted to persuade me as well, but I remained hesitant.”

Things just fell into place, she says, adding, “Gautam Bhai personally asked me to visit the office and give it a try on the set. He assured me that if I didn't like it, I could stop. At the time, I was unfamiliar with Gautam Adhikari and the world of television, as I came from a different background. I wasn't knowledgeable about acting or delivering dialogues. So, I honestly told him that I didn't know how to act and that it seemed like a waste of time. However, he insisted, saying to follow his instructions, and I agreed.”

She will always remember her first shot, she says. “I think my visit to my college to act felt special because it was an unexpected opportunity. For my first shot, I played the role of Raza Murad's step-daughter. Gautam simply told me to be myself, follow his instructions, and react accordingly. Surprisingly, my first take was okay, and everyone applauded. I couldn't believe how enjoyable acting could be. Also, in those days, it meant daily payment, so it was financially rewarding. My friends encouraged me to continue, so I did the show, and from there, there was no looking back. I continued to work in various television shows,” she adds.