Actor Sonia Balani, who shot to fame with the hit TV series Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, is back in the spotlight for her fresh act in Bhopal to Vegas that will stream on Disney+ Hotstar Quix. The 27-year-old artiste who has also been a part of the shows including Detective Didi, Tu Mera Hero and films like Baazaar and Tum Bin 2 has rocked her part as Rashmi, who helps people arrange gala bachelor parties in Bhopal.
“Rashmi is very smart and is always two steps ahead of everyone. She is also very manipulative and a risk-taker. I can relate to this character as some of her qualities are similar to mine when I was in school. In Bhopal, no one had ever tapped the idea of organising bachelor parties, so she decides to launch a startup offering such services along with her two friends. The story revolves around these three friends, how they start approaching people for their startup. It is a hilarious journey of them facing problems as they go about setting up their business,” Sonia shares.
“In the show, we show many exotic bachelor parties organised in Bhopal by Rashmi and her friends which were the first of their kind in a city like Bhopal. There are also several dance performances and pool parties that will really click well with the audience, especially the young ones,” adds Sonia.
So, how has the journey been so far as an actor?
Being a student of finance, I had bumped into the acting world purely by chance, when the audition team of an entertainment channel spotted me at a school drama event. My perception and growth as an actor took place when I met Sakshi Tanwar on the sets of Bade Achhe Lagte Hain. She has had a huge contribution in shaping me as an actor and encouraging me. I had also taken a couple of years break to mould myself as an artiste and attended several acting workshops during that time to hone my skills further. I believe in focusing on my acting skills more than my looks and I admire actors like Vidya Balan and Julia Roberts, who do exactly that.
Any other upcoming projects?
There’s one more web series that will release this month and I recently shot for an advertisement with MS Dhoni which I am super excited about since I am a huge fan of his.
How do you plan to grow as an actor and who are the filmmakers you aspire to work with?
Besides attending regular acting workshops, I take out time to watch a lot of world cinema in different languages and make it a point to meet and observe people and talk to them. It’s very important for an actor to meet new people and observe their mannerisms and characteristics. I am a huge fan of Rajkumar Hirani and Imtiaz Ali and would like to work with both of them in the future.
Up close and personal...
Exercise: Yoga and dance, especially, Bolly-hop, jazz, funk and belly dancing. Also a bit of kickboxing.
Comfort food: Chole Bhature, chaat and gol gappa.
Health drink: Fresh fruit juices.
First thing I do in the morning: Drink water and check my phone.
Beauty essentials: Sunscreen, lip tint, mascara and perfume.
Favourite casuals: Shorts and spaghetti tops, knee-length dresses.
Five wardrobe essentials: T-shirt dresses, shorts and tees, athleisure, party dresses and denim.
Favourite accessories: Shoes and sunglasses.
To stream on Disney+ Hotstar soon.
sharmishtha.g@newindianexpress.com
@sharmidas