From Assamese television to the sets of Ramayana, Surabhi Das’s journey is one to remember
From capturing hearts in scene to stepping into the national spotlight, Surabhi Das’s journey is a testament to raw talent and quiet resolve. The Nalbari-born actress first won over audiences through Assamese television and popular music videos before taking a bold leap to Hindi entertainment— making an indelible mark as the lead in the acclaimed television serial Nima Denzongpa.
Since then, Surabhi has steadily expanded her creative horizons, making seamless transitions into streaming projects like Carnaame and claiming a role in Nitesh Tiwari’s highly anticipated cinematic epic, Ramayana, as Shrutakirti.
Surabhi, in this interview, speaks candidly about her formative years in the Assamese film and television circuit, the grit required to move to Mumbai, the experience of collaborating with industry heavyweights, and her evolving craft as she bridges regional and national storytelling.
Shrutakirti is a character of immense poise, foresight, and quiet strength, serving as the youngest of the four sisters. How did you approach her character and bring her to life on such a grand scale?
Honestly, before getting the role, I barely knew about Shrutakirti because the Ramayana books or shows we grew up reading or watching don’t talk about Shrutakirti or Mandavi much. Only after I was locked in with the character and started reading about her, I discovered she is not just the sister of Sita, but also Shatrughan’s wife.
It wasn’t a difficult character to play; there weren’t many shades, and once you are on the set, in the costume and makeup, I think you already start becoming the character.
Mythological epics often focus heavily on the central journey of Ram and Sita, but the bond between the four sisters (Sita, Urmila, Mandavi, and Shrutakirti) is deeply emotional. What was it like building that sisterly chemistry with Sai Pallavi and the rest of the cast?
Yes, absolutely. It is almost everywhere that people just talk about Ram, Sita, Laxman, and Ravana, but it is interesting how this film has also spoken about Sita’s side of the family, her sisters, and Sita’s bonding with them.
While a lot of the shots couldn’t make it to the final cut unfortunately, the moments we shared with Sai Pallavi were lovely. Sai was so sweet, especially during the times when we faced issues because of the weight of our costumes; she used to explain and guide us beautifully on how to walk and carry the lehengas with ease.
You started with Assamese shows like Indradhanu and regional music videos before making the big shift to Mumbai. How did growing up and performing in Assam shape your artistic foundation as an actor?
The Assam entertainment industry is very small. When compared to the scale of production, budget or even the manpower in the entertainment industry in Mumbai, it’s probably just 1 per cent of the Assamese industry.
I think the Assamese industry taught me how to adjust to any dire situation. Working there felt like home. Even after being very professional, the comfort of knowing almost everyone in the industry is unmissable.
Your breakthrough performance in Nima Denzongpa brought crucial stories from the Northeast into mainstream Indian households. Looking back, how pivotal was that show for your confidence and career progression?
Nima Denzongpa changed my life. I will always be grateful to that project, as it is because of that project that I could come to Mumbai. Though I was planning to shift, things wouldn’t have been so fast if Nima hadn’t happened.
For many, even after shifting to Mumbai, you struggle; you keep auditioning, but things looked rosy for me as I continuously worked for an entire year. Nima helped me settle in Mumbai, and I owe my confidence, career progression, and everything to Nima Denzongpa.
Moving from regional TV to national daily soaps, and now onto a feature film magnum opus—what was the biggest challenge in adapting your performance style across these different mediums?
It wasn’t much of a challenge, rather a complete eye-opener because the scale changes everything. Before stepping onto the set of Nima Denzongpa, I didn’t even realise actors had dedicated makeup rooms or that full-scale sets were custom-built for daily television. Cut to walking onto the sets of Ramayana, and I was utterly blown away.
Seeing hundreds of people working behind the scenes on a single film was beyond anything I had imagined. Beyond the sheer scale, it fundamentally shifts how you approach the craft—you actually have to adapt and recalibrate your acting technique to match that kind of massive canvas.
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