Actress Surbhi Das was adored for her debut show Nima Denzongpa. After her stint in Pandya Store, she decided to switch gears and explore the OTT and film space.
She is gearing up for Carnaame on Amazon Prime and Nitesh Tiwari’s magnum opus Ramayana, in which she essays the role of Sita Maa’s (Sai Pallavi) sister. In an exclusive chat with Mid-Day, Surbhi gets candid about her struggles and heaps praise on Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi.
Surbhi Das on transition to web and films
Surbhi gained prominence with her stint in Nima Denzongpa, which highlighted the struggles and racism faced by North-Eastern people. However, she was fortunate that the show didn’t make her a household name, as it made it easier for her to audition for web and films. Surbhi explains, “When you are transitioning from TV to web, it’s a bit tough. People tend to know you by your character names. Once casting directors find out that you’ve been part of a television show, they often hesitate to audition you further. There’s still a typical mindset about TV actors. I feel fortunate that Nima did not become a household name.”
Surbhi Das on TV work hours
However, the decision to quit TV also came from the feeling that Surbhi’s talent was not getting enough credence. She shared, “While doing Pandya Store, I eventually made the decision that I didn’t want to do TV anymore because I felt my talent was being wasted. I felt my craft wasn’t being used enough, as I was just there giving reactions that meant nothing to me. It became very monotonous after a point, so I decided I will quit . I’m not looking down on TV, but I feel it follows the same pattern.”
Commenting on long working hours in TV affecting personal lives, the actress revealed, “When I was working in TV, during one of my shows, I fell so sick that I had to be rushed to a doctor. The production guy even told the doctor to give me an injection so that I could get back to shooting as soon as possible. I was literally sleeping for just 2–3 hours, often on set, usually in the makeup room. I feel that once you’re doing TV, you hardly have any personal life.”
The actress also recalled how she faced rejections in her career because of her complexion.
Surbhi on Ramayana
She is currently in the news as she is also a part of Nitesh Tiwari’s , essaying the role of Maa Sita’s sister and Shatrughan’s wife. Revisiting her audition day, Surbhi recalled how, during the time of selection, she was unaware of the cast. “At that time, I couldn’t understand that this project was worth crores. But gradually, I did, and I am excited. I have seen all the people’s reactions and their feedback as well. I am sure the makers are working on it.”
Working on this project was overwhelming for her, as she didn’t know how to exist among stalwarts. Speaking of , the actress gushed, “When Ranbir Kapoor came on set, he obviously came as Rama. I literally felt like, ‘My God, this guy is actually looking like Rama.’ In all the scenes we did together, I always felt that he was in character. And even for Sai Pallavi, we know she doesn’t apply much makeup, yet she was looking so pretty.”
Opening up about Ranbir’s hard work and dedication, Surbhi averred, “To play Lord Rama, you need to have that aura and grace. When you walk on set, you need to have that energy about you that makes people look at you no matter what. And Ranbir Kapoor carried that. He had this energy and aura about him. Even when we were not doing a scene, he was in his character, as he is an introverted guy.”
Recalling her interactions with ,the actress shared, “Our bonding was really good, as we play sisters. I asked her about the South industry, and she answered very sweetly. And when the last day came, she almost got emotional.”