Shalini Kapoor Sagar On Typecasting, OTT Boom And Respect For TV Actors: TV Has Made Me Tough Enough To...

Television veteran Shalini Kapoor Sagar gets candid about her craft, the grind behind the glamour, and why she is choosing health over hustle for now.

On bringing characters to life

"After working across all mediums I can say I am in love with all the characters because I have given my 100% to each of them to bring them to life," she says. From Dilshad Ahmed Khan in Qubool Hai to Mata Prasuti in Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev, Mamta Oberoi in Sirf Tum and Veena Sippy in Kahaan Hum Kahaan Tum, Shalini has played them all with equal passion.

Breaking the typecast

Typecast is real in TV, she admits. "Whenever I get a call my brief is 'Ma'am Nita Ambani look chahiye... rich looking.' I get all these kind of authoritative roles." But the actor is now enjoying a shift. "Thanks to verticals I am being able to experiment with myself. I have started doing strong negatives and grey shades and this is giving me a lot of pleasure and endorphin boost."

Advice for newcomers

Her mantra is simple: stay grounded. "Try your best to stick on. Be consistent. Don't take your sudden success as a permanent thing. This too shall fade, so try and keep your head on your shoulders."

On OTT and responsibility

Shalini welcomes the OTT boom but adds a note of caution. "Yes, with the OTT boom things have changed for the better but we should have moral answerability. Our youth depends too much on media, so content should have variation and explore different aspects but with responsibility."

Busting the TV myth

The biggest misconception? That TV life is easy. "People think a TV actor's life is very easy and breezy. In order to earn what we earn, we slog everything out just to meet the deadlines. So definitely we demand more respect. One who has worked in TV can work everywhere as the drill has already made them very strong."

On her break and what's next

For now, Shalini is happy exploring verticals, Instagram collabs and events. "I am happy to concentrate on my mental and physical health... but shall get back soon. Waiting for something substantial to get back."