The industry has changed, when I joined, among other things, there were hardly any social media, but now it has taken over everyone, says Parull Chaudhry

Parull Chaudhry made her television debut with the hit daily Baa Bahoo Aur Baby. The show earned her a lot of accolades - Jyothi Venkatesh

The actor then went on to do a host of hit shows such as Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani, Piya Albela, Divya-Drishti, Anupamaa, Kasautii Zindagi Kay and is now a part of Bhagyalaxmi.

Apart from being an actor, she is also trying her hand in anchoring and seems to be enjoying every bit of this journey.

Speaking on her experience so far in the industry, the actor reveals her urge to do more. In this heart-to-heart conversation, Parull talks about her inspiration behind acting, flaunting short hair, how the pandemic has changed things and more:

Who is your inspiration from the field of acting?

I draw inspiration from a lot of actors and not just one of them. I am extremely fond of Irrfan Khan and admire his work.

It’s sad that I will never be able to meet or work with him. I also like the kind of work Rajkummar Rao, Huma Qureshi, Rani Mukerji have been doing over the years. Looking at their work helps me learn and also pushes me to do better.

What do you think about the content on television?

The content on Television has definitely changed. But sometimes some of it is still regressive. I mean dayans, naagins, kaala jaadoo and all of that.

It feels like we are going back in time. But these kind of shows are working with the audience, and whatever works well with the viewers are considered hit.

I definitely think we should make better content on Television and it feels great to know that some people are actually experimenting, trying to do something fresh and relatable. Saas Bahu is still the trend and seems like it’ll remain so for more years.

Over the years, what changes have you been a witness to in the industry in general?
There are definitely a lot of changes.

When I joined the industry there was no concept of timing. There was no concept of pack-up timing and we would just go on shooting for a long time.

Now it has become more professional in terms of time management. Also, when I started my journey there were hardly any social media, but now see how it has taken over everyone.

People can now reach out to their actors through social media platforms and get to know so much about them.

There used to be nothing of this sort earlier. Actors have become very accessible to their fans right now, so that's a huge change.

You are one of the few actresses in the industry who has short hair. Do you miss your long hair days?

The short hair happened out of necessity. I've got very thin and fragile hair and over the years with so much blow-drying, straightening damaged my hair and I had no choice but to cut it short. Luckily short hair suits me.

I still remember when I had gone to meet the team of Piya Albela and they told me ‘we love the short hair on you and we would love it if our character maintains a short hair look in the show too’ and I was like wow I would love that too.

I had long hair five years ago. My last show where I flaunted my long tresses for the last time was Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani.

I do miss my long hair a lot but also love my short hair look, which has become my identity now.

Do you think looks of an actor matter a lot in this line of work?

Yes, it does. There are so many people looking up to you so it’s very important that you carry yourself well, you’re well groomed.

But when I say looks, I don't necessarily mean good looks. What I actually mean is taking care of yourself, looking clean and presentable.

Apart from being an actor, you are also an anchor. What do you enjoy doing more and why?

Anchoring, especially the one that I am doing now, is a new experience and I am trying to get the hang of it.

I have been an actor for a very long time and obviously I enjoy it a lot. I enjoy being in front of the camera, playing different characters, dressing up, getting my hair and makeup done etc.

Anchoring is new and I am enjoying my new journey. My first love has always been acting so yes maybe tables are going to turn after a few years and I would actually be saying that I love anchoring more but right now it's too early to say anything except that I am looking forward to what comes my way next.

If not an actor what profession would you have chosen?

I am a wildlife enthusiast so probably I would have been a wildlife documentary maker or a wildlife photographer or maybe working with NatGeo or something.

I would also have connected myself with the world of fashion. I have a strong inclination towards fashion.

Probably I could have been a designer or a stylist or I would've written about fashion or I would've been a fashionista. These could been the two things that I would've done if I wasn't an actor.

Pandemic has changed everyone's lives, how has it changed yours?

It made me realise the value of little things, such as spending time with family, friends and relatives, learning to save my money and be a little more careful about my finances.

I have also started enjoying the simple pleasures of life like the morning sun, fresh air etc.

Honestly, I have not seen sunsets for the longest time because you are always on the set.

You know half the time you are indoors so you don't even realise when the sun has gone down.

So I've been enjoying the beautiful views of sunrise and sunsets from my home these days.

How is it living in the new normal?

I am kind of still adjusting to the new normal. I really miss my earlier life, going out for a cup of coffee, lunch and dinner with friends or just stepping out with my mom for shopping.

Sometimes you would just take a walk and pick up a few things and come back. I definitely miss all of that.

I definitely miss making impromptu plans with my friends. I am actually refraining from going out these days to avoid getting infected.

We’ve also become used to wearing a mask, carrying sanitiser and in trying to maintain distance. I just hope things get back to what it was before.