Kamna Pathak on dealing with multiple rejections during audition days

Actor Kamna Pathak, who continues to play the role of Rajesh in And TV's Happu Ki Ultan Paltan has embarked on quite a journey today but just like many out there, she has done an array of auditions over the years and rejected for reasons that can easily bog one or the other down.

In a recent tell-all interview with ETimes TV, Pathak talked about her character in the show, her journey of becoming an actor and tackling trolls among other things. She first said, "This character is very close to my heart because there are many similarities between Rajesh and Kamna. She is a strong-headed personality, puts forth her views with confidence. Earlier, bahus were only shown in the stereotypical way of listening to taunts, suffering abuse but this is something different. My language in the show is that of Bundeli from the Brij side. Women in those parts are very smart and alert. You just can't mess with them and I relate to it. Rajesh is today's woman. She is strong but not disrespectful and is a mother of nine children. People usually ask me why did I take up such a character. This was the biggest challenge for me because I am unmarried, don't have any children. I thought about how her body language would be, how much work she would have at home, how her personal life would be. This character forces me to think about all of these questions. Therefore, this character is very close to my heart."

On journey of entering showbiz, she said, "I never sat idle in Mumbai, I had always been doing theatre and that's the reason why I wasn't worried much mentally. I'd taken classes here and whenever I felt worried, I always spoke it out with my teacher. I shared everything with him. So, it was a great experience. When I was in Delhi, my experience was different there in comparison to Mumbai. This city was new for me, I was an outsider and I knew nobody here. Theatre made it very easy for me. I worked continuously with IPTA (Indian People's Theatre Association). I did my first play in Mumbai with Aasif (Sheikh) ji, 'Kabuliwala' in Prithvi theatre. So, I know Aasif ji from back then. Although theatre made it easy for me, rejections were also a part of the process. Rejections were such where nobody told what or where was the fault, they would just say 'not fit' and I couldn't understand what they meant. Was it the physical attributes, looks, first take the audition at least. For many days, I couldn't understand this term and process but this did not break me or consume me because I was doing theatre anyway. Theatre has been my biggest support from where I was getting good income and got to work with brilliant actors."

Rejections were such where nobody told what or where was the fault, they would just say 'not fit' and I couldn't understand what they meant. Was it the physical attributes, looks, first take the audition at least.

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Finally on tackling trolls, she said, "After reading those nasty comments, I just dial my father's number and talk to him and I am energised. My father is my energy capsule. Every person has different layers to them, if anyone likes me, my work, fine, if not, there's nothing I can do. I know whether what I am doing is right or wrong. I am not harming the society, disturbing someone else, these are the things that one has to keep in mind as a human being. Nothing can be done about these trolls. The more you think, the more it will bother you. I don't care."