*Navya weekly discussion & LU ! 9 till 1st june* - Page 10

Soumya Seth, the bubbly protagonist of Swastik Pictures' Navya on Star Plus, has come a long way when it comes to showcasing her acting skills and getting better as an actor.

Soumya identifies the challenges and learnings she has gone through in all these months.

Says the girl, "Everyday brings with it a new challenge. For me, enacting every scene is a challenge. I feel good about living different lives as an actor. Today I am Navya, tomorrow I can be something else. So acting is an adventure. It is a challenge to shoot in the rain, stand amidst lights for the whole day, to speak dialogues well and perform at the best of my ability."

Talking about her learning curve being in the industry, Soumya states, "It is like collecting small drops from people and today, I can say that I have a full bucket of learning within me. To learn is a never-ending process, and I will keep learning till I die. I have learnt a lot from many people, from the spot dada to the producers to my mom and grandmother, and even from unknown people on the road. The producers and directors have been tolerant enough to deal with newcomers like us and teach the values of acting. Take the spot dada for example, all that they need is a smile from us and they would work all day without complaining. I have learnt to be patient from all these people."

Ask her about the anticipation that her parents carried when she became an actress, and she says, "Today I can say that I have fulfilled all the wishes of my mom (smiles). She wanted to see me get wet in the rain; she wanted me to do all the girly things possible. She loves it when I get to dance for my show. Initially, I used to feel that some of my scenes did not come out well and I need to perform better. You see, it is tough to satisfy actors. But as I went along, I got to discover what is wrong and tried to rectify them. My performance level has gotten better and I can sense that. You can say, the confidence level in me has increased."

On her experience of draping sarees as Navya, Soumya avers, "It's really funny, even today my mom does not know to wear a saree. She does not wear bangles,bindi etc. And just because I am like this in the show, she has started to wear sarees and put bindis (laughs). I should say, I am enjoying this phase. But I had never felt comfortable in a saree before, and today I can change my entire get-up and wear a different saree in 6 minutes. In fact, I help out my mother, aunt and many ladies in the household to wear one (smiles)."

Speaking about portraying the 'adarsh bahu' with a difference, Soumya states, "I carry a huge responsibility on my shoulder playing the bahu now. I have realized that there are so many things in the society that need to change. I never knew that ladies of the house are not supposed to eat food before their husbands eat. And very often, the ladies go on a fast for the betterment of their husbands. Through my role, I want to bring in a slight change in the society. My aim is to show that small seed in the brains of people, and tell them that there is a new angle to life."

Lastly, ask her about her ambition in life and Soumya tells us, "I have never ever thought about the future. For me, present is continuous, past is tense, and future is perfect."

Well said, Soumya!!!