TOI: I was under house arrest--Aalesha

Making a career in acting hasn't been a cake walk for actress Aalesha, who is seen as Sharbati in Siddharth Tewary's Phulwa. She has had her share of struggle to be where she is today.

Hailing from an extremely orthodox Muslim family in Bengaluru, where girls are expected to be clad and covered in burkhas, Aalesha wasn't even allowed to discuss movies and serials. It was considered a sin if they talked about their favourite stars. But she always harboured the dream to make it big in the glamour industry and informed her parents about the same. What followed next was a huge showdown and she was kept under house arrest for a month.

Recalling the past, Aalesha says, "Those were the most horrifying days of my life. I wasn't allowed to pursue my passion. I was under house arrest but I managed to flee from my home. I came down to Mumbai and enrolled for acting classes." It was after almost 10 months that her parents tracked her down. She adds "My parents told me that they would not support me financially and I will have to fend for myself. There was a time when I was broke and survived on one vada pav a day. After, survival became an unattainable task, I went back to my parents and decided to complete my education. I came back again to participate in a talent hunt and was eliminated after reaching the top ten. Later, I did two Kannada films and came back to Mumbai as my ultimate desire was to get a break here. To my sheer luck, producer Siddarth Tewary gave me a role in Hindi Hai Hum and Behenein followed.

Now I am working with Siddarth again in his show Phulwa." Like every other who wants to make the switch, she too tried her luck in films but failed to get a breakthrough. he adds, "I am happy to be a part of the TV industry but I surely want to try in Bollywood sometime soon." Aalesha feels that one shouldn't lose hope at any cost. "Persistence pays off and one should be passionate about their dream," she signs off.