It was when Shristi Jain STOPPED giving auditions that she got her first break

Actress Srishti Jain, who plays the lead in Ravindra Gautam and Pradeep Kumar's Meri Durga, says that her journey has not been easy. It was when she decided to take a break, exhausted after giving countless auditions, that mystically things started to move. "After giving a lot of auditions, I finally decided to take a break and not give auditions for a while. It was then that the show Suhani Si Ek Ladki, came knocking on my door. It was an audition that I recorded on my mobile phone. I remember and I had very little hope but when it happened, it changed my life," she says.

She adds, "Initially, during my first show, I was overwhelmed, by the love I got from the audience because I wasn't expecting it. I think people like my innocence and my acting. Also luckily, I've played very loveable characters, so that has also worked in my favour. I used to be conscious earlier when I was quite plump and I worried about how I looked. But the love from audience took away all my doubts and consciousness making me confident!"

However, looks are an important part of being an actor, says Srishti. "I think it's a very important aspect because when people watch you on screen they want to see what is pleasing to the eye. Then again, acting is the most important factor and if you're good enough to hold the audience then nothing else is important," she adds.

But has the glamour industry changed her? "It has made me more grateful and appreciative of the industry because it's a very tough job. As glamorous as it looks, there is a lot of hard work that goes into it. You all see the polished product but the hard work that goes behind it is actually the beautiful part. It has made me more patient and more confident of myself," she says.

Srishti gives a lot of importance to grooming herself. "I'm very high on personal grooming; for me it's like therapy. I love getting mani-pedis, massages, facials, etc. In short, I love pampering myself! In fact, I just got a mani-pedi done yesterday," she says.

Ask her how it was to face the camera for the first time, and she says, "I was extremely nervous and excited. But I've always loved the camera and I've always dreamt of being in front of it. So, in that manner, I am simply living my dream."

The demanding schedule of television shows can be challenging, however Srishti has now found ways to deal with it. "When it started, it was tough and took a toll on my health and sleeping pattern. But once, I got used to it, things got better. I believe it's all in the mind. So, if you're strong in the mind then any situation or any problem can be tackled," she says.

The novelty of the profession is what attracts her to it. "It's so interesting and fresh to come to the set and do something new and exciting each day. I'm always so pumped because I know there will be a new set up, a new scene and new costumes every day. Also being able to live the life of another person in the form of the character we play is super exciting," she says.

Actors are also constant objects of scrutiny; however, this doesn't bother Srishti. "See, you cannot please everyone! Not everyone will love you and not everyone will hate you. If you become a public figure, you have to be prepared for being judged. The only important thing is to know how to keep what is important to you and not let the rest of it affect you," she says.

In fact, she feels that actors can really motivate their fans. "Thousands of people are watching and following us. So we do hold the power to influence the crowd. And I also think it's a huge responsibility on us as actors to make sure we can be good examples and positive influencers," she says.

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