Yashashri Masurkar: As an actor, I miss the security that other professions offer

Yashashri Masurkar says that the entertainment industry is highly unpredictable. The actress adds that having a second income can be a big relief.

“I miss the security that other professions offer like a stable income, definite growth and public holidays. I think any kind of artist should have another source of income. Unfortunately, I don’t yet, but I am thinking about it,” she says.

She adds, “People don’t realise the hard work that is there behind all that glamour. You know sometimes I feel actors should be informed about the challenges and uncertainty in this field. The emotional and physical stress we have to go through is immense. When people say, ‘Oh my daughter is so beautiful, she wants to be an actor,’ I feel like shaking them up and telling them the reality.”

Talking about what success means to her, she says, “For me, success means something completely different. But I know what you mean, in Bollywood one day you are nobody and the next day, the media could be running behind you. It’s all temporary. Even when you see some stars who made it on their own, we only see rosy pictures and we fail to notice the struggle behind it. Even when you become a star, you have to maintain that stardom and that lifestyle, it is constant work. For me, success is having the freedom to do whatever I want at that point. If I want to take a break, I should be able to do it. Similarly having a choice when taking up a project- is what I call success.”

There are many pros and cons about being an actor, she says, adding, “The pros for me are that I am doing what I love and I get to live a different life with every character. I have an outlet to express myself through different emotions. The cons are that I live a very unpredictable life and I don’t get to enjoy public holidays.”