YRKKH actor Shruti Panwar, aka Vidya, on balancing family and shooting

Shruti Ulfat, seen as Vidya Poddar in Rajan Shahi's Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, produced under his banner Director's Kut Production, talks about balancing her family with the shooting schedule. 

1. How do you manage time with family? You seem to be shooting nearly daily.

Oh yes, managing time with family, because I'm always shooting daily. It is something that I try to strike a balance in. It's tough. It was very tough because, initially, before Yeh Rishta, I was doing a lot of dailies, but they were taking up less of my time. I was shooting about 15 days to 18 days, you know, max in a month.  So I had a good, at least, a minimum of 12 days for my family in between. But here it's different, and I'm happy. I'm thrilled because I wanted to shoot about 25 days in a month.

My family understands; my maa is there; she is like my pillar of strength, and she is my foundation, and my son is there, who is also a significant support. Ojasya is 17 now, he understands, and he loves it that I'm shooting because he knows that Amma's happy when she's shooting like Ojasya is my lifeline, and the same way acting is kind of my lifeline, too. That's what he thinks about it, and he's okay with it because I sometimes tell him, oh god, I'm not getting time to spend with you guys.  He said it's okay. You're shooting and doing what you like, and it's okay. And he's become big also, so he understands. Otherwise, Amma will be there to take care of the house and everything else. I do my bit; whenever I'm not shooting, I try to do that, and on the days I'm not shooting, I get this list of chores and errands I have to do in the house. So I do that and catch up on my sleep a little bit. And, but yeah, I try to strike a balance.  I spend time with the family whenever and however I can. And I, yeah, and I'm happy that they understand, they're supportive. So, touch wood at the moment. Everything is going great, and everybody's happy, so that's the most essential thing in life.

2. Do you always have the energy to shoot and work out without missing a session?

 I've always been a sportsperson. I mean, since childhood, I've been born into a family that always prioritised sports and academics. So, my father was a boxer. He played football for Uttrakhand, and my sister had been an athlete at the school, college, and district levels. My brother was also at the district level. I then, of course, also started playing when I was tiny, playing basketball and various athletic sports, so I was; I was always keen, and I loved playing. So fitness has always been in my blood. And, but there have been bouts where I have just stopped working out as well and then got back again. And now, it becomes your lifestyle in a way. But addiction is something that has a negative streak. So it's become a lifestyle now, and work shooting is my passion. And of course, fitness is also something I love, and it's my party time, it's my meditation, it's, you know, it's, it's my entertainment, it's my time.  So I try not to miss it. I do that even if I have to go at two o'clock at night. But, yeah, I also have to take care of getting enough sleep because I deprive myself of sleep, which is not good. And I, I know it, and yet I do it; I also am naughty at this that I deprive myself of sleep because I love to see sports, and nowadays, all the US series have started, the tennis seas have started the hard court, which is in the USA, so obviously the time difference is there. In the night, all the matches are happening there. I mean, in the night in India, when it's night, all the matches are happening there because it's morning there. So, yeah. But yes, it's my lifestyle, and I love it. And I feel happy and great about shooting and caring for my health. I am doing gardening right now; I have sweet plants on my little balcony. I also like to do that during my free time or during my refreshing time. I talk to them, they are also a part of my family.

3 Is me time, not a necessity for someone as busy as you; how do you rejuvenate usually

Oh, yes, very much. Me time is essential for everybody. But I would say especially in our field because we are forever and all the time, there are so many people around us and different energies we interact with and other kinds of natures and temperaments we collide within our shoots. There's positivity there's also negativity happening. And it's our bodies, auras, our consciousness always taking that in while we are shooting. So it is so important to empty that cup of yours to fill it again and refresh yourself, rejuvenate yourself, and recycle yourself.  For that, me time is essential, and me time can be anything. Whatever one feels is their me time. So for me, that me time is going for a run or probably cooking sometimes is that me time or just spending time with Ojasya and Ma is also a kind of me time because that also rejuvenates me and just refreshes me and rekindles me into life again. In case I'm bogged down or I'm kind of tired or something that kind of just rejuvenates me. And also, sometimes I go alone and watch a movie that's refreshing for me. So this is very essential for actors, especially to get their time. And I'm happy I know what my, my times are, and I take them whenever and however I can.