Actress Sonali Naik, who plays Renuka Deshmukh in Star Plus and Rahul Kumar Tewary and Rolling Tales Production’s Udne Ki Aasha, believes that an actor should never be confined to a single identity on screen. Having received appreciation for her portrayal of Pushpa in Maddam Sir, Sonali understands how deeply audiences connect with television characters. However, she believes that exploring different roles is essential for an actor’s growth and versatility.
Talking about audience perceptions and the challenge of moving beyond a popular character, Sonali said, “When you play a character that the audience loves for years, it becomes your identity. After Maddam Sir, where I played Pushpa, people still message me saying they miss her, even though I am now playing Renuka in Udne Ki Aasha.”
She added, “As an actor, I want to explore different roles, whether comedy, villainous, or completely different from my real personality. I want to showcase my versatility, and I believe the audience should be open-minded enough to accept an actor in every kind of role.”
For Sonali, acting is also about bringing her own interpretation to a scene while respecting the director’s vision. She believes that creative discussions can help actors discover different dimensions of their characters. “Sometimes, I feel a scene should be performed in a certain way, but the director may have a different vision. So, I discuss it with them and suggest trying different approaches,” she shared.
The actress particularly enjoys experimenting with comedy scenes, where she feels creative freedom can help a character evolve naturally. According to her, actors and directors may have different perspectives, and finding common ground can enrich the performance.
