Dial 100 actress Sakshi Tanwar: "I'm secure and content with what I've done"

Actor Sakshi Tanwar says the mantra of 'less is more' has helped her pick up exciting characters and stories in her career. The Alwar-born actor became a household name with 2000 daily soap "Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki" (2000-2008) and followed up the success with another show "Bade Ache Lagte Hain" (2011-2014). She then moved to the OTT space with web series "Karrle Tu Bhi Mohabbat", which reunited her with "Bade...." co-star Ram Kapoor, and "The Final Call". Tanwar, whose next digital outing is thriller movie "Dial 100", said streaming platforms have given her the opportunity to play diverse roles while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

"'Kahaniii...' I did it for eight years and then I disappeared for two and a half year. Then I did 'Bade Ache Lagte Hain...' and fortunately that also did extremely well. After that, I knew I couldn't work at this pace anymore. I believe everybody needs to slow down. Daily soap is very demanding, the commitment is very high," the actor told PTI in an interview.

"When OTT happened, the platform suited me more as I was able to portray more characters in less time. I also got the opportunity to explore more stories. The commitment is now in terms of months not years and that's more like me. I'm secure and content with what I've done," she added.

Tanwar started her journey on television in 1998 as a presenter on Doordarshan's film songs based programme "Albela Sur Mela".

In over two decades, apart from starring in two popular TV shows, she has appeared in pivotal roles in superstar Aamir Khan-led biopic "Dangal" and Sunny Deol's "Mohalla Assi". Tanwar said her friends always told her that she is being "lazy about" her career, but the 48-year-old actor believes the slow pace has worked in her favour.

"My friends used to tell me that 'You're giving up so much work and being lazy about it'. And I agree with them. I've been lazy about even meeting people sometimes. But now when I think about it, everything has turned out in my favour."

Her choices are instinctive, but are exciting enough to push her to give 100 per cent as an artist, Tanwar said.

"I choose as per my mood, and mostly I'm not in a mood to work. I just want to relax and be in a lazy mood all the time, "she quipped. "But in that process, what has happened is that when something has really excited me, then only I come onboard. I believe when something really excites someone, they give their 100 per cent to it and things fall in place. And this is what has worked for me."

Working for two months and then taking an equally long break, is what Tanwar is trying to do as she tries to spend more time with her daughter Dityaa.

"I want to be with my daughter and family. That's one of the reasons why I don't take a lot of work because I enjoy being with her. I need something very engaging to bring me out of my home," the actor added.

And mystery thriller "Dial 100", directed by Rensil D'Silva, offered all that and much more to Tanwar. The film, a story of one night, follows police officer Nikhil Sood (Manoj Bajpayee), who gets a call on the police helpline from a woman (Neena Gupta), who wants to commit suicide. As secrets from the past are revealed, Nikhil races against time to save his family.

"'Dial 100' perfectly suited what I wanted to do at that time. It was the combination of Manoj sir, Neena ji. Rensil sir and a great story that made me say yes to the film. I couldn't have asked for a better team."

Backed by Sony Pictures Films India in collaboration with filmmaker Siddharth P Malhotra and Sapna Malhotra's Alchemy Films, "Dial 100" is currently available on ZEE5. Tanwar is currently filming the last leg of her Netflix series "Mai", produced by Anushka Sharma.