SHEEN DASS, who plays Chinamma in SET’s Indiawaali Maa, speaks with MUSBA HASHMI about her role, how the acting bug bit her and how she ends up following actors and directors on social media after every movie that she watches

What is your role in Indiawaali Maa?

I play Chinamma, a girl from Mangalore. She is Rohan’s girlfriend. They both have moved to the US and are planning to return to India now. She is truly in love with Rohan and wants to support him in his business. She has a lot of baggage since her childhood. She lost her mother at an early age so she never got to experience that selfless love. She wonders how someone can love selflessly and make sacrifices. Though her father loves her, he wants her to follow the family traditions. However, she wants to do what she loves in life. She wants to experience what true love really is.

What made you say yes to the role?

I have worked with Akshay before and when he told me about the project and that he had signed it, I found it interesting. The story is such that it will touch everybody’s heart. Today, most of us have become thankless to our parents and the efforts they put in our upbringing. In such a scenario, the show gives out a beautiful message and it feels great that I am a part of this show. The show is a tribute to all Indian mothers.

How did acting happen to you?

I was always inclined towards it, but I didn’t take it seriously initially. No one from my family was in this field and I had no idea of how to get there and become a part of it. It just happened with me. I was working with a bank in Delhi and got an opportunity to do a small role in a project. Then people started recommending me for some projects and then I started giving auditions. It was like a chain for me.

How supportive was your family?

My family has always been supportive. They never me or my sister what should we become in our loves, they left it upto us to make a choice. Had anyone from my family been in this field, I would have definitely received some tips  from them, but that was not the case. Hence, I was all by myself, but they never stopped me from doing anything.

Were there any apprehensions before entering this field?

There were many. But slowly you realise that in every artistic field, there is very low certainity. So either you go for a settled job and be certain about everything or take that risk to become what you want. It’s your choice to make.

What kind of roles attract you?

There are a lot of roles that attract me. TV is changing and some beautiful shows are coming up that offer actors some good roles. So I would like to be a part of shows that are unique and have an interesting story to tell.

Any plans of exploring the digital space?

Yes, definitely. There are so many platforms now and an actor can do so much. I would like to explore everything.  I have not done much work till date, it’s almost like a starting. I want to web series, theatre and films. I want to explore all the mediums.

Any actor or director you would like to work with?

There are lots of them. It’s very hard to name one. After every movie that I see, I end up following the actors and directors on Instagram and then keep stalking them.

Do you still get butterflies in your stomach when you see yourself on TV?

Yes. It happens with me everytime I do a new project. Whenever I am on sets, I get so nervous and excited at the same time. But after doing a couple of scenes, I get back to normal.