SHABIHA NUR KHATOON, OP
Actor Donal Bisht says her years of hard work have finally paid off now that has bagged a protagonist’s role in a romantic thriller on television
Thrillers are the new buzzword in Indian TV and they are certainly a relief from the usual ‘saas-bahu’ shows and others on “social upliftment”. One bright example is ‘Ek Deewana Tha’. Orissa POST speaks to the female protagonist of the show about her new role and how different it is from her previous onscreen avatars.
Donal Bisht, who was last seen in the show ‘Kalash’, where she played the character of Sakshi, is back to the small screen with a new show in which she is playing female the protagonist – the romantic-thriller ‘Ek Deewaana Tha’. She has done shows like ‘Twist Wala Love’ and ‘Kalash’.
Donal says, “This is the first time I am working in a different TV series. ‘Ek Deewaana Tha’ is a show in which I am playing the main lead while in my previous shows I have never been cast in a lead role. In this show I am playing the character of Sharanya Bisht and I find the script very interesting as it has a mix of suspense, thrill and romance which makes it a unique proposition.”
Donal, who will be seen in an all-new avatar, was once upon a time scared of ghosts and afraid of darkness. But once she shifted to Mumbai her experience of living alone made her realise that there was no such thing as ghosts; it’s all in the mind.
“When I shifted to Mumbai I had to live alone; so initially I was very scared but as time passed I realised that it all is in the mind. If you have mental strength nothing is scary for you,” she adds.
Born and brought up in Rajasthan, Donal did her schooling and college from Delhi and right from her childhood she was attracted towards creative pursuits. She used to be on the forefront when it came to cultural activities and fests in her school or college. During her college days, she did modelling assignments walking ramps to gain exposure in the field and make some money out of it. Things kept moving in the right direction.
Donal’s friends used to tell her that she was cut out for modelling world and should try to make a mark in that field. However, Donal had never taken acting seriously. But after noticing her friends and relatives’ interest, she finally made up her mind. It was in 2015 that she moved to Mumbai, leaving her family and friends, to pursue her dreams.
It was certainly not a smooth path for Donal; she had to encounter many obstacles too. In Delhi, she used to anchor ‘Chitrahaar’ and in the meantime she tried to take a week off so she could attend auditions in Mumbai. Every month she made it a point to go to Mumbai and try her luck there.
She quips, “For me it was not a bed of roses as I had to give auditions in five-six places in a day. For me that was a really tough time. My objectives were very clear. I wanted to give my best and wanted to utilize a week’s time by giving all my hard work so that I could get a good break.
“After months of toiling hard it finally paid off when I bagged the parallel role of ‘Sakshi’ in the TV show ‘Kalash’,” she says.
While pursuing higher studies she received an offer for anchoring an event for which she received Rs 12,000 – her first paycheck.
Who is Donal’s inspiration? “I find inspiration from everyone,” she replies. “I feel everyone has good and bad qualities and each one of us has been gifted with some special skills. It is up to you to carve your own niche. I like to absorb the good qualities from each person and for me everyone is an inspiration,” says the confident actress.
‘Ek Deewaana Tha’ is a show in which I am playing the main lead. In it I am playing the character of Sharanya Bisht and I find the script very interesting. It is a mix of suspense, thrill and romance which makes it a unique proposition for any actor
