Rahul Sharma, who is seen as Anshuman in Rajan Shahi’s Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, which is produced under Shahi’s banner Director’s Kut Production, feels that the acting profession is quite unpredictable. He shares that mentally balancing the time when there is little to no work is the biggest challenge in the industry.
“People often talk about the ‘hustle’ in acting. But for me, it’s not the actual work—that I love—it’s the uncertainty that’s the real hustle. Sometimes, there’s a lot of work; other times, there are long dry spells. Managing that unpredictability, staying mentally balanced through those gaps—that’s where the real challenge lies. And that uncertainty doesn’t really go away, even with success,” he said.
“Even if you’re earning big money, your responsibilities and expenses scale up with it. You’re never truly sure when the next project will come or if it will match the last one creatively or financially. That’s just how this industry is—it’s complex, it’s unstable, and you have to make peace with that ambiguity,” he added.
Having spent quite some time in the industry, he agrees that it never gets easier in the business, as each role comes with its own set of challenges. Though he feels that managing it becomes easier, the emotional aspect of every character is different.
He said, “You might assume that with time and experience, it gets easier to slip into emotions. And yes, you do understand your emotional process better. But every role still brings a new layer, a new lens. The same situation—a loss, anger, or joy—can feel entirely different depending on the character you’re playing.” “The emotion is never the same twice. Some characters require you to go really deep, while others are more surface-level. But every time, it’s a fresh journey. So no, I wouldn’t say it ever gets easy. It’s a new challenge every time,” Rahul added.
