Sukhada Khandkekar, who is seen playing the role of Saraswati in Studio LDS’s show Pukaar-Dil Se Dil Tak, says that ambition and a firm drive are needed to succeed. She emphasizes that she always strives to surpass her last performance in order to improve.
“Regarding ambition and the drive to excel, I wholeheartedly agree that they are crucial for a successful career. Excelling in my work is the cornerstone of my thought process. I constantly strive to surpass my previous performances, whether it’s in my makeup, appearance, voice modulation, or the quality I bring to my characters. I deeply engage with my scripts, considering them as sacred as scriptures, despite the constraints of television schedules,” she says.
She adds, “I am a director’s actor through and through. I trust my directors implicitly and follow their guidance. I make it a point to discuss and align with them to ensure we are on the same page creatively. This approach has been consistent, whether working with directors like Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Bollywood’s ‘Bajirao Mastani’ or in the Marathi industry. Overall, my drive to excel motivates me to continually improve and deliver my best in every project I undertake.”
Talking about how she views opportunities, she says, “I choose roles based on how well I can connect with the character and whether it excites me. It’s important for me to feel challenged and to believe that I’ll grow personally from playing the role. I don’t actively pursue every opportunity that comes my way, but when it comes to work, I need to feel a deep connection and commitment to the project. This is especially true for television, where it’s a continuous process and I need to love the character wholeheartedly. Theatre is different because it involves intensive rehearsals over a few months before the final show, but the character still needs to captivate me for me to commit to it.” Sometimes there are multiple opportunities, and you have to choose one.
I am a director’s actor through and through. I trust my directors implicitly and follow their guidance.
Talking about how she handles such situations, she says, “For me, commitment is paramount. When I am committed to a project, I go the extra mile to ensure that none of the production houses or units suffer because of me. I strive to manage my dates and ensure everything is handled smoothly. If it becomes unmanageable, I decline the other opportunity. However, I have never abandoned a project just for a better one.”
She adds, “There was a time during the selection and shooting dates of ‘Bajirao Mastani’ when I already had commitments for shows of my three different Hindi plays. Those dates clashed with the first schedule of the film. However, I couldn’t leave my team high and dry for a big film. I performed in those shows and promised to help find a replacement for my role, ensuring the replacement fit well. Later, I didn’t take on any other work for an entire year. I kept my dates free for ‘Bajirao Mastani’ as I had given my word to Parag Mehta, the casting director. He was very understanding and generous—he has a heart of gold and managed those dates for me. If it weren’t for him, I would have lost the film. I wanted to share this incident as an example of how I handle opportunities. It might not be the wisest way for an artist, but I can’t help it—that’s just how I am.”
