I think that turning points in a person’s life are quite like milestones. There have been a couple of turning points in my life and I consider two such incidents as the most important because of the time they happened in my life. A big event in my life was when I won the Miss India title as a 19-year-old. The other was my maiden television serial, Kashmeer, that eventually won me the Best Actress nomination.

Winning the Miss India title opened new avenues for me. I wasn’t prepared then to step into the glamour world. When Aishwarya Rai, who was one of the judges at the contest, asked me if I was considering joining films, I was dumbfounded. It was just like somebody asking me if I wanted to be an astronaut. I had not given films the slightest thought.

The serial Kashmeer, in which I did the lead role, proved to be the other big turning point. Bagging the best actress nomination was an immense boost. Prior to this, I had received offers for films but I settled for Kashmeer.

Both these events helped me grow personally and professionally. They made me look within and introspect. In a way, they enabled me to view life in a different perspective, which is important. It’s important to pause and look within.

Now I sign films driven by my gut feeling and don’t have any particular formula. I believe that life comes with its highs and lows. But I don’t dwell so much on the low phases of life and try and always remain positive. I move on and prepare myself for the many projects ahead of me.

(As told to Hoihnu Hauzel)