My earliest childhood memories are of tuning in to the Hindi film-song show Chitrahaar on Doordarshan every Wednesday and Friday. Even back then I remember thinking to myself how amazing it would be to appear on the show. It was perhaps then that the idea of becoming an actress first struck me.

Education played a very important role in my life. I graduated from Miranda House in Delhi University with a degree in English Literature and followed this up with a Masters in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). I became active on the drama scene in JNU and that was a turning point of sorts as it made me realise that I wanted to act in Bollywood films. My mother, Ira Bhaskar, who is a film scholar and teaches at JNU’s School of the Arts and Aesthetics, also contributed to my inclination towards acting.

In 2008 I set out for Mumbai to try my luck in Bollywood. A close friend introduced me to director Pravesh Bhardwaj and I bagged a role in his film, Niyati — my debut film. This was a significant milestone.

After this, it was almost like I’d discovered a spider’s web of contacts. I became a part of the network of people involved in film casting in Mumbai. My next film Tanu Weds Manu became a major turning point in my life. During its filming I learnt a lot about myself as an actor and as a person. The audience’s response made me feel like I’d received my due for the time I spent in Mumbai.

I bagged two projects following this. I’m now shooting for Anirudh Chawla’s Sabki Bajegi Band where I play a young wife, while in Listen Amaya, directed by Avinash and Geeta Singh, I’m sharing screen space with Deepti Naval and Farooque Sheikh.

I still have a long way to go but now I’m awaiting the next turning point: being part of Bollywood’s big league and seeing myself on billboards across India.