Had to unlearn a few things: Deeksha Joshi on her TV debut

Deeksha Joshi, who has done two acclaimed Gujarati films (Kaashi Raaghav and Umbarro) this year, has made her Hindi TV debut with Pushpa Impossible. She shares, “I have joined the show as Deepti, which was earlier portrayed by Garimah Parihar. There is no pressure from the makers, but I want to live up to expectations. The show has been running successfully for three-and-a-half years. I will focus on giving my best.”



‘I feared that working on TV may feel like a job’ Talking about her apprehensions regarding doing television, she says, “While I’ve never said no to any opportunity, I feared that working on television would become like a job. The question was always about my potential to work here—whether I will have the stamina to work 13 hours a day while playing the same character. I felt it would be challenging.”

So, what has changed? Deeksha shares, “I realised that jab tak main khud ko challenge nahi karungi, how would I know if I could do it at this level? Ever since I started shooting for this show, it has been very demanding. But I am learning to be a lot more disciplined as an artiste. I have never been more conscious of my health, diet, and spiritual and mental health. While doing films, you get breaks after shooting for a few days. But here, you are constantly working. When JD Majethia (producer of the show) asked me if I’d like to do a television show, I instantly said yes.”



‘Every actor should do TV at least once’ Talking about how TV is “very different”, Deeksha elaborates, “It is probably among the most difficult mediums. I feel every actor should do TV at least once. In films, we have a bound script, toh pata hota hai kaisa hoga, and we attend workshops also. But on television, we get the script just a day before the shoot. So, everything has to be ready within a few hours. I respect TV actors a lot more now.”

She adds, “Now, I feel that as a film and theatre actor, I was spoiled by the makers (laughs). In those mediums, we rehearse each scene for days and prepare extensively. It took me a few days to break that process because the pace of shooting is very fast here. You have to deliver one episode every day. I am grateful to have had this unlearning.”


‘Dhadak 2 came as a blessing’ Deeksha, who was last seen in Dhadak 2, calls the film “a blessing.” She shares, “I always want to do films with strong social messages. As an actress, I feel a sense of responsibility towards society. Through films like Dhadak 2 and Karsandas Pay & Use, I try to tap into topics that are the need of the hour. I am grateful for the appreciation that came my way after Dhadak 2. It inspired me to explore similar subjects.”

Ask what kind TV shows she enjoyed watching and she says, "I have always liked watching offbeat television shows like Remix and Miley Jab Hum Tum, which were beyond daily soaps. I am glad that I am doing a unique and strong message-driven show now."

Actors often say that TV binds them and doesn't allow them to do other projects. Sharing her plans on it, Deeksha shares, "Many actors are doing both TV and films. I am fortunate to be working with makers who are very understanding. So, if I am offered a film, we will find a way to manage it. Just because I am doing television doesn’t mean I won’t do films."
She adds, "I was told that television will hamper my craft and acting skills, but I feel it’s a myth. It’s the opposite — television prepares you to be spontaneous and work in the moment, which adds to your skill set."
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