Roshni Walia: I want to tell people that beauty is not just about how you look from the outside

Actresses ‘age’ quite fast on

television

, with teenagers playing bahus and those in their twenties turning moms to grown-ups. However, Roshni Walia is clear that she won’t follow the norm; at 17, she wants to play characters her age.

She tells BT, “I have been offered the bahu’s role in a few shows, but I don’t think that I can play one at this stage of my career. Right now, my focus is on characters I can relate to and who are of my age. Having said that, those who are playing characters older than their real age are doing a good job. It’s totally an artiste’s prerogative. Some actors get influenced by the characters they are playing and I am one of them. So, I don’t want to end up thinking and behaving like someone who is way older than me.”

Roshni plays the title role in 'Tara From Satar'a (TFS), in which she is seen in a de-glam avatar. While her contemporaries look all dolled up on screen, the young actress has no qualms playing a simpleton. She shares, “I want to tell people, especially those my age, that beauty is not just about how you look from the outside. The real you without any make-up is the most beautiful. I have no interest in just looking glamorous on screen. Besides, while others take time to get ready for their roles, I am done in five minutes. My look on the show works for me, as my skin and hair aren’t exposed to heavy make-up.”

She adds, “I want to take up content-driven shows and performance-oriented roles. It should not always be saas-bahu sagas, with people being negative and mean to each other. Moreover, there are hardly any shows for youngsters. Along with playing the titular character, I am also getting to learn dance for the show.”

Her maturity isn’t just limited to the kind of roles she takes up. Roshni is equally woke when it comes to contributing towards making Mumbai a greener city. She recently celebrated her birthday week in a unique way. The actress planted 10 saplings a day for a week on the set of her TV show, leading up to the big day.

She shares, “Nature is very close to my heart and hence, I wanted to celebrate this year by giving a return gift to nature. I decided to plant 10 trees a day, for the entire week. I urge everyone to do the same.”

However, Roshni admits that she is a party person and loves the idea of celebrating the occasion with family and friends. “That’s mandatory,” she says, adding, “I shot in the first half, ended my birthday week with the pledge of planting trees and then travelled to Alibaug for the party. We booked a mini-bus so that we could travel together.”
— Neha.Maheshwri@timesgroup.com