Some of us take acting seriously: Shirin Guha

All set for her maiden project, Lootera, starring Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha, Bengali damsel Shirin Guha speaks to DNA about her introduction to the industry…

How did you make the transition from modelling into acting?
My father is an actor. All through my childhood I’ve seen him perform and it fascinated me. When I told my father that I, too wanted to be an actor he told me that I needed to get educated first. So, I graduated from Rabindra Bharathi with a first class honours degree in drama.

How was your experience working with Ranveer Singh?
I don’t have many scenes with him in this movie. But from what I know of him, he seems very friendly. It was great working with him. He’s always the perfect gentleman.

In your debut movie you are sharing the screen with two other ladies, was it a daunting experience?
Not at all! Everyone on the sets was very down to earth and helpful. I don’t look at it as ‘sharing the screen’ as much as a learning experience. I feel very privileged to work in such close quarters with experienced people because it’s a great opportunity to learn. Besides, this role has a lot of scope for performance and that’s what tipped the scales in its favour.

Are you open to offers from the South Indian film industry?
As an actor, I don’t limit myself by language or culture. For me, it’s all about the script and the character. I’m open to any script that has a good scope for performance.

Is it the natural course for new comers, to enter modelling before squeezing their way into Bollywood?
It seems to be. But you must clearly visualize your goal right at the onset. I was very focused on what I wanted to do. Acting was always my goal and I planned my career accordingly. Most people harbour the misconception that actors are uneducated. I have done my post graduation from FTII, Pune and it was there that Vikram Aditya Mutwani’s movie, Lootera came my way. Some of us take acting very seriously. If you don’t lose sight of your goal, you always find a way to get there.