

– By Farhad Dalal
With back to back releases in December in the form of Aarya 2 and Decoupled, Dilnaz Irani is riding on a high. In an Exclusive Interview with Farhad Dalal from Popcorn Reviewss she talks about her struggles early on, how the onset of OTT has resulted in opportunities for artists like her and the year 2022 ahead.
1. Firstly, congratulations on the success of Decoupled and Aarya 2. How has all the attention been lately?
2. Do you reckon that with the rise of OTT platforms, more and more newer artists are being recognized and welcomed?
3. Take us through your Highs and Lows in the 20 years that you have been in the Industry.
So my first assignment started in Star bestsellers(on Star TV network) while I was working as a Software Professional. Soon the TV industry boomed and I had won the Gladrags Mega Model contest, so I got noticed while I was modelling. And 4 years into my IT professional career, I decided to call it quits. It was a big decision for me as I was leaving behind a steady job that gave me a stable income. This also meant that I had to go against people around me who were discouraging me from pursuing a career in acting. After leaving my job, there was work for me but that did not translate into work which was payable. And after a point it does become difficult surviving in a city like Mumbai. My career graph has always been up and down. After every big project, suddenly I found myself with no work. In between I saw my colleagues doing well and I would be lying if I would say I wasn’t insecure. Everyday was a fight to be secure, the battle was more mental and internal. Being an actor is not easy as you have to deal with a lot of rejection daily.
You really need to be mentally strong but there are times when you question yourself. While I never doubted my abilities as an actor, I used to wonder if this is even meant for me. And this included me doubting my looks or not doing enough PR(Public Relations). There was a time when I did think of quitting acting or maybe just opting to become an acting teacher professionally. But the universe had other plans and it had a habit of giving me a big thing every time(it still does). While chatting and discussing with a friend about me wanting to quit acting, I landed up with the offer of Jodha Akbar. The same thing happened two years back before the pandemic where the only work which I had was theatre plays which didn’t pay me well. But thankfully post the first wave of the pandemic, offers started beginning to pour. I feel a major difference between then and now is that the process is more streamlined in the industry and that has definitely benefitted me.
4. Does the length of your role matter to you while selecting a script?


5. You have gained success in Theatre and OTT, which one would you prefer over the other and why?
Theatre is always Home for me. It is definitely my first love and I do have a soft spot for it. It probably is because I started off with theatre plays and I have been a part of more than 50 plays. I am the SRK of theatre(laughs). The thing is I do get a lot of lead roles with meaty parts which for an actor is always interesting. In OTT, I haven’t yet transitioned into lead roles. The feeling of performing in front of a live audience just gives me so much pleasure! But I feel I do not want to limit myself either. Basically for me camera is a medium – be it Television or Films or OTT, I enjoy being in front of the camera too. In 20 odd years that I have been in the industry, you have the amount of experience to tweak your performance whether it is for a play or OTT. So I reckon both are equally important for me and both are currently providing me ample of good opportunities.