Soni Razdan has never seen herself only through her relationships with filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt or daughter Alia Bhatt. For her, acting has always been central to her identity.
In a recent interview with Galatta Plus, the actor opened up about her career, the struggles she faced, and how her looks may have affected the kind of roles she was offered.
During the interview, Soni was asked who she is apart from being Mahesh Bhatt’s wife and Alia Bhatt’s mother.
She replied, “I was a struggling actress. After I married Mahesh Bhatt, I’m still a struggling actress. After I became Alia’s mother, I’m still a struggling actress. That’s who I am. I’m just an actor who really loves acting. And I’ve had the opportunity to work with some wonderful people, some wonderful directors.”
Soni went on to explain why her journey in the industry wasn’t easy. She feels her appearance may have played a role in the opportunities she got when she was starting.
“I wouldn’t say it’s been a very smooth ride for me. Because I’m sure if I had looked much more Indian, it would have been a lot easier. Because I don’t think I’m lacking in the department of talent. Perhaps it was my unusual looks that didn’t fit here. And perhaps, if I had been 25 today, that wouldn’t have been an issue. But when I was 25, that was, I think, the hurdle I had to face,” she said.
Soni also recalled how she started in theatre and initially thought she would spend her career on stage.
“But I started with theatre. And I always thought I would be a theatre actor, not realising that theatre doesn’t give you any money. So very soon, I had to come down to reality.”
For Soni, becoming a film actress was never simply about being a glamorous face on screen. She wanted to be recognised for her performances and, as she put it, to be known as an actor rather than a “glam doll”.
The actor recently featured in Shaque: Trust No One. The series is streaming on Netflix.
ALSO READ: Soni Razdan Reveals Why Vidhu Vinod Chopra Paid Her For Khamosh 10 Years Later
