After playing a multi-dimensional central character in Meet: Badlegi Duniya Ki Reet for over two years, Ashi Singhwants to continue taking up substantial roles. Reflecting on her journey in the show, which will end soon, and the quest for another strong role, Ashi says, “The experience has been amazing and more of a roller coaster ride with the opportunity to portray various dialects and also engage in action sequences.
I do wonder whether I will be able to land another role as powerful as Meet. I feel the pressure of choosing my next role carefully, as it needs to be different and challenging. Finding such strong roles every time can be quite a task.”
The actress shares that she never felt a sense of stagnation during her portrayal of Meet because the character’s trajectory kept evolving. The reason she doesn’t find it necessary to take a break to recharge her batteries. “The character never felt repetitive during the two-and-a-half years. It underwent a transformation after the show took a time leap five months ago. So, I don’t feel the need to take a break. I will utilise the time available between projects to enhance my skills, acquire new talent, and travel. I feel you learn the most on the job,” she replies.
During the show, there were speculations that Ashi and her co-actor Shagun Pandey – the original hero of Meet – had a strained relationship. Addressing the rumour, she says, “Shagun and I spent two years together and that’s a long time. We had our fair share of ups and downs. At times, we were amazing as a team, and the other, we did have disagreements. Shagun and I are quite different and so are our mindsets. So, we were not best friends who gelled along or hung out. However, we never had a major conflict or shared a cold vibe. We worked like professionals.”
‘I have worked hard to reach this point in my career’
Though Ashi clarifies the rumour about Shagun, she admits conflicts between co-actors can impact their performances. She adds, “My process is action and reaction; if my co-actor doesn’t give me the right cue or emotion, it can hinder my performance. It can be challenging when co-actors don’t get along and then there are a few who intentionally do things to sabotage your performance and scenes. I tackle the situation by raising my standards and focusing on delivering my best. I have worked hard to reach this point in my career, and won’t let the other person ruin my work.”
