When you look back at your journey in the industry, how do you feel?
I am very proud of my journey and not a lot of people know that I started my journey at a very young age. I am actually a senior but I don’t boast about it or I am not even arrogant about it. I just love my whole journey wherever I’ve been, whatever I’ve done. Whether it was a small role, a big role, a channel got shut down which ran our show, so my journey has been superb and I don’t regret anything. Each and every show that I’ve done in my career has taught me something. I’ve always learnt and learning is something which you do every single day. I am very grateful for the journey God has provided me with.
When did you realise you wanted to be an actress?
I had actually come to Mumbai to apply in college and suddenly I got a call from Balaji Telefilms asking me to come for an audition. I thought it was a wrong number and I conveyed them that I am from Delhi and was here for college admission. But they insisted and as I had vacations, I decided to go. Then I went and auditioned and got selected as well. I enjoyed the process and felt it was nice. But it was after Bade Acche Lagte Hain season one where I played Ram Kapoor’s daughter that’s when I realised this is what I wanted to do but then I left acting for 2 years and after I returned I got Kaisi Hai Yaariyan. That show gave such a huge kick-start to my career. It was the first hit youth show and I am very grateful that an opportunity came my way.
Did you face rejections early on in your journey?
No matter where you go in life. There’s always rejection. I will never be lucky because I’ve struggled a lot. Just because I don’t talk about it or my journey, people think I am lucky. I always pray to God that I wish I was lucky. I always complain to God because I know so many things around me and I know I deserve so much more but then I make myself happy with whatever God has given me. Rejections have happened a lot to me. Sometimes shows don’t happen due to some reason or you don’t bag a show because of some other reason. There are so many that happen and you ask yourself how to manage things. There’s only one way to stay positive.
Tell us about your journey and the struggles that you had to go through?
Yes, I’ve been replaced, shows have been shelved, all these things have happened to me. There’s so much competition. Even when I bagged Bade Acche there were reports that I am not playing the main role, I’ve got replaced. And you never know what is true so you get insecure. But I am confident about my talent that I am a natural actor, I am known to be very good on set. Still there are people who talk nasty things about you and you have to keep yourself positive because in life personally we go through so much. When we are set we want to forget everything and focus on work. My mom plays a very important role, because I get sad at small things (gets emotional). You have to keep going on, stay strong because life throws you under the bus so many times.
You opened up about being a Blue Baby for the first time on Jhalak, how much it impacted your childhood?
When I was a baby I was going to die. I died for a few minutes and came back. I fought that so I can do anything in life. I’d never imagined that Kaisi Hai Yaariaan would be such a huge hit. But people loved our Jodi – Parth and mine so much till today. I remember I had gone for a movie a month ago and a girl came rushing to me saying Nandini please wait. She said such a thing to me that I was taken aback. I realised that day that how we actors can impact someone’s life. She shared that during Covid she lost her father and she was facing a lot of issues in her family. She decided to commit suicide but she started watching my Vlogs and that is what gave her hope to live. She loved my show, connected with me and saw my life on Instagram. That’s why I am very real on social media. When I am sad, I post those moments, when I am not doing anything I share that as well. I feel you should always be a good person and never wish bad for anyone because life is very short and you don’t know what will happen next.
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Yes, it impacted my childhood in many ways. I don’t like chocolates till now because I wasn’t allowed to eat them as a kid. I don’t like sweet things. My sister would go to swings and I would be just sitting at home. Other kids would go to the park and I would be at home. Even if I was taken to the park, I was not allowed to run much or walk too much. The only thing I learnt as a kid was swimming all thanks to my mother. I don’t know many things to do because I wasn’t allowed to do them. My childhood was so fragile that I wasn’t allowed to do anything and I would see other kids having fun. I adjusted to it.
Did that phase make you strong and a fighter?
My childhood phase has been the strongest. Right now in my life it must be a low point but otherwise as a person I remember I was very strong. I still remember when I came out of ICU, I had gone to the washroom and I was dancing slowly. I told my mother, “Mamma I can dance”. That’s the first thing I told my mom after coming out. I’ve always been a fighter because life throws you under the bus every single day and you have to stand back and adjust your crown and just go ahead.
When you joined Jhalak, did you consult any doctor or just went with the flow?
I just went all out. I never went to the doctor, I wanted to do Jhalak. Kuch hota toh jaati but touchwood nothing happened.
How supportive was your husband in your Jhalak journey?
He was so supportive. He was worried about me a lot because all my pictures with bruises would go on the family WhatsApp group. He was worried. He has been my biggest support. I couldn’t give any time to him during that phase, but he was really understanding. I was never on my phone, I would rehearse, come back home tired and just go to sleep. I couldn’t give him time but he was really understanding.
You decided to get married at the peak of your career. Was there ever a second thought?
For me happiness comes before everything. I would like to say to everyone that if you find the right guy and family just go ahead. There’s never a wrong time and it’s how you manage things. If you think because of marriage your career will get impacted then it’s not like that. I would say Meri Shaadi ke baad toh Mera career bahut he Accha chal raha hai, it is how you take it.
When projects like Ishqbaaz or Ghulaam don’t meet expectations, how heartbreaking it is?
Ghulaam the channel only shut but the show gave me recognition and a lot of love from people for my role. It was a different character as I played a village belle. But the channel shutdown and we actors did not have any role to play. With Ishqbaaz I had a lot of expectations and the role was amazing. There were too many lead actors at that point who got replaced or left the show. My only fear was it shouldn’t go off-air but it did. It’s unfortunate. That’s why when I was doing Bade Acche I actually called Nakuul Mehta to understand the future of the show. It happened to me once so I didn’t want a tag on me that oh look she entered the show and it shut down. It does affect you, now also if there’s a creative meeting I get scared. I want to do so well and want Ekta ma’am to be happy and proud of me. Also this is a legacy so it matters a lot.
Do you believe having a Godfather will help you in this industry?
Things do get difficult when you don’t have a Godfather because I’ve seen people who have a support to shape up their career. But at the end of the day I feel I can proudly say I’ve made my career on my own. Nobody has helped me and that’s what matters to me. Whatever work I’ve done in my life so far has been because of my own hard work. I can proudly say that I have made it on my own.
What are your aspirations as an actor? Do you plan to venture into OTT?
After doing Kaisi Hai Yaariaan technically I’ve also done OTT. I wanted to do television and I am a TV person. I don’t want to go to OTT though there is a lot of variety but there are a lot of other things that you are required to do which I am not open to do because I am married.
So, have things changed for Niti Taylor after marriage?
Yes, of course. I am not open to doing intimate scenes. I’ve a very simple mantra in life. If I can’t see him doing something I’ll not do it either.
Do you discuss your projects or work with your husband?
Yes, he’s very chill. He tells me do whatever you want to do. He doesn’t have a problem, but I have my reservations. Main thode se romantic scenes karti hoon, main sharma jaati hoon…. Yes I did one scene in Kaisi Yeh Yaariaan that was before marriage and it is in history now. (Laughs). I have my priorities set right and I am very happy doing television.
What is your take on casting directors giving work on the basis of social media followers?
It’s weird people giving work on the basis of social media following. You work so hard on your craft but your acting is not considered to give you work. It is sad because a lot of talented people who don’t have followers are sitting at home. A lot of people who have a lot of followers and talent are working. An actor is an actor and an influencer is an influencer. They can’t do both. An actor still can be an influencer. I am sorry people will judge me for this but this is the fact. I’ve personally seen this.
