Nazar fame Sonya Saamoor bared her heart out in a freewheeling chat with ETimes TV. The actress, who earned recognition with her role as Ruby Rathod in Nazar, is currently seen in Sirf Tum. Majorly seen as an antagonist in shows, this is Sonya’s first positive role. This week, for our Tellyblazer segment, we have Sonya, who spoke about how a major heartbreak in New Zealand led her to India, how she left her IT job and started from scratch as a model, how acting happened to her, married life and more.
How did you think of beginning your career with a negative role without having the fear of getting typecast in character roles?
When you love your craft, you don’t think if you wish to do positive or negative roles. Such things shouldn’t come to an actor’s mind. When you are an actor, you are playing a character. The casting director will of course see your potential and cast you in different roles. In this industry, getting an opportunity itself is difficult. For an outsider like me, I didn’t have the luxury to think and wait for a positive role to come my way. When I got such a big show on a big platform, I grabbed it with both my hands. Main kissi star ki beti nahi hu that I will wait for a film to fall on my lap. When I got the role, it was a dream come true moment. When you work with such positivity, things are obviously going to fall in place. Now I have a positive role on TV. Had I not taken up that role, I wouldn’t have reached here.
On her bond with Sir Tum co-stars Eisha Singh and Puneett Chouksey
We have this infectious energy and I don’t how we bonded so well. Eisha and I connected since Day 1. We are best friends forever and same with Puneett. We were shooting in Dehradun and thought of exploring the city. And we were just three. Because of that we bonded more.
How did you become an actress?
I am an IT graduate. I was working in the IT sector in New Zealand. My plan was to work in the corporate and get married. Either I will settle in LA or Auckland. I never had any acting dreams as such. I had a major breakup and things changed for me. I came to India and the rest is history. I got modelling offers and I started from the bottom. Modeling took me to acting. I take life as it comes. I didn’t say no to the opportunities. That was my journey. I wasn’t fussy. I had to pay bills and lead a normal life. From earning in dollars to earning in rupees… I took whatever came my way. It was destiny.
From the IT sector in New Zealand to modelling in India… how did that happen?
I was going through a break-up. Not going much into details, it was a major one. I wanted to break free from that. I moved to India to my mum’s house. There were no modelling plans. I didn’t think of becoming a heroine as soon as I stepped in India. I came here to heal myself and recover from the heartbreak. My heartbreak led to this. God always has bigger plans for you.
Tell us about your modelling journey
A lot of aspiring models want to be at the top. They don’t want to experience the journey, the struggles. I was lucky enough to experience it from the bottom. There is no modelling scene in NZ, so I would work in print ads and take up small projects. I did small size fashion shows to big size fashion shows. I won a pageant in New Zealand and that added to my portfolio. When I moved to India, I was doing print modelling and catalogue shoots. It was a learning experience.
Any untoward incident when you started your journey as an actress?
Of course there are indecent people and fraudulent people, who are not real. It’s a lot at the bottom. But it is very important to not fall for it and it’s necessary to go through the process. Don’t look for shortcuts in life. Seek work through an agency. You do not have to sleep with anyone to get work. You don’t have to compromise to become an actor. If you are talented, you will get it. I got a lot of indecent proposals but I stayed out of it. If I am not talented, I won’t get work. It’s ok if I don’t get work in the industry, my life doesn’t end here. It’s ok if you don’t become a star, that’s not the end of the world. You have to be careful and strong from these types of people. They may threaten to ruin your career but nobody has the power. There are so many production houses, they also need us.
Growing up, did you act in front of a mirror?
As an Indian, watching Bollywood movies, we all have imagined ourselves in a movie. I still do that. When I did Nazar, I didn’t know acting at all. Whatever I knew, it worked for them. After Nazar, I enrolled myself in an acting course. I unlearned everything. Acting is not a formula that you learn and you will get it, as SRK said. You will learn something new every day.
Do you remember your first audition?
I was horrible. I didn’t know how to act. I was just confident and they wanted to cast me. When I finally learned tid-bits of acting, I got the show. I wanted to learn the craft. Those days are gone when you would have to look just pretty in front of the camera. Times are competitive and there are so many great male and female actors. I wish to do a comedy show someday.
Do you wish to explore other platforms?
I am open to explore whatever comes my way. I do get calls for shows. But when you are doing a daily soap, there are date issues. I wish to explore digital platforms. The only issue is I am not comfortable with the intimate scenes. And it is not because I am married. My husband is very supportive. He tells, ‘you should do kissing scenes’. It’s just that, me as a person, it’s difficult to imagine me kissing somebody else. (laughs) And I have so much respect for people, who carry out such scenes effortlessly. There’s a team of 50 people. I have respect for such actors, who can pull off an intimate scene so beautifully. It is not easy. If it is important I will do it. I am not good at it. In front of 50 people, I’ll get nervous.
Her friendship with Erica Fernandes and Shubhaavi Choksey
Bonds are so natural. Even with Karan Singh Grover for that matter. When I was shooting for Kasautii Zindagii Kay, it was four months before my wedding. I just instantly connected with them. We have such a strong friendship, we share everything. We have a group, we call each other. We discuss our everyday lives. We keep in touch throughout. Erica, Shubhaavi and I are constantly in touch. We are a family… a clan. We are spiritually inclined. We want to be better human beings. Our core is same.
On being married for two years
With marriage I have seen, when you are married to a nice person, every day is beautiful. It’s just not one day. With my husband, every day is an adventure. Everyday we have fun. It’s just one day of celebration, every day is special when you are married to the right guy.
Daily married life routine
Nothing has changed much ever since I got married. I had responsibilities before getting married too. I have always balanced everything. I love having a family. There are some people who like to live alone. But I love to live with my family. With my family, we are all on the same page. They are just like me. It’s a bonus. My in-laws, my parents are like my friends. There’s no rush that I have to do this or that. I am blessed like that. Everything is taken care of.
What have you discovered about him, do you guys fight?
A lot! We have had a lot of fights. It is healthy to have a difference of opinion, arguments. You are just being yourself. If you are not being yourself, then how will marriage work? I am a different person, my upbringing is different. Harsh comes from a different place. So we do have fights. But the beauty of it is, we both want to fix it. We never think of giving up and that’s how it is working. We are just as imperfect as any other couple. We always try to find out ways to fix our ladai, and I tell him ‘I love you and I don’t want to lose you’.
Things that you have learned from each other
Harsh has taught me to be patient, and how to accept somebody else. I need certain things a certain way. Harsh is very random like that. Harsh has learned a lot to trust me, let things go and not hold on to grudges. We don’t have time to drag a fight. When you are in a relationship, you can ignore your partner and not talk, but in marriage, we don’t have the luxury to hold on to grudges. When we were dating Harsh used to hold grudges. After marriage, he does not. So, it’s good.
