'Abhay 2' actress Asheema Vardaan on dealing with failure: I just accept it and have a pizza

Actress Asheema Vardaan, who impressed fans with her performance in ALTBalaji's Dev DD, says that she deals with failure by taking it in her stride and treating herself to a pizza. The star also opens up about playing a negative role in the web series Abhay 2 and reveals that she took up the ZEE5 original as she wanted to play a character that was different from her real-life personality.

(Edited excerpts from an email interview with DH)

What prompted you to take up Abhay 2?

It was a relatively exciting role. I never played an antagonist and I genuinely wanted to play a character really different from my personality. The character has been written rather interestingly and this added layers to the performance.

How did you prepare for what is perceived to be a challenging character?

To be honest, a major part of the credit goes to the director (Ken Gosh). He guided me through the process of exploring the dark side of the emotional spectrum. He also made me believe that I can essay such parts convincingly. The process of doing justice to the character was a collaborative one and we both enjoyed it.

How did you get interested in acting?

My family and close friends always felt I was too dramatic in life. It was my dad who encouraged me to try my luck in this field. I never thought about being an actor, it was never the plan but this is what it is. I’m glad that I agreed to my father’s decision and thankful that my family always supported me.

Any dream roles?

I have always been a huge admirer of Saina Nehwal and want to play her on the big screen. Her journey is inspiring. So if another film is made on her life, I’d like to put it out there, “I’m very much available.”

How do you cope with failure?

I cope up/treat failure as a learning. It's actually a motivation to keep me going (moving) ahead, breaking barriers. I just accept it, appreciate it, and have a god damn pizza.

What is your fitness mantra?

I am not a huge fan of working out but I have figured out that a little run and great homemade food, helps in the long run. (Pun Intended)