'TV actors don't get good roles, attention in films': Chahatt Khanna talks about beauty standards, work norms in Bollywood [Exclusive]

Pouplar actor Chahatt Khanna has been in the industry for over a decade. The actor has been part of shows like Bade Acche Lagte Hain season 1 which also stars Ram Kapoor and Sakshi Tanwar. She was also seen in Qubool Hai (2012-16). Apart from that she has been part of music videos and has a couple of brand endorsements in her kitty.

Being a versatile actor, and model she is also a doting mother. Celebrity Chahatt Khanna has two daughters and as a single mother, she is raising her kids with pride and is leaving no stone unturned to give her daughter a luxurious and comfortable life.

In an exclusive conversation with International Business Times, India, Chahatt Khanna,  the actor spoke about being a single mother, she also shared her concern over the safety of women and as a mother how she projects her daughter, her upcoming projects and more.

How has your journey been on TV so far?

My journey so far has been incredibly great and the learning has been a lot. TV has been my backbone and it has made me a versatile and strong actor who can now shoot 18-20 hours without cribbing. TV has taught me a lot.

When can we see you on OTT?

Yes certainly, you will see me on OTT and that's going to happen very soon. My new projects are soon set to release on OTT and even I am waiting for the same.

With ott and TV and films do you think that actors have more scope to showcase their talent?

Definitely yes, actors now have a lot of platforms to showcase their talent. From their own Instagram to their YouTube channels to several different platforms, there are so many places where people can come and see their talent. Earlier, when I started, it wasn't that easy to come on-screen. It would take forever to come on-screen. But nowadays, your phone is your screen and it's in your hands. You can shoot content on your phone upload it and see it on your phone. So, the screen size has definitely become very pocket-friendly. So, it is very easy nowadays for actors to showcase their talent.

TV actors often say it's hard for them to get a role in films do you agree?

Yes, I believe that TV actors do not get many roles and much attention when it comes to films. When you talk about films, the actors are different, the theory is different and the work is different and so are the segments and people. So, it is very different. Also, actors are different from TV and films. Since I have worked on both mediums, I can understand the difference between actors from TV to films. Yes, I have no offence in saying that TV actors are different from film actors even in person or professionally. Yes certainly they are very strong and they can pull off long hours of shoot. However, when you talk about overall, TV actors do not get a lot of films for certain reasons. I don't know what are the reasons but that's a fact.

There are so many celebs sharing going under the knife, enhancing their beauty they are going for lip fillers do you think it's needed?

Actors have done surgeries and they have gone under the knife which is completely okay. Nowadays, even if you don't want to, you have to go for surgery. Sometimes, your finger gets dislocated or something or the other keeps happening. So, surgeries have overall become a part of our lives. So, going under the knife because of your profession isn't bad. I don't know why it is a taboo. In fact, you are doing your best to look good on-screen. Also, not everyone is blessed with the perfect features and face cut so if you aren't blessed with it and you want to become an actor, you have to do it for an appropriate reason. So, it's not bad if that's the purpose until and unless it's making you look bad or if it's harmful to your body, mind and health. So, anything in moderation isn't bad.

As an actor what do you look at before signing a script?

As an actor, I only look at the script before signing alongside the cast and production house. However, I am someone who wouldn't go ahead and do something if I don't relate with the character or script just for the heck of being in the limelight. Only when I am in love with some script, do I go ahead and do it.

Has social media followers what Producers and directors look for in actors now?

Yes, there are a lot of Producers who decide on an actor according to their actors. However, there's also a bunch of good and creative people who really don't pay much heed to these things and instead understand where the actor is coming from and the creativity of that actor. So, there's a mix of both.

Is looking good taken a back seat in Bollywood or is it still people want to see actors in glamour roles?

I feel that looking good has actually taken a backseat in Bollywood. I feel that looking too good can also get in the way of your work and that has happened with multiple actors. I wouldn't say it hasn't happened, it has happened to me as well. But, looking too good is also a challenge because people can't relate to you. People nowadays want to see characters who are more relatable and not extremely good-looking people. So, that does take away a bunch of work from your end.

You have two daughters as a mother are you worried about the crime rate increasing day-by-day?

Yes, I have two daughters and given the kind of crime rate that's happening, it is really something to think about. What we can do in prevention is to teach self-defence to our girls and to us so that we have the courage and strength to fight this situation whenever it occurs in our lives. I wouldn't say that other countries are safe. If you see outside India, perhaps the rape cases aren't there but definitely the crime rates are there as well, even more than here. You can't compare different countries in terms of crime rate but what we can do is prepare ourselves to handle the worst.

What are the precautions that you are taking to safeguard your child?

I am teaching martial arts and kung-fu to both my daughters. My elder one is learning martial arts while the younger one is learning kung-fu. So, this is the precaution I am taking and I always make sure that they are in safe hands. So, there are a lot of other things not just one or two. So as parents, you need to know a lot about where they are going, whom they are meeting, what their circle is like and a lot more to be on the safer side.

What next?

Working on this series where I am playing a strong character. For that, I am working to get into the shape of the character which is going to take months. I have three months to work for it and that's for OTT again so I am really looking forward to it.