In a candid interview, Kaveri Priyam tells us that she had absolutely no idea about how to start working in the industry! All she was clear about was getting herself enrolled in an acting institute and continuing her theatres. Afterwards, she came to know about the auditions happening in Aram nagar and without the knowledge of the do’s and don’ts, she simply started giving them! Slowly, she started learning the various things about the industry and as it was a long process, she had the opportunity of experiencing the ups and downs, the rights and wrongs and helping herself when needed which further helped her to sustain in the industry.
Kaveri says that it’s all those initial years which are helping her to support herself till date. She tells us that her experience was very good apart from the times when casting directors asked for money or when they tell you that you are not the appropriate shape or size or colour for this industry. She said that for some time she even took these comments on herself and tried to work in accordance with them but eventually she realised what was good for her and what was not. Kaveri says, “Working in the industry has always been very fun. Touchwood, I have been very lucky because I got the opportunity to work with very lovely people who never made me feel that I was a newcomer in the beginning.”
As a child, she always wanted to become an actor. She says she was a born drama queen and was always a part of extracurricular activities. She says she has been lucky to have a good support system; good teachers who were very proactive and her mom, who got her enrolled in various classes. Straight after school, cycling daily to her Kathak classes was extremely hectic but she really enjoyed the part where she used to be on the stage. She used to act, direct, write stories and enact them with friends which unknowingly turned out to be street plays and attract a lot of crowd on the spot. She says that as a child you would think that you are just doing all this for your playtime fun but gradually she realised that she really liked doing all of it by heart. That’s when she decided to become an actor.
Despite having a studious family and mindset she realised she didn’t really enjoy it all, and acting was actually what she truly wanted to do. The day she got rejected from one of the exams was her turning point. Thus, she started giving auditions, doing theatres in Delhi and finally she got selected for a show and came to Mumbai. The show didn’t work out well but it brought her to the place where she belonged!
Talking about her upcoming projects she tells us, “I am super excited for my upcoming show which is going to air on Sony Sab very soon. The name is ‘Dil diyan Gallan’ and as the name suggests, it’s Punjab based story. So I am looking forward to it, playing a new character, getting into someone else’s shoes. I am super excited for it and also for my new music video which is going to be released soon.”
Kaveri speaks about what she loves the most about acting and she said, “I love the way it takes you to different places, makes you meet a lot of different people and the way it helps you grow as a person and an artist. When you work with amazing people from different walks of life, you get to know more about life in general, about different people who exist in the society and with each character you get to be in someone else’s shoes. I believe an actor is someone who can live a thousand lives, which is something really attractive and I literally live to do this. I live to live different characters, different lives, visit new places, locations and meet new people and work with amazing directors and producers. So yes, that is what I feel life is, it should be exciting every day.”
We asked her where does she see herself in the next 5 years in this ever-changing entertainment industry and she answered, “I know that this industry is ever-changing and I think nothing is permanent and change is the essence of life so I do not fear change, all I expect from myself is that I adapt to the change, adjust and keep entertaining people. In the coming 5 years I see myself as someone who knows all the tricks and trades of my field and then maybe later I can decide on what sort of work I want to do in the industry. I want to progress, that’s for sure.”
Apart from being the character, she thinks, to look like the character is a challenging job. If the character is plumpy, extremely thin or ranky, it is something which takes a toll on your health because there is a limited amount of time in which an actor has to look a certain way and if not followed under proper guidance, it might hamper your health. She says that it’s not particularly tough but extremely challenging, and especially for her as she is a big foodie. But, as of now she hasn’t got the chance to completely transform herself and she does look forward to doing such roles in the future.
Kaveri speaks candidly about the pressure in her work and what she does to tackle it, to which she simply said that she, personally, never really had to deal with any such thing. “If you enjoy doing something and can feel that it is meant for you then, that’s it. There is pressure in every other sector and I think that it is a part of work and it should be taken lightly. There is this constant thought that should be there in your mind that you are getting to do what you always wanted to, and so, it is a blessing. There are certain schedules you have to adjust yourself in but that is the fun and challenging part of it which makes it exciting.”
About her journey and the obstacles, she tells us that, “Wherever I went to take acting classes, I was always told that I am gifted, which I didn’t understand at that time, but, slowly I got to know that some things are actually there within me but they need to be polished. To convert the talent into skills, the theatres and acting classes helped a lot. Talking about the journey, initially it was tough as you are exploring new things but once you cross that phase, get a break, get appreciated, gain the confidence then things become a little easier. Although competition is there, you have to be determined, focused, keep working on your craft and that is how one succeeds in any field. It has not exactly been a roller coaster ride but, I had my own challenges which I overcame. One of the challenges was that I was overweight for this industry but I decided I wanted to look good on camera and I made that transformation for my first show, from being a very plumpy to a very thin and lean girl. I won't call it an obstacle, but just a part of the job.”
For our readers who may not be as familiar with her line of work, she says, “ Be it any industry, there are all sorts of people so, telling someone that this or that industry is not good, is baseless. Meeting, approaching and having the right circle of people around you is very important to achieve anything in life because there has got to be someone who shows you the path and the right direction. Maybe you will find it on your own or someone from your near and dear ones will guide you, but that direction is very important otherwise you might just be all over the place.”
