Success and joy don’t come from staying in your comfort zone: Tanya Maniktala

In a candid reflection on her early career choices, Tanya Maniktala expressed her regret for opting for the ‘safer option’ and staying within her comfort zone.

Despite initial success, she now acknowledges how this decision held her back from fully embracing risk and growth in her profession. When asked about her shift from a more traditional career path, including considering copywriting, to acting, the actress shared her honest thoughts.

Reflecting on her journey, she admitted to moments of regret for having initially chosen the ‘safer option’ and staying in her comfort zone early in her career. Maniktala told a top news agency, “I’m definitely glad about how my journey has unfolded. I was considering the safer option back then, but I’ve realised that success and joy don’t come from staying in your comfort zone. I’m so grateful I stepped out of it and took the plunge into acting. Now, I'm receiving so much love and validation from the audience. I wouldn’t change anything.”

Tanya also spoke about her approach to portraying a diverse range of characters. She explained that her process involves immersing herself fully into the character, understanding their mindset and adapting her performance to bring something unique to each role.

“Yes, I’ve often played characters with more sensitivity, but Tulika is different in that respect. Her character is complex and I loved exploring that. Latika’s character, on the other hand, is even more layered. She’s driven by a strong moral compass, but that gets questioned and she starts to live in the grey areas. As Tanya evolves, so does the type of characters I choose. I like to pick roles that challenge me and help me grow as an actor,” she said.

The ‘A Suitable Boy’ actress also talked about her latest project, ‘Loot Kand’, stating, “This project revolves around two fascinating characters, Latika and Palash, who are siblings. They make a plan to rob someone’s house and through that, they end up committing a series of crimes. It's a very intriguing journey.”

‘Loot Kaand’ is scheduled to be released on March 20 on ‘Amazon MX Player’.