Mumbai, Oct 15 — Actress Delnaaz Irani has recalled her early days in the entertainment industry. She said she used to earn Rs 400 per theatre performance in the late 1980s.
Reflecting on her journey, the ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ actress told IANS that every opportunity helped her gain experience and learn. She added that patience and perseverance are essential for building a career in acting. Delnaaz shared, “I started with theatre, and I used to get around Rs 400 per play in the late 1980s when I began doing theatre. Later, I did Commander in 1993, and I was paid Rs 1,200 per episode. Those were the early days of my career, and every opportunity helped me learn something. You have to start somewhere, gain experience and keep moving forward.”
She further added that actors must understand that success does not come overnight and that the right opportunities may take time to come their way. “You have to be patient in this industry. You cannot expect everything to happen overnight. You have to keep working, have faith in yourself and wait for the right opportunities. At the same time, you should know what you want from your work,” said Irani.
Talking about how she chooses projects today, the actress explained that she considers several factors before accepting an assignment. “I look at different things before saying yes to a project. The location, the working hours, whether the payments are made on time and whether I will be happy doing that work are all important to me. You cannot say yes to everything. You should know your priorities and what works for you,” Delnaaz mentioned.
The ‘Milenge Milenge’ actress went on to state, “Every project may not be right for you, and I think it is important to understand that. You should not take up work just because you want to remain visible. You should also be happy with what you are doing. After working for so many years, you learn to understand what suits you and what does not.”
Sharing her advice for aspiring actors, Delnaaz mentioned, “You need passion, patience, perseverance and conviction. If you want to be an actor, you have to be prepared for the journey. There will be good days and difficult days, but you have to keep going. You should believe in yourself and not give up just because things are taking time.”
Work-wise, Delnaaz Irani recently featured in Chumbak on Netflix. She is best known for her stint in shows such as “Yes Boss,” “Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka,” “Son Pari” and “Jamai Raja.”