.jpg)
The acting profession is literally equivalent to gambling: Somy Ali
Former Bollywood actress and founder of No More Tears, an NGO that assists victims of domestic violence and sex trafficking, Somy Ali, says acting is a difficult profession. She compared...
Former Bollywood actress and founder of No More Tears, an NGO that assists victims of domestic violence and sex trafficking, Somy Ali, says acting is a difficult profession. She compared it to gambling and says an actor never knows if the movie will be a hit or a fail and whether they are going to hit a jackpot or not. Sharing her thoughts on the common perception that actors earn a lot, she feels that it’s all their hard work, and if not all, then definitely of a few, and is totally justified.
“I will say this with certainty: acting is an extremely difficult craft and profession. There are multiple challenges, from being a one-hit wonder to one’s career taking a complete 180-degree turn in a matter of a weekend when his or her film is deemed a flop or a hit. While I did not go to India to pursue acting and fell into it accidentally, I have as much insight about the industry as the next successful actor would. I have been terribly close to witnessing and experiencing the good and bad aspects of being an actor. And, yes, I do believe that many hard-working, successful actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Shah Rukh Khan, and the late Sushant Singh, all deserve a hefty, yet completely justified salary. This includes Tabu, Kajol, Rani Mukerji, and many female and male character actors too, because they truly know their artsmanship,” she said.
“While the newer lot are phenomenal too, like Alia Bhatt, Taapsee Pannu, and Deepika Padukone, the acting profession is literally equivalent to gambling because one never knows what hand they are being dealt or if they will even ever hit the jackpot. On top of all of those elements, there is the greatest factor of mockery: sucking up to the bigwigs, being used, and yet facing rejection. This is not an industry for people who aren’t thick-skinned, because no matter who you are, be it Amitji or Alia, they all had to start at the bottom and prove their self-worth. Additionally, add on the biggest ingredient to it all being something as vague as one being lucky, and trust me, I have seen very successful talentless actors solely surviving on luck even today,” she added.
