Exclusive -Sonali Naik on Performing Emotional Scenes in Udne Ki Aasha: “Around 85% of the Time, I Don't Use Glycerine”
Sonali Naik , who essays the role of Renuka Deshmukh in Rahul Kumar Tewary’s Udne Ki Aasha , believes that emotional authenticity is one of the most important aspects of acting. With a strong theatre background , the actress has developed an instinctive understanding of her characters, allowing her to respond naturally to emotionally demanding scenes despite the fast-paced nature of daily television.
Opening up about the difference between theatre and television, Sonali explained, “In theatre, we rehearse for one or two months, setting the graph of every scene before performing. Nowadays, workshops and readings help actors understand their characters before a show begins. But once a daily soap starts, we often get scenes just 10–15 minutes or an hour before shooting, leaving little time to prepare for emotional scenes.”
However, she believes that spending time with a character gradually makes the performance more instinctive. “After spending time with a character, it becomes a part of you. While performing, I automatically think about what the character would feel and react accordingly. Perhaps my strong theatre background has shaped my thought process this way,” she said.
Revealing how she approaches emotional sequences, Sonali added, “I can cry instantly, and I consider that a gift from God. Around 85% of the time, I don't use glycerine in my scenes because tears come naturally when I feel the emotions.”
For the actress, immersing herself in a role does not mean allowing the character to take over her real personality. She believes that maintaining this distinction is necessary for an actor to remain emotionally balanced while delivering a convincing performance.
“I believe every actor should deeply love their character to perform it well. Perhaps because of my theatre background, I know how to switch on and off. Sometimes, I get carried away during emotional scenes, but I return to normal after a while. I never let the character overpower Sonali, nor do I let Sonali overpower the character. I try to maintain that balance,” she shared.
Sonali also expressed her desire to explore scenes that reveal the more private and unconventional sides of a character, beyond what audiences usually see in a daily soap.
“I want to show the audience scenes that have never been telecast before. They will see a different person who sometimes gets lost in her own world, talks to herself in the mirror, or simply does what she loves,” she said.
Through Renuka in Udne Ki Aasha, Sonali continues to explore emotional complexity while relying on her theatre training and instincts to bring authenticity to her performances.
Opening up about the difference between theatre and television, Sonali explained, “In theatre, we rehearse for one or two months, setting the graph of every scene before performing. Nowadays, workshops and readings help actors understand their characters before a show begins. But once a daily soap starts, we often get scenes just 10–15 minutes or an hour before shooting, leaving little time to prepare for emotional scenes.”
However, she believes that spending time with a character gradually makes the performance more instinctive. “After spending time with a character, it becomes a part of you. While performing, I automatically think about what the character would feel and react accordingly. Perhaps my strong theatre background has shaped my thought process this way,” she said.
Revealing how she approaches emotional sequences, Sonali added, “I can cry instantly, and I consider that a gift from God. Around 85% of the time, I don't use glycerine in my scenes because tears come naturally when I feel the emotions.”
For the actress, immersing herself in a role does not mean allowing the character to take over her real personality. She believes that maintaining this distinction is necessary for an actor to remain emotionally balanced while delivering a convincing performance.
“I believe every actor should deeply love their character to perform it well. Perhaps because of my theatre background, I know how to switch on and off. Sometimes, I get carried away during emotional scenes, but I return to normal after a while. I never let the character overpower Sonali, nor do I let Sonali overpower the character. I try to maintain that balance,” she shared.
Sonali also expressed her desire to explore scenes that reveal the more private and unconventional sides of a character, beyond what audiences usually see in a daily soap.
“I want to show the audience scenes that have never been telecast before. They will see a different person who sometimes gets lost in her own world, talks to herself in the mirror, or simply does what she loves,” she said.
Through Renuka in Udne Ki Aasha, Sonali continues to explore emotional complexity while relying on her theatre training and instincts to bring authenticity to her performances.
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