Actress Manasi Salvi, who is currently seen in Colors TV’s newly launched show ‘Mahadev And Sons’, has never shied away from speaking her truth. In an exclusive conversation with The Free Press Journal, the actress opened up about the long-standing bias against television as a medium, the persistent “TV actor” tag, and how insecurity, often seen as a weakness, is actually a tool she uses to grow as a performer.
At a time when several actors dismiss television as a mere stepping stone to films or OTT, Manasi firmly stands her ground, unapologetically owning her roots and the platform that shaped her. “It’s quite disappointing when I see very own people from my fraternity putting down TV just because they have moved on to another medium and absolutely have no second thoughts about failing at it and coming back to TV. So yes, I believe television is like a mother. They say it’s a silver screen, it has a moon energy. So I think television is a mother that is so accepting, and everybody is welcomed here – right from the film fraternity to the OTT fraternity. And I’m proud to be in television and I do face the stereotype of being a television actor.”
The actress continued, “But I think these particular labels can be worked out with us as actors and the fraternity of journalism by avoiding the tags. You know, when someone is introducing an actor, it shouldn’t be like – divorced actor or a single mother actor. An actor is an actor. In fact, I do not believe in terms like actor and actress. So I think somewhere both of us have to be in sync with each other to just get rid of these labels, especially as women. But let me tell you, I’m absolutely proud to be a television actor, and I will do OTT. I might do films in the future. I love doing my advertisements. But yes, the tags are something that I’m still fighting with, and I hope someday I drop them.”
While Manasi is vocal about dismantling labels, she is equally honest about the emotional realities of being an actor, especially in a competitive and ever-changing industry like television. “I do feel insecure most times. I take time to map the actors around me and to understand who’s where, and then plan my moves accordingly. I usually don’t show in my rehearsals what I’m going to do in the take. But yes, an actor’s job is to reinvent and rediscover herself with every new project, to look fresh so the audience connects with the new character. It’s also difficult for an actor to take time off, say about eight or nine months, knowing that acting is the livelihood. To stay somewhere, to let the memory of the previous character fade, and then come back to something new is a tedious but required process. And then you’re in a different set of actors, where everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. I do my R&D to understand those strengths and weaknesses and then build my strategy. So yes, I always believe that actors are very intelligent creatures, because without intelligence and emotional intelligence, you can’t give out what you’re meant to do.”
With Mahadev Aur Sons marking yet another transformation in her career, Manasi Salvi continues to challenge stereotypes, not just through words, but through consistent, thoughtful performances that speak louder than labels ever could.
