Pakkhi Guptaa - I Always Saw Acting as a Way to Become Your Own Art, Painting Yourself in the Emotions of the Character Written (Actor from India)

There is no reason or rhyme for me, just a burning passion to be in front of the camera and immortalise the character and yourself.

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

I believe my entire life has led me to “Selection Day” and I think the journey hasn’t ended yet, it has just taken a different route; now, it is a culmination of growing and learning through the trials of being an actor.

I am a born and bred Delhiite, coming from a business family I set out on a completely different but not so unexpected path. Being a single child, I was always at the centre of everyone’s attention and affections. This might give you an indication as to why I’d wanna be an actor.

But in all honesty, I always seemed to have this unruly need to do something out of the ordinary, so my first gig ever was a modelling assignment at 7 years of age and then, even as a kid there was no going back.



2. Did you ever think or dream of being an actor?

Even in hindsight, I could only tell you of my experiences working and how soul gratifying they were, but I don’t think I could pinpoint a time in my life where I suddenly had an epiphany that, “OH this is what I want to do for the rest of my life!” 

I think I was just born with this wiring in my head of the love of all art. If you ask anyone around me, they would probably all give you the same answer, there was nothing that seemed to feed me more than reenacting scenes from my favourite books or creating outfits out of my mom’s clothes to prance around the house as a character of my own. I could stand in front of the mirror for hours trying o perfect a Kareena Kapoor scene.

I always saw acting as a way to become your own art, painting yourself in the emotions of the character written, you birth it and breathe it.

Acting to me is my safe space, it’s a way I deal with my anxiety. Being in front of the camera is one way I know how to fight back all my intrusive thoughts and say to my anxiety, “Quit lying, I’m worth all that.” 

There is no reason or rhyme for me, just a burning passion to be in front of the camera and immortalise the character and yourself.



3. How can one approach their career and have the confidence and belief to become an actor?

The life of an actor is transitory, unreliable. First and foremost, accept this as gospel truth. Never be scared of giving auditions, it is the best way to work on your craft.

Never take No to heart, every role you didn’t get is not a failure but a lesson in resilience because every time you have heard no and gone back out there, you’ve won.

Don’t be afraid to be your most authentic self because having a relationship with yourself is going to help you not just in your personal life but also to understand and relate with the character better, you’ll know what is you and what is your character. Keep learning from people, enrich yourself with different movies, books, poetry, never stop consuming art because that translates to material for you to work with.

Lastly, I would want to share the most important lesson I received from my workshop director, Atul Mongia sir, Perfection does not exist. Do not pressurise yourself to be “perfect” because it is a myth.

4.  If not this, what would you be doing?

I am someone who wants to do everything out there, so I keep taking up different things to do as a side hustle. I did hold a job though extremely briefly as the Social Media Executive for a New York-based engineering firm. However, that made me realise I could never do a routine so maybe designing next?

5. What is your mantra of success?

I believe success looks different for everybody so I think the only thing we can remember is there is no expiration date. You don’t have to set a time limit for yourself. We have to “make it” till our 30’s is the biggest lie we have been fed so I just go with the flow, doing what I love because as long as I get to say I love what I do, that’s a success.



6. Which is your favourite book and why?

Hands down Pride and Prejudice (and not just for Mr Darcy)
I am a big Austen girl and I remember having to make a book cover on P&P in 6th grade and I absolutely fell in love. It was Elizabeth Bennet.

I think for the first time I looked at a character and found familiarity. The narrative, the characters, they just warm you up from the inside.

I love how it is about human nature warped with conceit, hypocrisy, delusion, weakness and above all, love. It has come to represent growing up for me, that’s how personally consistent and relevant it has been throughout the years. I need a good cry, I know what I'm doing.

Brief Bio:

Pakkhi Gupta

A 21-year-old from Delhi, who grew up always knowing her true calling, to act  

Art has always had a special place in my heart, I see acting as a conduit of creative flow, a release and there’s little else which compares to its magic, worthy of devoting a lifetime to. 

Among the arts, I am also into designing. 

It would be apt to say, I hold a firm belief in creative expression, connecting with people through the nuances of subjective perception and expression. 

Interviewed by - Vanshika Jain