Donal Bisht: Cinema is magic and I hope to become part of it soon

After seven years and back-to-back shows, including Kalash Ek Vishwaas, Ek Deewana Tha, Dil Toh Happy Hai Ji and Bigg Boss 15, Donal Bisht decided to step away from television and pursue films. Though she will soon be seen in two South Indian films, her initial auditions were for Hindi projects. She shares, “Your first project sets the tone for your career, so it needs to be the right one. I was among the few shortlisted for two big-budget films like Laal Singh Chaddha and Ramayan, but those roles went to others. I was told they fit better from a marketing perspective. Still, I was happy and proud that they considered me.”Losing out on projects, however, wasn’t easy. Donal admits, “It definitely is frustrating. Until a few years ago, I would often think, why am I not a nepo kid? I can’t deny that they have leverage, it’s practical because if I run a business, I’d also want my child to take over. But ultimately, talent survives. I always say never lose hope. If you can dream it, half the battle is already won. That keeps me going and striving to be the best version of myself. I can control only what’s in my hands. It’s not that I’m not receiving offers, but I want projects that align with my artistic sensibilities.”During this waiting phase, she has been spending time honing her craft. She says, “I am more aware today and have worked on improving myself. I enrolled in acting courses because I always felt I lacked formal training, especially for films. Until then, I had only learnt on the job. Acting is very sensitive and sacred; you need that time in life to shut down all the noise and focus. I feel blessed to be able to live this life as an actor.”On shifting from TV to films, she explains, “Television is more about learning your lines and delivering in one take, so it becomes muscle memory. For films, you need to unlearn that. Film acting is about poise, pause and realism. It requires the viewer’s investment for two hours, so even silence can connect deeply. With television, repetition is necessary for new viewers who may have missed earlier episodes. But cinema is different, it’s magic. And I hope to become part of that magic soon.”