Exclusive - Charu Asopa on facing struggles in returning to work after delivering Ziana: When I started auditioning, the first thing I was told was, ‘Oh, you've gained weight’

Charu Asopa, who is all set to make a comeback to acting with a new show and the actress is quite thrilled about the same. She joined ETimes TV for an exclusive chat recently and shared her excitement about the new show and also spoke about how she is going to manage her personal and professional life. Charu also opened up about the struggles she faced while returning to work after delivering her daughter Ziana. (Photo: Instagram)

I can’t wait to be on the sets and from the time I’ve got to know that I have been finalised for this show I am very excited. Ek lamba gap hogaya hai, now I am excited to just be on the sets. (Photo: Instagram)

Yes, I am very nervous not because of the work but about how I will manage everything. There’s now Ziana in my life and she will be at home. This will be the first time when I’ll be away shooting for so long. I know I’ve taken care of everything and managed everything but still back of the mind there’s a nervousness. (Photo: Instagram)

The show I’ve signed is very different and the character is something I have not played before. Whatever roles I’ve done so far in my career have been the typical daily soap roles. But this is very different and I will get to explore a lot with my character and there’s a lot of freedom to experiment. (Photo: Instagram)

I have experimented with my looks a lot and I have never carried such a look ever. It is a westernised character as the girl is from Belgium and an NRI. It is the role of an independent girl and she’s very ambitious. Not a naive girl which we see in daily soaps. She is very confident and strong. (Photo: Instagram)

I am happy things are changing in the industry and there are good roles for married women and moms. People are not casting someone with the mindset that she's married and has kids so she can only play motherly roles. Also if you see actresses who have got married and have become moms they have not stopped working on themselves. Be it Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Malaika Arora. Kareena is still fit and beautiful and the hard work is visible. The mindset that now she has become a mother and her body structure must have changed all these myths have disappeared. (Photo: Instagram)

Actresses are so conscious these days, they work so hard on their bodies. I have been working out regularly every day for 2 hours. Everyone sees the glamour from outside but nobody knows the hard work that goes in. If Malaika Arora still does big Bollywood songs it is a big deal. Actresses these days have become conscious. (Photo: Instagram)

When I started auditioning for roles recently, the old people with whom I had worked in the past, they all told me that I have gained weight. As everyone knows I was very thin and now when they see me the first thing they say is “oh you have gained weight”. (Photo: Instagram)

I would gather all my confidence and leave my house to find work and when I heard the first thing about my weight, it would push me back. I realised there are changes in my body. I started working out and now I am getting compliments oh your daughter is just one year old and you are getting back in shape. It feels nice hearing it. I get confidence. (Photo: Instagram)

Work offers have definitely dried up. In the last two years, web shows are being made in bulk and it is difficult to break through in that medium. Television shows are also getting made but the success ratio has fallen so now when the offer comes my way they say that the budget is less. For me, if I am going out to work for 12 hours leaving my young daughter home, I should at least have something in hand. I should earn something. Aisa nahi hona chahiye that I am leaving my daughter and not earning also. Then what’s the point? That’s the reason there was a delay in bagging a project because there are a lot of factors. Kahin budget nahi tha, toh roles acche nahi the. Also I didn’t want to do the same Rona dhona and abla naari roles. (Photo: Instagram)