​Exclusive: Sanjana Burli on lack of opportunities for TV actors: There is very little space for fresh faces in the industry, nepotism exists here too​

​Sanjana Burli might be the popular face of Kannada TV, but the road to success for the actress was definitely not a cakewalk. In fact, despite playing the lead role in Kannada television's most-watched daily soap, Puttakkana Makkalu, Sanjana still feels she is a struggling artist. In an exclusive chat with ETimes TV, the actress opened up about the lack of opportunities, her struggling phase, and much more...

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With no godfather in the industry, I literally started my acting career by surfing how to become an actress on the net. It used to be a routine for me back then. I did not even have any idea how to get that one contact in the industry as well. So, my journey in the entertainment industry started from the scratch level. But, as I started to make my own space in the industry I realized there were very limited opportunities and I started to grab everything that came my way. Every opportunity made me feel that it would give me a break in my acting career. I was in such a mindset.

​Not many know that I have also acted in seven films in Kannada and Tamil. But, out of the seven, only two movies hit the theatres but did not do well owing to bad marketing. I started getting fame only with the show Lagna Patrike, which was more of my small-screen debut. Although I did feel that ray of hope with the show, it turned out to be a disappointment as it got shelved very soon.

​It was through Lagna Patrike I bagged Puttakkana Makkalu. The makers had watched me in Lagna Patrike and contacted me for Puttakkana Makkalu. Luckily, Puttakkana Makkalu gave me the break I wanted in my career. But still, I feel I am struggling. There is still a lack of opportunities. To many, it might look like I am enjoying a successful stint as an actress. But, the fact is not that.

I am losing opportunities even now as I am a serial artist. The reason is very simple. Since we work around the clock for our daily soaps, many filmmakers are skeptical to cast us owing to the nonflexiblilty of our dates. I have experienced this. I go give auditions, pass the look test and everything falls into its place but, just because I am a serial artist I face rejection. Yet again, the reason is only because of the availability of the time and the date. Even if I am getting opportunities for web series or films, I am losing them because of my date flexibility. They are not ready to change the date or timings even a bit according to our (serial artist) availability of a serial artist. As a serial artist, I know I am easily accessible daily on the small screen. But it can backfire as well.

​Another challenge I realised in the recent times is the acceptance of the viewers. Since many already know me as Sneha of Puttakkana Makkalu, it takes time for them to watch me play different characters on-screen. Eventually, the makers also give the same reason for not casting me in any other big projects. They are skeptical of how viewers would accept me playing any other character on-screen. Serial artists are often typecasted.

​I have realised that I need to make my own opportunities only because of the lack of them. And of course, on the other hand, there is nepotism as well. Sometimes it pinches to see how few people get undue benefits from already being in the relative books of any artist. But, if they keep getting opportunities like that, what about artists like us who have struggled to make our way to the limelight? It's an easy walk to the limelight for the privileged ones than the artists like me who have struggled to come up without any godfather. There is very little space reserved for fresh faces in the industry. Nepotism does exist here too.

Having faced and experienced all of these, I really feel that we need to make our own opportunities. On the other side of the coin, I have also faced rejections as well. I have faced rejections in many big projects in the industry. Initially, rejections used to depress me a lot. But now, I am used to rejections and I know how to accept it. Every opportunity can either mark the beginning of a new break or sometimes the end of it. Every artist's role grab depends on their decisions. That's what I feel.