'Didn't study at NSD or FTII; my characters taught me everything'

From Laapaata Ladies, Madgaon Express, and Sister Midnight to All We Imagine As Light, actor Chhaya Kadam surprised audiences as a star in the true sense of the word this year.

- Garima Sadhwani

In conversation with Garima Sadhwani, she talks about her journey, playing diverse roles, how acting shaped her life, and more. Edited excerpts:

You've often mentioned that you accidentally became an actor. Tell us about your journey.

When I was a kid, I used to participate in my school's annual function. I would also play kabaddi—it was something I was really passionate about and would spend all my day in the ground. As a college student, I participated in a show directed by Jhelum Paranjpe, called Azadi ki Jung, because the show required tagde-bigde log. My friends and I thought we'll get to roam around because of this, so I did a small role of the 'Awadh ki Begum'. But growing up, there was no culture or awareness in my family of sending kids to a dance class or a workshop. So I never even thought of pursuing any of this.