Childhood Dream of Acting Finally Became a Reality with

Sheer HardWork, Dedication and Accepting Rejections –

Says Sawan Rupowali, a Punjabi Film Actress
AUGUST 6, 2018

Insights
1. The theatre is the best kind of training there is for an actor. You get to emote,
shout and most importantly learn to take stage lighting. Theatre also teaches you
the most important thing to be used in the world of acting i.e., discipline.
 2. It’s OK if you are not a health freak. It is not required but a well-toned body might
help you get employed faster.
3. Attitude matters. When you are going to auditions be enthusiastic, energetic and
positive.
4. Initially, you wouldn’t get paid a lot and it doesn’t matter. You are not a celebrity,
so come out of fool’s paradise.
5. If you have thoughts for becoming an actor for glamour sake, then immediately
retreat because that will not happen unless you are related to a big producer who
keeps launching you till you are accepted by the society.

Personal Details
Name – ​Sawan Rupowali
Profession – Punjabi Film Actress (​Harjeeta​)
Age – 22 years
Gender – Female
City – Amritsar
Industry – Film Industry

Where have you been born and raised?

I was born and raised in Amritsar. I completed my 12th from a private school in Amritsar
and graduation in BCA from DAV College, Amritsar.
My family is a well-educated family. My father works at Rail Coach factory. I have two
younger sisters.
Who had the most influence on you and how?
I had always been interested in acting, ever since I was 4 years old. No one, in
particular, had an influence on me; it was my dream and passion. My parents have
been extremely supportive of my decision to pursue a career in Acting.

Please give us a summary of your career.

As earlier stated I started acting since I was four. I participated in a lot of skits and
dramas in school and college as well. After my graduation, I joined the theatre and gave
auditions for movies. I got selected many times and even after getting selected, I was
told that there is no suitable role for me in the movie. But, I didn’t leave hope.
Finally, I got a break as a very short role in a movie ‘​Saab Bahadar​’. After this, I got the
role of the leading lady in the movie ‘​Harjeeta​’. This movie did really well.
I also got the best female actress award from ​GNDU​. Now I am getting a lot of offers
and I am happy.
Which institutes are best for education/ training of this profession?
No course or institute can ensure a high success rate in this profession. It totally
depends upon your talent and luck.
No particular institute is best in this field. I would recommend joining theatre along with
acting course from wherever it may be and keep giving auditions.
You must also participate in street plays and Nukad Nataks. What I want to say is that
you need not waste your precious time and money on some expensive acting schools.
What are the costs associated with the education/training of Acting?
Doing an acting course could cost you as less as 20,000 INR to as high as 2,00,000
INR annually based on your choice of the institute.

What are the typical entry-level jobs in Acting?

You could be hired as a junior artist or you could be given a small role. If you are really
lucky or talented enough, then you could also get a really important role in the movie.
You shouldn’t expect to get the lead role at the start of your career unless until the
movie has a low budget, or you are a relative of some really powerful person.

What is the range of remuneration one can expect when starting out in the film
industry?
It totally depends on what kind of roles you are doing and what your background is.
From the background, I mean that how well has your previous movies worked.
I could tell you the range of remuneration I got initially and what offers I am getting now.
Starting out — INR 10,000/role
After 2 years of starting out, I got the lead role — INR 3,00,000/movie
After my movie has done well, now I am expecting — INR 6,00,000/movie
And when I will be successful, I could earn around INR 15,00,000/movie
The above remuneration is at a regional level (Punjabi movies).
Please describe your work.
It’s not easy to be an artist. It is much more than a 9 to 5 job. A lot of hard work and
layers and layers of makeup are involved. The happy scenes are fun but emotionally
taxing scenes and characters tend to fatigue me at the end of the shoot day.
Besides shooting, I plan my next movies by attending to phone calls from different
projects, reading scripts, auditioning and meeting people. If I have no work, I watch
movies or visit the theatre.
What are some of the positives that would encourage someone to consider
Acting as a career?
1. A career in acting is highly determined by your talent and creativity, hence you
are never bored.
2. You get to try new haircuts and new dresses every single time you switch
projects.
3. Aside from when you are shooting, there is very little stress involved. You are
well-paid and get to live a life of fame and luxury.
4. You get to meet new people every day. Also, you get to travel to different
countries.

What are some of the challenges you want someone to be aware of when
considering Acting as a career?
1. You could be upset when there is no work. You could also get rejected even if
you are good enough which is extremely annoying.
2. When you have a small role in a movie or serial, the way you get treated by the
lead artists is very humiliating. Not always but the majority of the times.
3. Your personal life gets affected a lot once people start recognizing you. They will
start clicking your pictures wherever or in whatever condition you are.
4. You also have to be strictly conscious about your diet and figure that is really
difficult and can affect your mood.

What are the relevant trends/skills technologies that are commanding a premium
in Acting?
That are probably the subjects liked by the audience and they keep on changing from
time to time. But in Punjab, the comedy genre movies are always preferred.

What kind of person would be happy in your career?

The utmost quality required is patience. It could take you a lot of time to get established
in this industry. Apart from this a hardworking and a person who is fond of meeting and
greeting people and who can wear a fake smile meeting his/her seniors whether how
much you hate them. A person who has good communication skills at least to handle
the deadly questions of media during your interviews would prosper as an actor.

Give another choice what would you do differently as far as your professional
selections are concerned?
I would be working in a bank if I were not an artist.

What would be your advice to students or professionals who are just starting
their journey on a path similar to yours?
I would like to say that give your best and never think of quitting as good things take
time to happen. All the best!

​ awandeep Kaur
Contributing Writer - P

Interested in reading more on Acting? Check out ​our conversation with TV Actress
Vandana Pathak​ (famous for her role of Jayshree Parekh in ​Khichdi​, Meenakshi Mathur
in ​Hum Paanch​).