Dussehra is a festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. For actor Sshrey Pareek who made his Bollywood debut with Oye Chill Maar and was last seen in the TV show Jhanak, the occasion is a reminder of the importance of holding on to one’s values, staying honest and not compromising on one’s morals. He believes that challenges are an essential part of life and that pushing oneself to do better is important, especially when it comes to one’s craft.
Speaking about a change he would like to see in society, Sshrey says he has always encouraged people to adopt animals from the streets rather than buy expensive breeds. He shares, “I am always trying to convince people to adopt pets from the streets instead of buying expensive pets. I have also adopted a cat, and she is an indie. I don’t know if this is a quality or a trait, but I genuinely feel that we need to take such initiatives. I will continue to do so.”
For Sshrey, challenges are what make life interesting, and he believes that an actor should never stop pushing their limits. Talking about a lesson he has learnt through challenges, he says, “There is no fun if you don’t have challenges in life. I always challenge myself when it comes to my craft, and I will continue to give myself more challenges in that regard.”
The actor also feels that honesty is one value people should hold on to, even when the world around them becomes increasingly practical and self-centred. “I think the easiest and yet the hardest thing to find today is honesty. It is rare to find it now because everyone has become too practical and selfish. But I genuinely feel that you can be honest and still achieve whatever you want in life,” he says.
As an actor, Sshrey has explored different kinds of characters, including those with negative or morally complex shades. While he feels that his roles have not yet changed his perspective on human behaviour, he hopes to play a character that leaves a lasting impact on audiences. “Not yet! I am still in my senses,” he says with a laugh. “But I want to reach a point where people say that they changed because of a character or adopted something they learnt from a role. I am curious to reach that stage.”
With success and failure both being part of an actor’s journey, Sshrey believes that staying true to oneself ultimately comes down to personal choices. “Everything is in your control. It is up to you how you want to live with your success or failures. I feel I am in absolute control of myself, so there is no chance of me becoming untrue to who I am,” he says.
Looking back at his own journey, the actor believes that holding on to his principles has been one of his biggest victories. “My biggest win has been not losing my morals and ethics and keeping my head high,” Sshrey concludes.
