MUMBAI: Upasana Singh is well known for playing diverse roles in several Punjabi and Hindi films. However, her role as a dumb and deaf character in the Anil Kapoor and Sridevi movie Judaai made her immense popularity. She then starred in several successful films, including Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and Loafer.

Afterward, she rose to fame playing the role of 'Bua' on the comedy television program Comedy Nights with Kapil.  She is well-known for saying in the same show, "Bittu, Kaun hai ye aadmi?"

Also read: Exclusive! Upasana Singh and Ikhlaq Khan roped in for the upcoming season of The Kapil Sharma Show?

However, Upasana Singh also had to overcome several challenges to carve out a career for herself in the entertainment sector. The actress recently talked candidly about her difficulties in an interview with the popular news portal, adding that, in her opinion, women are often safer in the film and television industries than in other fields.

No one can be forced to do anything here, she said, and if someone is gifted and patient enough to wait for the appropriate chance, they will undoubtedly find it.

Upasana then went on to reveal a disturbing incident from the initial days of her career. She shared how once a director's inappropriate advances left her shaken. It was when Upasana was asked if she ever let go of any films.

To this, she explained that a South Indian director once had lured her with an offer to cast her opposite Anil Kapoor. After she shared the piece of news with her family, the director asked her to come to his hotel late at night. However, due to her mere age of 17, she was unable to understand the motive behind the same.

Upasana shared, "I had let go of films too. I will not take names but a director from the South had signed me for a film opposite Anil Kapoor. I announced this news to all my relatives. The director called me to meet him at a hotel for a ‘sitting.’ I was only 17 back then and very naïve. I told him that I would come the next day because I did not have any resources to travel to the hotel to listen to the story. He told me that he would send a car to get me. He said, 'You didn’t understand the meaning of ‘sitting’? Film line mein aane ke liye sitting toh karni padti hai'."

Afterwards, when Upasana understood the real meaning of the director's demands, the actress became extremely furious. She then gave a bad scolding to that director. However, since she lost the golden opportunity to work with Anil Kapoor then, she became extremely emotional. Thus, she had also locked herself inside her room for a week.

She revealed how her mother had supported her at the time, "I am a Sikhni. I was furious, 'How could he say something like this?' I scolded him in his office, ‘You are my father’s age. How could you even think like this about me?’ Then I cried a lot too. I remember I was walking on a footpath in Bandra, crying and thinking about what would people think – the ones whom I had told that I was going to be Anil Kapoor’s heroine. It messed up with my mind. I didn’t leave my house for seven days. My mother gave me courage saying I had done the right thing."

Upasana went on to say that she was turned down multiple times during her acting career. She was also taken out of other movies. Despite everything, she persisted in her hard work and believed in herself. Afterwards, rather than starring in lead roles in regional films, she did brief roles in multiple Bollywood productions.

She revealed the logic behind the same, “I was removed from several films, once by the hero himself. But I knew that I was talented and would make it one day. People asked me why I did ‘Judaai’ at the age of 21 when I could have tried to become a heroine. I had done theatre. I thought instead of being the lead actress in smaller, regional films, I’d rather play supporting roles in bigger films because there was no one to recommend me. I only had my work to show.”

Also read: Working with Boman Irani in 'Masoom' was comforting experience for Upasana Singh

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Credit- Bollywoodshaadis