Apeksha Porwal's journey from being beauty queen to actress

MUMBAI: Former beauty queen Apeksha Porwal makes her acting debut with the digital project "Undekhi".

As a child she never dreamt of becoming an actor. However, she was always curious about acting. "I started my acting training before (participating in) Miss India. It was after a workshop with Neeraj Kabi and another with Atul Mongia that I really got into it. So, I enrolled to a nine-month method-acting diploma programme," said the Miss Diva 2017 second runner-up.

"I think that the acting course that really changed my life. It made me certain that this is where I belong and helped me to get to know the craft better. I also did a comedy play. We did several shows for that and it was one of the most amazing experiences that I had," she added.

She revealed that participating in a beauty pageant was something that she wanted to do since childhood.

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"As a kid, I used to watch Miss India on TV with my parents and my sister, and we used to all dream that one day I will be there and I will wear the crown. In fact, I did my first pageant, MTV Teen Diva, in 2009 and I won it. I won the title of Miss Teen India International 2009 and I represented India at Miss Teen International 2009 in Chicago," she said.

Years later, Apeksha went through the long process of auditioning and said she went through many of them before landing a role in "Undekhi".

"As a newcomer, I went through the regular process of auditioning. I went to many auditions. For my debut, I was looking for a role which would let me push my boundaries as an actor, and I think I am very lucky that I got to start my career with a show like 'Undekhi'," she said.

"Even when I just read the audition script, I fell in love with it. A few weeks after the first round of audition, they called me back for a second round without make-up because the role is such. It was almost after one year of auditioning that I got a call from the production house saying that they wanted me for the role. It was a long wait but totally worth it," Apeksha added.

The first teaser of "Undekhi" was recently released. It starts with a group of policemen sailing through the Sundarbans to investigate a dead body. On reaching they are informed that the body is two-three days old and has been eaten by wild animals after his death.

"The teaser of 'Undekhi' is finally out, and I am quite excited because it's been more than a year since we finished shooting. The teaser in itself is quite intriguing. I can't wait to share more about my role and the series, which is based on true events," Apeksha said.