Erica Fernandes On Leaving Mumbai And Shifting To Dubai: I Felt Stagnant, I Wanted To Grow And Move In Different Directions

Erica Fernandes has been one of the most popular TV actresses. She has however been very picky with the project that she associates herself with, and whatever she has been a part of has invariably always been successful. She has been doing quite a few music videos in recent months. However, she has recently shifted base to Dubai.

Talking to Prateek Sur, Erica Fernandes speaks up about the reason for this shift to Dubai, her attraction towards music videos, her chemistry onscreen with Shaheer Sheikh, her moving away from TV, rejecting ‘Bigg Boss’, and lots more. She also opens up about how TV stars are looked at in a different way whenever they head out for a film audition. Excerpts from the candid chat:

You’re doing 2-3 music videos every year nowadays. And almost all of them have been chartbusters. What attracts you to music videos?

For starters, music is something we cannot live without, so when you can film and tell a story in a few minutes, why not do that? That is the beauty of music videos. What we do otherwise are more elaborated forms of storytelling.

With Shaheer Sheikh, your chemistry was great as usual on Woh Kashish. Having worked with him for so many years, does the onscreen chemistry come naturally to both of you? Or do you sit down and work towards getting things right?

After working together for many years, chemistry comes naturally to us, and we usually don't even need a script. There are times when we wing it, and we have beautiful visual moments created.

We also came to know that you’ve recently shifted to Dubai. What’s the reason for the same?

I have been asked this question a lot recently, and I would say that as much as my country has done for me and given me, I will always remain grateful for and appreciate it. I was, in terms of the shift to another country, and it only happened because I wanted to up my game; for me, It was never about how much I was making for my job which defined success and growth to me, it was the graph of what I was doing, and I felt stagnant. I wanted to grow and move in different directions. So here I am, stepping out of my shell to be in another space and light.

On the TV front, we have not seen you onscreen for quite some time after Kuch Rang Pyar Ke 3. Is that a conscious decision to move away from TV slowly?

It Is because I feel that since I gave TV 7 years of my life, it is only fair for me to test the waters with other platforms.

You have been taking breaks in between TV shows and again coming back with something bigger always. What’s that one thing that keeps bringing you back to TV?

I have. I practised that because when you do a Tv show, your entire life revolves around it; there is nothing else you can do apart from it. Because you spend 12 hours of a minimum on set shooting and a couple of hours travelling, it leaves you with no time to do anything other than rest before repeating that day for the next 25, sometimes 28 days. So in short, that's the life of the people working on a show. So it is needed to balance out what you couldn't do through that term.

Considering an actress’ career span has always been quite short when you take these breaks in between projects, do you ever panic thinking whether you would get the right project once you’re back or not?

No, I don't panic because I am not just an actor. What you are referring to might be the case for a lead actor on a Tv show, but there are various roles for one to perform in an Ott series, and there are no age barriers. I don't consider myself running the rat race for how many shows I am doing and If I am doing shows back to back because I have a different perspective on life. I want to live it while working.

In today’s times, we see actors and actresses having quite a smooth transition from TV to films or rather, big OTT shows. Radhika Madan, Krystle Dsouza and many others are doing it. Why don’t we see you in films anymore?

Well, I already did that years ago, so it's checked off my list, but it would be nice to have a project with a good storyline or/and scope for performance.

Many actors and actresses whom I’ve spoken to have said that there is a certain bias when it comes to TV celebrities going for film auditions. Krystle had even told me once that she was replaced in a project just one night before she was about to fly out for the shoot because the producer found out that she was a big TV star. Have you ever faced such bias when going for film projects?

Of course, there is an evident difference in the treatment one gets when recognized as a TV actor. Sadly, that is very true unless you enter a particular circle.

You did just one Hindi movie 'Babloo Happy Hai'. Are the movie offers not coming your way or are you consciously not picking up a movie project just for the heck of it?

I don't fancy it. There should be a desire to want to do something or be a part of an industry.

Being a popular face on television, I am sure a lot of reality shows have been offered to you. Why didn't we see you participating in any?

Many times the dates were an issue, and some were not even the ones that I would see myself doing.

Have you ever been offered ‘Bigg Boss’? If yes, why have you been rejecting it?

Yes, quite a few times, but it isn't where I would like to see myself. It's a choice one makes for themselves. I have spent over a decade building my reputation, and to put that at stake, which could crumble in a few seconds, scares me. That is a considerable risk to take, and I admire people who have been a part of it and have done the show because it isn't easy.

Would you ever want to be a contestant on ‘Bigg Boss’, considering it does give a huge career boost to the actors who end up going to the finale?

Everyone has their perspective of how things would / should pan out for them. Mine is different, and hence I wouldn't consider it.

Being a public figure, the audience is used to seeing you in a certain way. Are you conscious of how you look?

No, I'm not. I try as much as possible for them to know the real me and not just who I am onscreen.

Also, you’re hugely popular on social media. Does managing social media come naturally to you? Or do you at times feel like its too much of a task to constantly keep posting and be available to your fans?

It is a task. And with me juggling many things at once, it does tuff to be constantly on social media updating everything. I know I am not the only one doing that, but I guess it's because I am old school in many ways.

As an actress, are there any things that you would totally say no to onscreen?

I have. I am currently not prepared to do bold scenes. And I have said no to many shows because of it and also avoid such intimacy.

You’ve been in the industry for over a decade now. Any regrets? Like I should have picked that project up or I shouldn’t have picked that up?

No regrets, only lessons learned and memories made.

What next can we see you in?

I hope soon I will post a glimpse of it.