That big leap

Sanjeeda Shaikh

Sanjeeda Shaikh doesn't believe in mapping out life. Instead, she goes with the flow, hoping to do good work and collaborate with fine artistes. The mantra is working out for her - she was recently seen in Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone-led Fighter, and up next is Sanjay Leela Bhansali's web series Heeramandi. After being among the leading television actors, she is now enjoying her run in films and web. "I did TV when it was at its best. I learnt so much from my television years. Sometimes, I miss it in terms of going to shoot every day, but I've done [all] I could on TV. As an actor, my job is not to think of the medium, but to keep getting better with every passing day," says Shaikh.

Even while signing Fighter, Shaikh made only one request to director Siddharth Anand - to give her moments that offer her a chance to perform. "He gave me beautiful scenes with Hrithik and Deepika," she says. Working with the two superstars gave her a chance to see their hard work up close. "The moment Hrithik enters the set, his only agenda is to give more to the scene. There's so much to learn by just observing him. It's easy to emote with Deepika because she has naturally expressive eyes and you just have to look into them. She also makes you feel comfortable."