Chase versatility, not popularity

A still from the series

Attaining success in the first few years of your acting career can be a disadvantage too, as the audience's expectations thereon are sky-high. Surbhi Jyoti experienced it with the massive success of Qubool Hai. While she followed it up with Ishqbaaaz and Naagin 3, now she is pursuing creatively challenging roles and that has led her to Gunaah. "I pick diverse roles to satisfy my urge of doing different things. I chose Gunaah because Tara's [her character] thought process is so different from what I have played in the past," she says.

Jyoti plays a grey role in the Disney+ Hotstar revenge thriller, also starring Gashmeer Mahajani and Zayn Ibad Khan. "When the story was narrated to me, I had so many questions. So many times, I'd think my character's actions were bizarre. But she lost her mother when she was young, her father is not parent material, that is why she has such a personality. I don't look at it as positive or negative."

Does she feel the pressure of matching up to Qubool Hai's success with this project? Not really. She says she now seeks "contentment". "I started on a high note with Zoya [her Qubool Hai character]. It helped whatever I did after that. People started loving me [because of Zoya], so whatever I did, they'd support me."