Exclusive! Petni-actress Ushasi Ray:TV serial means a steady flow of income, but I wanted something else

After bagging critical acclaim for her character in Indranil Roychowdhury’s Chhotolok on Zee5, Ushasi Ray is all set with her Addatimes show, Petni, in which she plays the titular role. In November, two of her important works were released on the OTT platform. The actress is still basking in the glory of the success of Chhotolok. In a chat with OTTplay, she talked about her decision to take a break from television to hone her craft. 

Also read: Kumudini Bhavan-actress Ushasi Ray: Without television work, I get less number of designer handbags, but I am creatively satisfied | Exclusive 

Ushasi refuses to call her character the lead in Petni. “I play the titular role. However, which character emerges as the lead and which one is not, no one can tell,” she said. 

After taking a break from television, Ushasi worked on several web series, including Sundarbaner Vidyasagar and Kumudini Bhavan. However, web series or film offers are not half as regular as serials. Does she miss her everyday work schedule? “When I decided to take a break from television, I knew that there would be long pauses. I also knew that my audience would not be able to watch me on TV every day. I knew what I was signing up for. Moreover, working in a serial means a steady and regular flow of income. Working only on web series is definitely not financially viable for me. I come from a middle-class Bengali family and thanks to my parents, I still don’t get to take the overall financial responsibility in my family. I could take that chance. If the need arises, I will get back to TV.”

Also read: Ushasi Ray on Petni: For the first time, two of my works are scheduled to be released in the same month 

Meanwhile, Ushasi is happy that her characters are being appreciated. “I am thankful that I can work on different OTT platforms and my works are being liked by my audience. Working on TV means the regular practice of acting. Since I am not overwhelmed with everyday work, I get that time to focus on my craft and my characters. I practice acting. Right now, I am happy,” she said.