Urvashi Upadhyay on shifting roles says, It feels like removing one skin and wearing another'

After playing the warm-hearted Kusum in Mangal Lakshmi for nearly two-and-a-half years, actress Urvashi Upadhyay is set to return to television in Mann AtiSundarfor a guest appearance. She joins the show as Indrani, a sharp, manipulative woman whose arrival is expected to shake up the ongoing culinary competition.For Urvashi, moving from Kusum to Indrani was one of the biggest acting challenges she has faced."To be honest, it wasn't easy to play Indrani immediately after Kusum. It felt like removing one skin and wearing another. I had lived with Kusum for two-and-a-half years. I had adopted her body language, her emotions and everything about her. Indrani is the opposite. She is sly, satirical, conspiratorial and does everything to ensure her daughter wins," she says.Despite the contrast, Urvashi says such transitions are what make acting exciting. "The beauty of this industry is that you get opportunities to do something new. Flexibility and vulnerability are very important for an actor because you have to switch on and off and immerse yourself in a completely different character."Interestingly, while audiences have recently seen her in positive roles, Urvashi admits that negative characters feel familiar. "Doing a negative role is like going home for me because I have played many such characters over the years. But every negative character has a different shade. Just like there are many shades of yellow, every negative role has its own personality. As an actor, you get to perform, experiment, learn and grow."Although she had planned to take a short break after Mangal Lakshmi, the opportunity came sooner than expected. "I wanted to rest after such an emotional show, but this industry doesn't wait for anyone. If a good opportunity comes, the smart thing is to choose the right next character. The show must go on. If not you, someone else will do it. So why not you?"