"You can do it!" said Avni
"No, no! "What? Me? Are you kidding? What you're asking me to do is not easy! I'm not the right person for it”, said Naina. Terror was written all over her face. She was fairly kind-hearted and understanding, but what her best friend was asking of her ..... No way!
"Oh, come on, Naina! You always underestimate yourself. I wouldn't have asked you if it wasn't really important. You know I can't participate in the competition, and you know how prestigious it is for the school. Had it not been for the tragedy in my family, I would have definitely competed for the trophy."
"But me? I've never acted! I don't think I'm made for acting," Naina protested. Naina had terrible stage fright. once, at the insistence of her teachers, she participated in the debate competition. she remembered it so vividly how her throat went dry, how her heart palpitated as if it would tear out of her chest. the mere thought of that experience still unnerved her.
"I understand," Avni said. "But this is the most prestigious competition of our school. We can't risk losing it. You just have to say yes. I’ll help you. We can rehearse over Zoom. Please, please, just say yes. Just once. Just once!"
"Yes," Nana whispered.
That one yes, turned out to be the turning point in Naina's life, the turning point that she never envisaged.
She filled in for Avni in the skit competition in Grade 10. It was both terrifying and exhilarating. Nana had never explored this side of herself. She always believed academics were her calling and had paid little attention to co-curricular activities.
But that competition opened a new door.
From that moment on, Naina began exploring theatre. She participated in more school dramas—big and small—and gradually fell in love with the stage. Life had handed her a surprise gift wrapped in courage.
Acting became an integral part of Naina’s journey. She started paying closer attention to films, characters, dialogues, and performance nuances. She’d analyse roles, try to put herself in the actors’ shoes, and imagine how she would portray them. Eventually, she joined the school theatre group and later, the college drama society.
During one such college performance, a well-known theatre personality from Delhi, Rahul Sabharwal, was one of the judges. Their team stood first, and Naina’s performance received a special mention.
“You have an actor in you, Naina. That’s your name right!” Rahul had said.
The compliment meant the world to her.
“Have you considered acting as a career?” he asked. Naina was speechless.
A week later, he invited her to join his theatre group.
Convincing her parents wasn’t easy. They had always seen her as a future UPSC aspirant. Acting didn’t fit their vision. But Naina’s heart was elsewhere. After multiple discussions and emotional showdowns, she joined Rahul Sabharwal’s theatre group.
She performed on various platforms. In one play, a theatre critic from a Delhi-based magazine wrote a glowing review of her performance.
A few months later, she received a call from a casting director. She was being offered a minor role in a major film. Though the role wasn’t large, Naina accepted it. For her, quality always mattered more than screen time.
Lady Luck seemed to be smiling at her.
The film, though just her debut, brought her visibility. Her sincerity and acting got her noticed. Soon, she landed a lead role in a TV drama. She gave her heart and soul to the role, which brought her name, fame, TRPs, and critical acclaim.
She once read in a newspaper headline:
“A Natural Talent: Naina Steals the Spotlight.”
She laughed. Was she born with this talent? All she knew was—she loved what she did.
Reading biographies and autobiographies of famous actors helped her a lot. She picked up technical skills, learned how actors prepared for roles on and off camera, and began refining her craft.
She declined many roles and turned down several offers, often because the role didn’t challenge her or lacked substance. Once, she even said no to a prominent producer whom others would’ve given anything to work with.
Her journey was filled with no's, rejections, and tough decisions—but everything had started with a single, shaky yes. It's only later that one realizes the magic of saying yes. That one yes had opened many doors of opportunities, recognition, and contentment for Naina.
Today, with tears in her eyes, she held an invitation from the Government of India. She had been selected for the National Award in the Best Female Supporting Actor category. This was another validation of her hard work, her honesty towards her passion and her ultimate reward for saying yes.
As her tears fell onto the invitation, Naina whispered:
"Sometimes, a single yes changes your life in ways you never imagined."
A yes can open doors. A yes can challenge you. A yes can shape your destiny.
For Naina, that unforgettable yes defined her journey.