Lockdown effect: Stars and models take to Instagram and Youtube

I wanted to be crowned Miss India but somehow people thought I wanted to join Bollywood as an actor. It was when I started modelling for advertisements that I realised that I can act and it is fun. I auditioned for Pyaar ka Punchnama 1 and I am so glad that I did it.

The film was criticised for its alleged sexist stance. And when I read the script it did seem funny and a little awkward. But then I and my co-actor Nusrat decided to take the dialogues in our stride. I believe most of the viewers also took them in lighter vein.

Over the years we did have films in which we show men cheating, breaking hearts.

Now this was the film which was showing women doing the same- so in a way, it was saying that men and women are the same when it comes to relationships.

Describing Hindi films as sexist is a bit of a generalisation. Both men and women go through almost similar struggles in this industry. Yes, a little bit of inequality is there but then it is there in every field.

After winning the Miss India International title, I started living in Mumbai and worked on modelling assignments. But it was during the shooting of Pyar Ka Punchnama 2 when I fell in love with acting and realised where my passion lay. I don’t want to sound immodest but I am my own role model. Every time I need motivation or feel I am losing focus, the only person I look up to and draw inspiration from is myself; because I know it’s only I who will have to work hard to get wherever I want. There are a lot of strong women I admire though. Priyanka Chopra is one of them. And my ultimate inspiration and role model is my mother since I was a child. I have recently launched my own YouTube channel named as Sonnalli Seygall. It is not only about fitness but I am also going to put yoga, meditation and immunity tips videos besides content related to fitness, make up and fashion.

(As told to Raviraj Sinha)