MUMBAI : On World Theatre Day, actress Neha Joshi talked about her interest in doing theatre and also revealed that she has turned down many offers because of her commitment to theatre.

The actress shared how she was reluctant initially to perform on stage and that her mother finally convinced her.

She said: "My parents are theatre artists. In my growing years, I have not just seen them perform on stage but have also learned a lot about acting from them. I remember one incident when I was about four or five years old. I had gone to witness a play that my mother and two of her friends were developing for children, and that day some kids didn't show up, so my mother made me stand there instead. I started crying and telling her that I will never perform on stage. But she somehow managed to convince me, and today, theatre is like oxygen to me."

Neha, who is seen playing the character of a housewife and mother Yashoda in the show 'Doosri Maa', added: "I start to feel suffocated if I don't get time to be on stage. I am a theatre graduate and always make sure to be part of plays. People will not believe it, but I have turned down many TV commercials and films because I have commitments with theatres."

Recalling her first play, she shared: "I started my career with the Marathi stage drama 'Kshan Ek Pure', which landed me a television show and later films."

Lastly, the actress said that theatre helped her in making a good actor and she improvised a lot while performing on stage.

"Theatre offered me a lot of learning to become a good actor. I still take theatre workshops because I believe that if you want to grow as an actor, you must keep yourself associated with theatre. It is the best medium to learn and explore your acting skills," she concluded.

SOURCE-IANS