Bollywood Hungama

Geeta Basra recalls childhood dream of becoming an actress; opens up about learning Hindi and her journey to Bollywood

Geeta Basra has come a long way from being a young girl in England with a dream of becoming an actress to carving a space for herself in the Indian entertainment industry. Looking back at her journey, the actress recently opened up about how she had envisioned becoming an actor from childhood, the challenges she faced while pursuing that ambition, and how her life eventually took an unexpected turn. Speaking at an event, Basra reflected on the importance of having a vision and remaining committed to one's aspirations. Recalling how she would respond whenever people asked her about her ambitions growing up, she revealed that acting was always her first choice. She said, Everything is Gods plan. I have had a vision since childhood. During my childhood, whenever anybody asked me what Id like to become when I grow up - someone says doctor, lawyer - I just had one dream: to become an actor. Today, Im also a mother, she says. The actress also spoke about one of the significant challenges she encountered when she arrived in India to pursue acting: the language barrier. Having grown up in England, Basra admitted that she initially did not know how to speak Hindi. However, she made a conscious effort to learn the language, recognising its importance to her profession. Talking about the experience, she said, Earlier, I didnt know how to speak Hindi, but its been a journey of learning. I didnt know a word of how to speak the language, but Ive learned. I have worked on it because its my craft. Then, it was all destiny. Bhajji (Harbhajan Singh) came into my life, he liked my poster, and it was love at first sight for him, she adds. Over the years, Basra has been part of projects across Hindi and Punjabi cinema. Her filmography includes titles such as The Train, Zila Ghaziabad, Joe B Carvalho among others. While she has largely maintained a selective approach towards her professional commitments, her journey remains an example of pursuing an ambition despite the hurdles along the way. Having balanced her professional journey with motherhood, Basra continues to keep audiences curious about her next move on screen. Also Read: Photos: Harbhajan Singh, Geeta Basra and others unveil the latest issue of Society Achievers magazine