Soni Razdan has never seen herself through her relationship with filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt or daughter Alia Bhatt. For him, acting has always been the center of his identity.

In a recent interview with Galata Plus, the actor spoke about his career, the struggles he faced, and how his looks might have influenced the types of roles he was offered.

During the interview, Soni was asked who she is apart from Mahesh Bhatt’s wife and Alia Bhatt’s mother.

She replied, “I was a struggling actress. After marrying Mahesh Bhatt, I’m still a struggling actress. After becoming Alia’s mother, I’m still a struggling actress. That’s who I am. I’m just an actor who really loves acting. And I’ve had the opportunity to work with some amazing people, some amazing directors.”

Soni further explained why his journey in the industry was not easy. She feels her looks played a role in the opportunities she got when she was starting out.

“I wouldn’t say it’s been a very smooth ride for me. Because I’m sure if I looked more Indian, it would have been a lot easier. Because I don’t think I’m lacking in the talent department. Maybe it was my unusual look that didn’t fit in. And maybe, if I was 25, it would have been an issue today. I think that’s the hurdle I faced,” he said.

Sonny also recalled how he got his start in theater and initially thought he would spend his career on stage.

“But I started in theater. And I always thought I’d be a theater actor, not realizing that theater doesn’t pay you any money. So pretty quickly, I had to come down to reality.”

For Soni, being a film actress was never about being a glamorous face on screen. She wanted to be recognized for her performance and, as she put it, wanted to be known as an actor rather than a “glam doll”.

The actor has recently shown Shake: Trust no one. The series is streaming on Netflix.

Also Read: Soni Razdan Reveals Why Vidhu Vinod Chopra Paid Him For Khamosh After 10 Years