Shweta Tripathi: I'm here because I love acting, collaborating with like-minded people

Asked how she handles the pressure of expectations in an industry that's always evolving, Shweta told IANS: "Honestly, I don't take it. I feel I'm here because I love acting. I love collaborating with people who are like-minded, who care deeply about the stories we tell, how we tell them, and why we tell them."

"Touchwood, I've found such people and I keep finding them. Even in my next film, which is directed by Nikhil Mehrotra -- we had previously worked together on a short film called Laghu Shankar. Please watch it whenever you get the time. He's an amazing human being, and the film he's written is just beautiful -- and now he'll be directing it. So I keep my fingers crossed, I stay in prayer and meditation, and I always hope for good energy," added shweta.

Asked what has surprised her the most about the film industry since she started her career, the actress said that she has "received a lot of love."

Shweta added: "So that's what surprised me. My co-actors, actually, really surprised me -- because I found such gems, such wonderful human beings. From Ali Fazal to my directors -- Siddharth Sengupta, Gurmeet Singh, Abhishek Sengupta... oh, Sengupta, Sengupta! I mean, I've also worked with Aarti Kadav, Shlok Sharma -- and honestly, the list is endless."

"I've found some amazing people, who I know I can just call and talk to about anything -- about life. It doesn't have to be about work. It could be about what we're doing to the world, which is something that really bothers me right now -- how we're collectively ruining the world, unknowingly. It's not even a conscious act anymore; it's a result of conditioning and convenience."

"In our chase for convenience, we're causing destruction elsewhere -- and that's something that really affects me."

Shweta finds it comforting to know that she can just pick up the phone, share these thoughts.

"They won't think I'm crazy. I really value the kind of relationships I share with my co-actors, directors, and writers -- they feel safe and nurturing," added the actress.