Actress Aishwarya Lekshmi opened up about the emotional toll of working in films and the constant self-doubt that comes with it.

In an interview with Mathrubhumi.com, the ‘Maaman’ actress reflected on her vulnerability, fear of public scrutiny and how the intense setting of her latest film helped her discover new dimensions of herself.

“I’m an extremely emotional person. I tend to react emotionally in such situations. If I don’t feel something in that moment, doesn’t that mean my heart has gone numb? But my heart hasn’t died. That’s probably why I’m still able to act decently,” she said.

Despite a strong film presence and critical acclaim, Aishwarya admitted that she still struggles with self-doubt.

“I didn’t enter the cinema with great passion. But now, cinema is everything to me. Still, I never had a moment where I thought, ‘Yes, I’m definitely here to stay.’ In fact, the thought of feeling that way scares me. I always feel like there’s more to improve. Even now, I don’t know the secret to survival in this field. That question mark still lingers. Am I a good actor? I still don’t know,” she added. 

She also acknowledged the ever-present fear of being judged by the public.

“Cinema is such an uncertain industry. When you realise that one person’s comment could potentially derail your career, how can you not be afraid? But I’ve now learned to accept that this is how it works. I’ve figured out ways to cope with it. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect me. It does — especially when I’m not working. But over time, I’ve learned to pick out the positive ones. My job has helped me with that.”

In ‘Maaman,’ Aishwarya played Rekha, the wife of Soori’s character, in a story centred around a bustling joint family. The film, which hit theatres on May 16, is produced by Lark Studios’ K Kumar, known for backing Soori’s ‘Garudan.’