Television actress Samridhii Shukla, who is currently seen playing the lead role in ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai,’ has opened up about the financial challenges her family faced during her childhood. She shared, “I never nagged or pestered my parents for anything.
Maybe because I was very conscious about the circumstances at home. I wanted to start earning early to fund my education and reduce the weight on my father, who was the sole earner.
Whatever I earned as a minor was kept in an account managed by my mother. I used it only for emergencies or education.”Samridhii, who started earning at a young age, credits financial independence and discipline for keeping her grounded amid the uncertainties of the entertainment industry.
Recalling her earliest memory of earning, which came when she was just five or six years old, she stated, “The first time I earned money, it was only conveyance money. I had gone for an audition, didn’t get the part, but was given ₹200.
I was a child back then, but even then, I understood the value of money.” Referring to money as “energy,” Samridhii Shukla emphasized the significance of maintaining financial discipline.
“As actors, we live a very volatile life. We don’t know how long a project will last or what pay we will get next. For me, financial independence means being able to sustain my lifestyle even when I am not working.
That’s why I believe in saving and investing. Our parents’ generation didn’t have much financial exposure, but today we do. Everyone should have something like an SIP or PPF to secure their future,” she advised.
Talking about the present-day work culture, Samridhii highlighted that the struggle to maintain work-life balance isn’t confined to the entertainment industry. “Even my sister, who works in a marketing agency, is working round the clock.
In a city like Mumbai, where sustaining yourself is expensive, whether you’re in corporate or entertainment, the pressure is constant. On top of that, doomscrolling on social media has made people lose track of time. But despite the long hours, I genuinely love my work.”
Samridhii plays the role of Abhira Sharma Poddar opposite Rohit Purohit in Rajan Shahi’s family drama ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai.’