Niharika Porwal: Becoming a doctor was my ambition but acting is passion

Doctor-turned-actor Niharika Porwal harboured her acting dreams for long and eventually decided to give it a shot during the lockdown. The Lucknowite made her acting debut with OTT series Siksha Mandal where she was paired opposite Gulshan Devaiah.

An alumna of Rani Laxmi Bai Memorial School, Indira Nagar, Porwal asserts that joining medical field was surely her ambition but acting too has been on her mind for long.

“I come from a family of architects and engineers. I completed my MBBS from Odisha and in 2018 I got enrolled as research scientist in University of Nevada, USA. It was there I started visiting drama school which was opposite my campus. A year later, I moved to California where I got exposed to cinema and realised that I have flair for acting,” she tells.

After being stuck in the US during lockdowns, she started exploring her hidden passion. “I started researching and upgrading my acting skills. As I am a trained kathak dancer so I decided to make full use of talent and started making videos to approach makers as well as casting associates via social media. After second the lockdown I returned to Lucknow and it was then I got to know that I have been selected as the lead for Shiksha Mandal,” shares Porwal.

For once the medico thought that it’s a prank. “But I took a chance and replied and submitted three auditions from Lucknow itself. I got selected, went to Mumbai and shot for the show. Initially they thought I will be having an English accent but since my roots are here so, I do have a good command over Hindi language and this gave me an edge over others.”

The actor has already bagged a TV show. “I will next start shooting for an episodic in Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya. Besides, I have other offers as well also the second season my debut show has already been announced.”

Talking about her medical practice, Porwal says, “My medical degree is and will be something I can always fall back on and utilise it whenever required. But, right now my entire focus is on my acting career.”