Bollywood beauty Zoya Afroz, who recently featured in the Netflix web series Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web, had a head start in the film industry courtesy of her stints as a child star. Her most prominent role was baby Radhika in Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999). She later went on to venture into projects like Mann and Kuch Naa Kaho. In an exclusive interview with mid-day, Zoya shares her journey in showbiz, working with the incredibly talented Emraan Hashmi, and more. 

Zoya Afroz on her stint as a child actor

Zoya believes that, despite having a head start in Bollywood, she only benefited in terms of familiarity, not momentum. Being a child artiste helped her grow and get comfortable in front of the camera since she didn’t come from a film family. “Every opportunity still had to be earned,” she asserts. With Taskaree, Zoya considers this phase as a fresh beginning, one where she’s been recognised for her choices. “For me, longevity comes from reinvention and persistence, not early access,” adds Zoya.