Эрика Фернандес возвращается на телевидение: актриса о роли в военном сериале и переходе в бизнес в Дубае

Television actress Erica Fernandes, who recently made her comeback to television with 108 Base Hospital, joined Times of India TV for an exclusive chat. From intense preparations and challenging scenes to her fun off-screen equation with Gashmeer Mahajani and her other co-stars, Erica opened up about her experience on the show. During the interview, the actress spoke about what made her take up the role, her decision to break away from the typical TV bahu image and her journey on the show. She also opened up about shifting base to Dubai and establishing her own business there. (Photo: Instagram) The fact that this is a military medical show is what really drew me to television, especially because it is such an amazing project. Our producer, Samar Khan, is known for making military and defence-based stories. He has previously worked on projects like The Test Case, Shaurya and Code M and he always focuses on keeping his projects authentic. Having a show like this for my comeback makes me feel very privileged. That was the main reason I chose this show. (Photo: Instagram) It is definitely very intense. We are essentially wearing two uniforms and taking on two roles. We have to perform the duties of an army officer as well as a surgeon. Both roles require us to make tough decisions quickly. As an army officer, you need a lot of physical strength and stamina. On the other hand, being a doctor and surgeon requires precision, concentration and focus. Managing both at the same time is extremely challenging. (Photo: Instagram) When I signed the show, I was told it would be intense and was asked if I was prepared. I thought, ‘Yes, I have done television before, so I know what it is like.’ But it turned out to be even more intense. Physically, we had to be constantly on the move because the show has a lot of high-energy sequences and the stakes are high. We were running around, performing surgeries and treating patients, while also dealing with emotionally heavy scenes. So, while the shoot was physically exhausting, it was equally emotionally draining. That was one of the biggest challenges we had to deal with throughout the shoot. (Photo: Instagram) Gashmeer is extremely professional and very focused. Initially, he was quite reserved and preferred to be by himself. He would come to the set and either sit in a corner or be on his phone. By then, Nikhil, Ayushi, Arham and I had already started bonding, but it took some time for Gashmeer to open up and feel comfortable with us. Slowly, we started talking and got to know each other better. Throughout the shoot, we always tried to keep the atmosphere light and fun. We had many emotionally and physically exhausting and intense scenes, so we would try to keep the energy positive and relaxed on set. That helped us get through the day. When you understand, respect and value each other’s craft, everything becomes more fun. It starts feeling like play rather than work. (Photo: Instagram) I don’t think television has really evolved yet. I feel that after this show, television will start changing. The reason I stayed away from TV was because the regressive content was not changing. I had already done shows with similar stories, like family dramas, saas-bahu shows and all of that. I wanted to come back with something different. I never said that I would never return to television. I always said that if something different came my way, I would definitely come back. Television has given me everything I have today, and I will always be grateful to the medium for giving me so much love and appreciation. So, I never closed the door on TV. I just needed a good reason to return, and this show gave me that reason. (Photo: Instagram) It was a conscious decision because when you keep doing the same kind of roles, you get categorized and eventually get typecast. People had only seen me as a bahu, mostly in sarees and salwar suits, so they couldn’t imagine me playing anything beyond that image. When you take a break from such roles and explore different characters, you show people that you can do more and play different kinds of parts. That’s when they start looking at you in a different way. (Photo: Instagram) For me, it’s not always about money or fame. What matters more is the satisfaction I get from playing a character and doing justice to it. After working on shows there, I started feeling that everything had become very monotonous. With long-format shows, the same pattern continues for so long that you eventually stop giving your 100%. It becomes more like, ‘We have to do this scene, so let’s finish it and go.’ The money keeps coming in and the show keeps running, but I wasn’t getting any creative satisfaction from it. (Photo: Instagram) I wasn’t happy or content with that. Of course, money is important for survival, and everyone needs a stable source of income. That’s why I started my own company here. Whatever I do in Dubai gives me financial stability, so I know I have that foundation. Because of that, I can choose my projects based on passion, my love for the craft and the kind of characters I genuinely want to play. I don’t have to choose projects just to make a living. (Photo: Instagram)