It has taught me to walk straight in heels," grins Swara Bhasker as she reflects on her last decade in the industry. It has been a significant journey for the actor, who — armed with a degree from JNU and the courage to play unconventional characters — headed to Bollywood 10 years ago. "I didn't know anyone here; had no contacts, no connections, apart from writer Anjum Rajabali, whose office I lived in," recalls Bhasker.

While she showed promise in a slew of supporting roles, she counts Raanjhanaa (2013) as the game-changer in her career. "Before Raanjhanaa released, I often asked myself, 'Should I drop it all and go back to Delhi?' But fortunately, good work and the opportunity to associate with good people kept coming my way."