Ashmita Bakshi who is currently seen in the show 108 Base Hospital- URI,opens up about the pressure actors face to always look their best, while stressing that personal presentation should not come at the cost of comfort or authenticity. For her, being a public figure comes with a certain responsibility, but that does not mean constantly feeling the need to look a particular way.“I think as actors or as artists we are always looked upon by people, by the audience,” she said, explaining why public figures are often expected to maintain a certain image.She believes actors can present themselves well without turning appearance into a constant source of pressure. “If you could put in effort and try to maintain your personality, try to maintain a look, I don’t think that’s the pressure,” she said.At the same time, she feels there should be room to step away from the polished image when needed. “When we feel that we don’t want to get dressed up today and we just want to go out very comfortable without makeup or without doing your hair, I think sometimes that’s also absolutely fine,” she said.For her, the key is finding a balance between being comfortable and recognising the influence that comes with being a public figure. “There should not be a pressure of looking a certain way,” she said, adding that celebrities should still try to present the best version of their personality to their audience.When it comes to making a first impression, she says presentation naturally plays an important role. “A lot of things I consider first is definitely the presentation, the way you address yourself, the way you do your hair, the way you dress,” she said.For her, these details reflect the effort someone puts into taking care of themselves. But once that first visual impression is made, communication becomes equally important.“When you communicate, I think the language doesn’t really matter,” she said. Instead, she looks for “the clarity of thoughts and the confidence with which you communicate”, whether someone is speaking Hindi or English.Above all, authenticity is what ultimately attracts her to another person. “Something that you’re sure about and something that represents you and not a fake personality is something that kind of attracts me to that person,” she said.She also believes grooming is particularly important for actors because of the constant attention they receive from audiences and fans. “I believe grooming is really important for actors because they’re looked upon by people, by their fans, by people who admire them,” she said.However, she places health ahead of outward appearance. “Not just as actors but as normal human beings, you should really take care of your health first, and then your outer appearance,” she said.For her, grooming ultimately comes down to basic habits such as cleanliness, dressing well and maintaining personal hygiene. “Hygiene is very important, your dressing, your cleanliness, the way you keep your hair—everything is important,” she said.She believes these habits matter regardless of profession, although being in the public eye makes them even more significant. “Even for normal people we should, but since we are actors or artists, I think that’s even more important,” Ashmita ended.