Sweta Keswani, 15 years ago, made a bold decision to move to the United States to explore new creative horizons in Hollywood. Known for her strong performance in Baa Bahu Aur Baby, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii,
and Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand, Sweta’s journey reflects her desire to reinvent herself and embrace opportunities beyond the small screen.
Now, the actress has opened up about the challenge, new lessons, and sacrifice it took to start everything again from scratch in a vastly different industry.
Sweta Keswani talks about moving to Hollywood
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Sweta spoke about her journey from Indian television to Hollywood and admitted that it wasn’t a cakewalk. She recalled, “It wasn’t just Baa Bahu or Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, it was also Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand, Nach Baliye, and so many other shows that were hits, all on prime time.”
She shared, “Everything was hard. Moving here, settling here, being away from family and friends, raising a child without any help and trying to balance a career. None of this was easy.”
Sweta Keswani On Different Acting Styles Of Indian Television and Hollywood
Sweta also shed light on the stark difference between acting in Indian television and Hollywood. “TV acting in India is very different from here. I had to hone my craft. When I was raising my child, I used that time to learn and work here as a performer. Aruna ji (Aruna Irani) used to say, ‘Aankhen phaado beta’, because there were a hundred zoom-ins on you! Here, it’s so subtle that they can’t even hear you sometimes, so they use subtitles,” she laughs.
She added, “Performing here is very real, very organic and authentic. It’s a lot of listening. So for the last 15 years, I’ve always been in class, working with acting coaches and honing my craft.”
Sweta Keswani on Challenges In Hollywood
For those planning to try their luck in Hollywood, Sweta offered an honest reality check. She shared, “A lot of actor friends say, ‘We want to come to Hollywood, can you help us?’ I tell them, I wouldn’t have survived here if I didn’t have my husband, who had a job. It’s very expensive. My husband’s stable job allows me to pursue my dreams. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think I’d be able to do what I do.”
She continued, “Some people get lucky, but luck is preparation, meeting and opportunity. Not everyone who’s an influencer gets work. Many still have to work hard, audition and go the traditional way like we used to. Not everyone gets the work because they are influencers, which has become the norm now. Not everyone has that good fortune.”
Speaking about the long working hours of Hollywood, she shared, “It’s never 12-hour shifts here, it’s 16-hour shifts,” she shared. “When I shot for The Beanie Bubble, I had to go to Atlanta for two weeks. My husband was sick, my daughter had tons of activities, and I had no help. I had to find my community of mums and call 4-5 people to pick up and drop off my child. It’s like Murphy’s law here: everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. And all managers and agents here say, ‘Book a vacation and you’ll book a job,’ which is so true.”
She added, “And all actors are aware of this. Everybody knows this is going to happen. But what can you do? When you get a good job, you don’t always have the luxury to say no, you have to take it. No one adjusts according to your dates.”
Sweta On Regularity Of Work In India
Reflecting on the differences between the two industries, she shared, “The amount of work I do here (Hollywood) if I did that there, I’d be a millionaire.
In India, I worked a lot. In Hollywood, the work is less frequent, but it’s of high quality. Most of all, I miss being on set, the process of creating a story, developing a character slowly, running lines together and bringing a scene to life. That creative process, of knitting a story together, is what I miss the most.”
She honestly revealed that she doesn’t miss the fame, but she does miss the money.