ACTRESS and former beauty queen Sanjna Suri first gained widespread attention among entertainment fans with her role in the controversial film Pulau, released in cinemas last year.
However, the 31-year-old artiste, whose full name is Sanjna Kishore Kumar Suri, said that she's often cast in adultress roles, despite aspiring to be a versatile performer in Malaysia's film industry.
"When I first entered the acting world, many people saw me more as a beauty queen, and the roles I received were limited because of that image," she told Rap Xtra.
"It was only after I participated in the Mega Spontan 2023 programme that I finally got to explore different characters, including roles in comedy."
Sanjna clarified that she's not aiming to become a comedian specifically but wants to expand her skills and bring more variety to her roles.
"I'm actually a funny person in real life and am often the one cracking jokes in my friend group," she said.
"I love seeing beautiful women joke around on TV because it's something unusual. If I'm good at comedy, I believe I can also succeed in other areas, like hosting."
Aside from Pulau, Sanjna, who won Miss Supranational Malaysia 2018 and Miss Intercontinental Malaysia 2017, has appeared in films like Sangkar, Nasi Lemak 1.0, and Mundey Kampung Dey.
Meanwhile, Sanjna shared that this year's Deepavali is especially meaningful to her as it's her last celebrating as a single woman.
She plans to marry her fiancé, Bram Demeulenaere, 35, from Belgium, on Jan 17.
Sanjna and Bram, who works as a consultant in Dubai, have been together for five and a half years.
They held a small engagement ceremony with close friends in April.
"For me, this year's Deepavali celebration is emotional because it will be my last as a person who is single," she explained.
"In Hindu tradition, a daughter remains the responsibility of her parents until she marries, after which her husband assumes that role."
Sanjna shared that she'll be celebrating Deepavali with her family this year without Bram, due to his work commitments.
Despite their different religious backgrounds – Sanjna is Hindu, and Bram is Christian – Sanjna affirmed she will not need to change her faith for their marriage.
For Sanjna, Deepavali is a cherished family affair that brings relatives together.
"My father is the eldest son, so all our paternal relatives gather at our home to celebrate," she said.
"In the morning, we go to the temple to pray, followed by enjoying traditional North Indian dishes like tandoori chicken and goat varuval. Later, we celebrate with my mother's family at my uncle's house."
In addition to family gatherings, Sanjna plans to host an open house for friends to celebrate Deepavali with them as well.