Nithyakalyani Narayanan V
Advocate Surabhi Santosh is a multi-talented practising lawyer who is an actress, model and classical dancer. She appeared primarily in Kannada and Malayalam films. Adv. Surabhi is an alumnus of Karnataka State Law University (CMR Law School) and CMR National PU College, Bangalore. She is currently working as a Junior Advocate at Marar & Iyer and is a Junior Associate at Unnikrishnan & Associates. She serves as an excellent example for all lawyers who have a passion for different contrasting careers. Here’s Ms. Santosh in conversation with Desi Kaanoon on balancing her contrasting roles as a lawyer and an actress.
Q1. How do you manage your role as a lawyer and an actress? What challenges do you face in balancing these two highly demanding professions?
A. It is a challenge managing both professions as both are very demanding in their own ways, but once you begin to enjoy them, you don’t think much about the strain of having to manage both. Films/acting has always been my passion, it has given me varied experiences, fame and love from people, but it is an uncertain field with no success formula. That is where the law has helped in bringing stability. Through practice, I’ve been able to give relief to those facing all kinds of problems in their life and that has given me a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment.
Q2. What prompted you to choose such seemingly contrasting careers? Were there any specific moments or reasons that led to these choices?
A. I’ve been learning classical dance since the age of six and modelling was a natural progression. Films, on the other hand, were never part of the plan. I did dream of becoming an actress, but I knew that I didn’t have the resources or support to fulfil that dream. As luck would have it, my first film in Kannada came to me at the age of 16. I had completed the shoot for my first film ‘Dushtaa’, even before my 12th board exams. The only condition put forth by my parents was that the film should not distract me from my studies. I completed the shoot of my film and went straight to studies and scored a distinction for my 12th board. Like most 18-year-olds, I had no concrete plans on what subject to pursue further and it was my parents who guided me to take up law as they felt it allowed me to explore my other passions. There is no age limit to take up law; I’ve had homemakers and retired Government Officials as my batchmates which clearly showed that you could get into and practice law at any age and that further gave me confidence to pursue law.
Q3. Can you describe how your legal research and analytical skills come into play when you’re preparing for a role?
A. The law teaches you to tackle a case systematically. When you read a plaint/petition you break them into parts and counter each argument raised with supporting facts and relevant provisions of law. You further strengthen your arguments with precedents/citations. This approach has greatly helped me when it comes to acting as well. When I’m given a role, I break it down into parts a make a story of that character’s past, present and future that makes the character more relatable to me and hopefully to the audience and I further strengthen the role by giving the character little nuances and gestures that make her unique.
Q4. Can you explain a bit about your role and experience as a Junior Associate at Unnikrishnan & Associates?
A. Unnikrishnan Sir is a renowned advocate of the Karnataka Bar. He is a Central Government Senior Counsel and is also on the panel of the Bangalore Development Authority and Enforcement Directorate. He has a strong private practice as well, from which I’ve been exposed to a wide variety of cases ranging from civil suits to land acquisition matters and criminal matters under PMLA as well. I’ve also had experience in handling DRT, consumer and family matters. I’m forever indebted to him for having given me the opportunity to handle such a wide range of cases and I myself believe I’ve greatly improved as an advocate under his guidance and mentorship.
Q5. According to you, what are the essentials required for a fresher to grow in the field of litigation?
A. I think every new advocate, especially first-generation advocates, requires a lot of patience, grit and determination to sustain in the field of litigation. When you join as a junior, the hours are going to be long and, in the beginning, you’ll be given seemingly inconsequential work with less pay. Unfortunately, this is the industry norm, but I believe if you can push past the first few years of practice and learn the ways of court while doing your homework to hone your skills, the sky is the limit. The advantage of being in litigation is you will be self-employed and depending on the reputation you have garnered over the years; you’ll be able to earn without a ceiling limit. According to me, there is nothing better than being your boss.
Q6. How do you think your diverse dual professional background adds value to your perspectives as a lawyer and actress?
A. When people get to know I’m an actress and a practising advocate, there is always a sense of surprise on their faces. They are curious to know how it is possible to have this dual profession, but I quite enjoy the process. Being a lawyer gives me the confidence to know that I will be able to manage any circumstance. You are aware of the possible traps in the film industry, which keeps you wary of the same. Having a solid profession such as law means that you’ll not be taken advantage of and that you will have a stable source of income. This gives me the freedom to pick and choose the kind of movies and work that I want to be a part of.
Q7. Can you discuss the similarities and differences you’ve observed between your roles as a lawyer and your roles as an actress?
A. Both require a lot of hard work, research, confidence and resilience. You should not have stage fright to perform before a camera in front of an entire film crew as well as to argue before a Judge in a Court Hall full of experienced senior advocates. Both are similarly nerve-wracking but when you complete the task at hand, there is a sense of achievement that washes over you and this helps build your confidence even more. There will also be times you are under-prepared/flustered/overwhelmed and when you fail, you are failing before an audience. You will have to prepare to handle such circumstances as well.
Q8. Have you ever encountered moments where your legal expertise was relevant to a situation in the entertainment industry, or vice versa?
A. Many times, when I’m refused my payment or when a cheque bounces, I know how to recover the money due to me (which I wish I had known in my teens). Also, if there is any possibility of facing any unpleasant talk, people tend to interact less once they know I’m an advocate.
Q9. What is it like being a Junior Advocate at Marar & Iyer?
A. Marar Sir and his wife Lakshmi Ma’am are both Kerala High Court and Supreme Court lawyers. Marar Sir deals mainly in Criminal Law while Lakshmi Ma’am deals with Service matters and they have always considered me as a daughter. My first step into this field was through them and I’m grateful for their teachings, encouragement and support. Once I moved to Bangalore from Kerala, they continued to refer cases to me, which showed their immense confidence in me. When your Senior bestows such confidence in you, you are bound to step up and work hard to keep their belief intact.
Q10. Have you ever faced any ethical dilemmas that are unique to your double professions? How do you navigate them?
Yes, being a practicing advocate, I refrain from choosing certain kinds of roles keeping in mind the decorum of the profession I’ve chosen. It might not be the most suitable approach, as being an actor means you have to be open to playing varied characters and you have to approach a character for what it is and what it can do for you as a actor. However, as of today, I consciously choose to play on-screen characters, which does not undermine my job as a lawyer. The day I choose to fully focus on acting and quit law, I might change my perspective.
Q11. Where do you see your lawyer-actress journey taking you in the future? Are there any specific goals that you’re aiming for?
I’ve never had a specific goal in mind. I have always chosen to focus on what makes me happy and content. At the moment, being able to do both gives me immense happiness and fulfilment. I want to be passionate about my work because I feel that drives me to be better. My only wish right now would be to be good at whatever I do in life, be it as an actor, lawyer, daughter, wife or mother. I want to be able to balance all these roles and lead a good life as an individual and also be able to give back to my country as a citizen of this nation.
Q12. What advice would you like to give aspirants who are juggling similar professional fields as you?
I would want them to pursue their heart’s desire to the fullest extent. You will have to work twice as hard, and there will be days where you question yourself or feel overwhelmed but all those mixed feelings won’t matter when you realise that you are doing what you love. Your life is a big experiment by itself, you pursue different professions, chase different feelings, make mistakes, rise, fall and rise again. At the end of it all, you are the total of your experiences. My advice would be to never regret any decision and never consider it a waste of time. It is either a blessing or a lesson. Either way, you end up richer in wisdom which you can share with those facing similar situations.