Exclusive! Tina Philip: There's a great work-life balance in the UK; in India everyone is working odd hours

Tina Philip/ PR image

Tina Philip, known for her role in television shows like Laal Ishq and Ek Aastha Aisi Bhi, has taken a break from work to head back home in Manchester to spend time with family. The actress was to tie the knot with fiancé Nikhil Sharma in 2020, but Covid played spoilsport. Tina talks to mid-day.com about wedding plans and what lies ahead.

How did you feel about visiting your folks after so long owing to the pandemic?

There's no bigger feeling than coming home to your parents. No place more peaceful than the comfort of your own house and no place on earth you can find such unconditional love. So I just feel really grateful and blessed for the time I have with them. Plus, it's so much fun, talking about old memories and creating some new ones!

When are you planning to tie the knot with your fiancé and any special plans for it?

I guess from experience, I can say no matter how much we plan, there's always a plan greater than ours. So while we want to get hitched soon, we will have to wait for when the Lord Almighty has it planned for us! So, we'll wait for when the time is right.

What are the differences you find back home in the UK and in India?

Well let's start with the weather! It's freezing cold here in the UK and I live in Manchester up north. So it's raining most days and in Mumbai we have the sun shining! But it's never too hot or too cold which is always nice...Then work wise, I feel there's a great work life balance in the UK, whereas I feel everyone in India is working odd hours, weekends etc. So somewhere that balance is hard to maintain and of course punctuality and cleanliness is on a different level here. But having said all this, nothing can beat the people of India and the warmth we have. And that is what I love the most, apart from the food and many other things! My mum often says, "Tumhara ulta dimag chalta hai, most people want to go abroad from India and you're going the other way round!" But I love India and my job of course.

You have also been trying your hand at cooking and whipping up new dishes for your parents...

Well they were kind enough to finish eating it. But jokes apart they are proud that I'm all grown up now, my mother is the happiest that the pandemic taught me how to cook, something that she tried to get me to learn but never could. My dad likes my paneer sabzi and sabudana khichdi. So although the wedding didn't happen, at least something good came out of it.