ELLE Digital Cover Star: Jennifer Winget On Crafting Complex Women, One Role At A Time

Every night at 9 pm sharp, the Star Plus title track echoed through my living room like a family ritual. My mum, loyal, emotional, unshakably invested, never missed an episode. I’d pretend to roll my eyes, but let’s be honest, I was hooked too, just like my dad. Somewhere between the drama, the slow-motion entrances, and the perfectly timed tears, I first saw her — Jennifer Winget. And no, before you ask, the reason I’m named Ekta is not because of that nightly soap opera devotion. (At least, I really hope not.)

Winget wasn’t like the others. While most leading ladies back then fluttered about in chiffon sarees, waiting to be rescued, her characters had an edge. They thought, they chose, they commanded. Even when they loved, they loved with a relatability that could melt hearts. Her journey began early, as a child artist in Raja ko Rani se Pyaar Hogaya (2000), and she made her television debut in 2002 with Shaka Laka Boom Boom. But it was Kasautii Zindagii Kay, playing Sneha Bajaj, that first made her a household name. Then came Dill Mill Gayye, a show that practically defined a generation. Ask any millennial or older Gen Z, and they’ll still hum the soundtrack and remember the drama like it happened yesterday.

But my personal favourite has to be Saraswatichandra, adapted from Govardhanram Madhavaram Tripathi’s 19th-century Gujarati novel. Produced by the iconic Sanjay Leela Bhansali, this was television dipped in grandeur. Her Kumud Sundari Desai wasn’t your average heroine; she was layered, poetic, a little tragic, and beautifully Bhansali-esque. Talking about her Saraswatichandra days with Bhansali, her eyes light up.

“Gosh, it’s been so long! But the fact that people still remember and talk about it — that says something, doesn’t it? It was intense; everything had to be perfect. And when you’re shooting for television, you’re constantly racing against time. But somewhere along the way, we found our rhythm. I got so much love from that show and made memories I’ll always cherish.”

Then came Beyhadh. If television were a battlefield, Maya was her declaration of change. Maya became the blueprint for writing complex female characters onscreen, powerful, obsessive, unpredictable, deeply flawed yet unforgettable. Even when I asked which role of hers changed the game, she lit up. “I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again—it has to be Maya. Up until that point, I’d mostly played strong but fairly one-dimensional characters. Maya opened up a whole new direction for me — she was complex, unpredictable, and a complete shift in tone. It was refreshing, and honestly, a huge learning curve.”

She pauses thoughtfully, “When the audience responded with so much love and appreciation, it felt like a sign that I was moving in the right direction. Beyhadh came at a time when I felt creatively stuck; it shook things up, pushed me out of my comfort zone, and reminded me to stay fearless and curious.”

Fearless — that’s a word that keeps coming up with her. Watching the star talk about her journey feels like listening to someone who has grown up with the industry, not just in it. “When I started, everything felt so big,” she laughs. “I was this wide-eyed kid trying to make sense of the world around me. I lacked confidence, but I was curious and eager to learn. Over time, that curiosity became my anchor.”

The Winget sitting across from me today is calm, self-aware, and radiates the kind of confidence that comes only from having been there, done that, rewritten the script. “Today, I work for that feeling,” she says. “The love and applause gave me courage, the will to keep getting better. It’s not about hitting marks or saying lines anymore; it’s about connection. Knowing that someone, somewhere, is living vicariously through your performance—that’s the magic I chase.”

When I ask if there’s ever been a moment where she’s thought, Yes, I’ve arrived, she grins. “You know, I don’t think I ever want to feel that. Because that means there’s nowhere left to go. For me, the joy is in the process, the work, the discovery, the constant growth. I feel most at home in front of the camera; it’s where everything else fades and I just… belong.”

Of course, Winget’s world isn’t confined to the small screen anymore. She’s now part of the growing club of actors seamlessly moving between television and OTT, a space she’s genuinely excited about. “With TV, the storytelling is gradual — you get months to show a character’s evolution. With OTT, you’ve got just a few episodes to say everything — and there’s no margin for error,” she explains. “In TV, you can adapt your performance based on how audiences respond. In OTT, you’ve got to be on point from the first frame. It’s high-stakes — but that’s what makes it thrilling.”

So where does the star go from here? “Everywhere!” she laughs. “I’ve never been one to plan too far ahead. I take it one story at a time. Wherever there’s good work, heart, and a chance to grow, that’s where you’ll find me.”

She says it with a smile that feels both content and mischievous, and when we wrap up, I realise this conversation was less about nostalgia and more about evolution. The little girl who once watched Winget on her living room’s idiot box, next to her mum and a cup of chai, is now sitting across from her, recording notes on her phone. 

And maybe that’s her real superpower: she’s grown, glowed, and transformed, yet somehow remained the same woman who made millions of living rooms believe in strong, complicated, unforgettable women.

Editorial Director: Ainee Nizami Ahmedi; Photographer: Gourab Ganguly, rep by Inega; Fashion Editor: Shaeroy Chinoy; Sr. Graphic Designer: Sakshi Badani; Makeup: Sonam Vaghani; Hair: Sharda Wagh; Bookings Editor: Rishith Shetty; Words by: Ekta Sinha; Production: Cut Loose Productions; Assisted by: Tejashree Raul, Anshu Sheth (styling), Sharayu Karalkar (bookings).