Television actor Jaya Bhattacharya, best known for playing Payal in Kyuki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, has revealed deeply personal and painful memories from her early years. In a candid conversation with Siddharth Kanan, the actress spoke about surviving severe childhood abuse, toxic family dynamics and how those experiences shaped her personality and her eventual career in showbiz.

‘Being Born a Girl Felt Like a Misfortune’

Recalling the atmosphere at home, Bhattacharya described her parents’ marriage as troubled and said that the tension “trickled down to the child.” Reflecting on how gender bias contributed to her hardships, she said, “They didn't get along, and that conflict trickled down to the child. My mother wasn't happy; her dreams never got fulfilled, so whatever she could give me was incomplete.”

She revealed the extent of violence she endured while growing up. “I have been beaten with a hunter, rolling pin, tongs, shoes, and what not. I have been beaten a lot, and that made me stubborn. In the bargain, I have damaged myself a lot," she said.

Despite her strained relationship with her mother, Bhattacharya said she shared a better bond with her father. However, the trauma left long-lasting impacts on her behaviour and worldview, as she acknowledged having learned things no child should experience.

Resentment That Carried Into Adulthood

The actress admitted that the bitterness she felt as a child continued well into her adult life. She said the environment she grew up in taught her problematic patterns — judging others, undervaluing relationships, and failing to stand by someone in difficult situations. These, she implied, were lessons absorbed from observing strained family relationships.

How Jaya Unexpectedly Entered Acting

Although she is now widely recognised for her television work, Bhattacharya shared that she never dreamed of becoming an actor. “I was trained in dance and singing,” she said, pointing out that performing arts—not acting—was her initial focus.

Her entry into acting, she recalled, happened unexpectedly when a director offered her a role in a telefilm. “Once I got a chance to do a telefilm, the director spoke to my father and first made me dance as a woman, and then also asked me to enact the male part,” she said. She explained that despite her reluctance, her father took her to the shoot, setting off a career she had not originally envisioned.