Chetna Pande: Life will always bring problems, but we should never give up.

Actor Chetna Pande, who was recently seen in horror film Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past, says the mountains have always been her place of healing. Growing up in the hills, she often returned home whenever life in Mumbai became emotionally overwhelming.“No matter how strong you are, there comes a point when you get tired,” Chetna says. “Whenever that happened, I would go back home. My father would take me to temples in the mountains like Naina Devi and Patal Bhuvaneshwar. We would spend about a week there, and I would return to Mumbai feeling stronger and ready to face life again.”She credits her father for helping her stay connected to her roots during difficult phases.

“In the struggle of Mumbai, we sometimes drift away from our roots and our faith. Whenever I felt empty, I would call my father, and we would visit temples together. Those trips always gave me the courage to continue.”Chetna says her family's support has been as important as her own determination. “This was never just my struggle. Every rejection affected my parents as much as it affected me. When Haunted 3D released and they watched it with pride, I realised we spent years struggling for moments like that.”

Growing up in the hills also exposed her to stories about the supernatural, something that made working in a horror film feel even more intriguing. She recalls a story her father shared from his childhood about experiencing unexplained incidents after studying near a graveyard. According to Chetna, a local spiritual healer later performed a ritual that the family believes helped him recover from those experiences.Professionally, Chetna is eager to explore more challenging roles after playing Sunheri in Haunted 3D. “The audience has accepted me through this film, and now I want to explore different genres. I don't want to limit myself.”The actress also reflects on the difficult personal phase she has recently overcome. “The last six months were the darkest of my life. My mother fell seriously ill, my partner was diagnosed with a major health issue, and my pet was diagnosed with cancer. Life will always bring problems, but we should never give up. There will always be obstacles trying to break you, but you have to keep moving forward.”