Nothing can stop her

To many, disability is a barrier but Krupa Lodhiya has turned her disability into multiple opportunities. The 25-year-old was recently felicitated by the EPIC Foundation team  (Encouraging Potential In Community) in the city for overcoming all odds to emerge winner. The sixth edition of the EPIC Show 2020 was organised to break barriers and open new doors for the specially-abled people. 

Lodhiya gives us an insight into her personal and professional life and shares her motivational journey. She was two when she met with an accident. She didn’t get to attend a regular school and college because of her physical and biological limitations. So Lodhiya completed her academics through distance learning. She says, “As I grew up, I got introduced to social media platforms. My first job offer came after someone saw a few of my photos on the site. I got a call asking if I would act in his song,”

Lodhiya began her acting career all alone as no one from her family had confidence in her and her career choice. However, everybody came on board once she pulled it off. “It is not right to fight with your family. But sometimes it’s hard for our parents to understand us because we are from two different generations. Having said that, I would like to say that only you have the right to decide what you want to achieve in your life,” she says.

Lodhiya was inspired by the story of Sudha Chandran, a dancer-actor. The youngster says that she can never scale Chandran’s heights, but she could at least try. 

“Sometimes, I wonder what if I was normal, able-bodied? I would have been married to someone and forced to do household chores. I wouldn’t have been able to perform on the international platform if I wasn’t disabled,” she adds.
 
Lodhiya, who is said to be India's first wheelchair dancer, was featured in India’s Got Talent Kuwait forum. “I also do aerial silk performances and have received appreciation. Once, someone said to me, ‘I want a daughter like you’. This is what keeps me motivated,” says she proudly.

Recently, Lodhiya also participated in Big Salute, a show telecast on Mazhavil Manorama (Malayalam entertainment television channel). “There’s always a pressure to outperform myself. People have this notion that it is enough for the handicapped to just go up on the stage, but I am not satisfied easily. I want to excel in my field and next, I want to do a fire act,” she declares.

Lodhiya does not believe in planning her moves. “Let life unfold new things. I do not want to be bothered about tomorrow. I want to enjoy my present, therefore, I don’t have any particular plan. But I definitely want to learn and grow in the industry,” she says, adding, “I want to organise a Mr and Miss Wheelchair India pageant by the end of the year.”