She assisted director-producer Prakash Jha on projects like Gangajal, Apaharan and Raajneeti, and made a serious short film titled Open Doors about domestic abuse. But for her first commercial film, she chose to make a chick flick. Alankrita Srivastava states that

she could relate with the subject matter of Turning 30 because she’s a young, urban girl and knows the nuances of the life she’s tried to show in her film.

“It’s not a regular rom-com as many perceive it to be. With a light heart, it looks closely at the life of a metropolitan girl, who is turning 30. I got the idea through my conversations with all my gal pals,” she says. Turning 30 that releases on January 14 is about Naina, played by Gul Panag, who lands with relationship and professional issues around them she’s turning three decades old.

But would people outside the metros relate with Panag’s character and its dilemmas? “Most young people will identify,” says Srivastava. “She’s a regular girl, the kind you’d find in almost every kind of metro. She bonds with friends, deals with family matters, pressure to tie to the knot, and office politics.”

Did mentor Prakash Jha advise her? “I learnt that one needs to be dedicated to the job, be solution oriented, and never look for excuses from sir,” says Srivastava. “Today, I have conviction in own ideas, thanks to him.”