Mumbai, May 17 (IANS): Actor Tanish Mahendru, known for his compelling portrayal of Sufi in the show 'Rab Se Hai Dua', revealed that cricket was his first love.

"Cricket was my passion, but circumstances didn't favour it. My family couldn't afford the expenses of cricket training, which was disheartening," Tanish said.

Since childhood, Tanish dreamed of playing cricket in big stadiums. His grandfather had nurtured this dream, hoping to see the actor play.

He then spoke about how he ended up being an actor.

"My journey into acting was unconventional," Tanish revealed.

"Winning that fashion show made me realise there's more to me than just cricket," he added.

His dream of acting wasn't met with unanimous support from his family.

"They wanted me to choose stability over passion. It caused friction, but I knew I had to follow my heart."

Tanish juggled jobs to finance his acting classes and auditions while still giving 100 per cent to his education.

"After years of perseverance, I finally earned their support. They saw my dedication and talent, and that changed everything."