Talkiang point with Mouni Roy

With Zee TV’s Do Saheliyan,the actress eagerly returns to fiction after a slew of reality shows

How does it feel to be back on a fiction show after doing only reality shows?
It feels very refreshing. My role in Do Saheliyan is not one of the lead ones,but it’s certainly a challenging one,because it’s unlike anything I’ve done before,in terms of characterisation,costumes or even language.

You character,Roop Garewal,is a victim of casteism on the show,which is in fact the running theme. What attracted you to this role?
Roop is very different from what I am. She’s a rural Rajasthani girl and she speaks a very rustic dialect. All that was part of the challenge involved in portraying her and that really attracted me. But that said,the character itself is very interesting. Roop was once a happy-go-lucky girl who was the apple of everyone’s eyes in the family. Then she made the mistake of falling in love with a boy from a different caste and eloped with him. This caused great bloodshed in the village and the trauma renders Roop mute for the rest of her life. In fact,the only person she shares a bond with is her niece Maithili,who is best friends with a girl from a lower caste.

You had worked in a hit show like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Then you went on to do a series of reality shows like Zara Nachke Dikha and Say Shaava Shaava. Was that a deliberate step that you took towards reality television?
I’ve never planned any of my career moves. Things have just happened and luckily they’ve worked out for the best. Starting a TV career was not difficult because I got cast in Kyunki after my very first audition. And though I love acting,I was always very attracted to dance shows,because dance is my first passion. Luckily,people loved and appreciated me on that platform too. I did so many things partly to keep myself from getting bored and also because the money was good.

You last reality show Pati,Patni Aur Woh ran into many controversies. Any comments?
I honestly don’t know why people raised such a hue and cry. Firstly,the show had already been canned when people began to raise question about children on the sets. Besides,we always had the childrens’ parents,doctors,nurses and ayahs around us all the time,though viewers couldn’t see them. We were very,very careful. And lastly,it’s not like such a show has never been done before. We adapted the idea from BBC’s Baby Borrowers and that was a hugely successful show that didn’t compromise on the children’s safety.

You’ve personally dealt with media and public interest in your personal life due to your relationship with Gaurav Chopra and your friendship with his former girlfriend Narayani Shastri. Do you ever get tired of all the gossip?
I know that gossip comes with a territory. It’s a professional hazard and while initially,I’d get a little riled,I’ve now learnt to handle it well. And honestly speaking,it’s all very good publicity,isn’t it?