The most beautiful girl on TV

While modelling was exciting, walking demurely up and down the ramp made Niki uncomfortable. As a result of brother Parmeet Sethi’s encouragement, Niki ended up at Gautam Rajadhyksha’s door with heavy suitcases carrying her complete wardrobe. And from 1992 to 1994, she lent her face to some of the biggest ads on TV, flashed across the TV screen a dozen times a day, as the Siyaram girl or the BPL Sanyo girl. "I was constantly told by directors that I should try my hand at acting," reveals Niki.

Two years later, she was offered a Pahlaj Nihalani film with Anil Kapoor as hero. Too tempting an opportunity to pass up, she signed up, eagerly. Unfortunately the film — Mr Azaad — flopped.

Niki insists that it wasn’t because the film flopped that she quit Bollywood. She couldn’t take the uncouth language around her. "I got to learn the technicalities of acting, a lot of experience too — to the extent that I felt a little bullied," she says. Whatever happened, Niki swore off films.

Having dominated commercial breaks for two years, Niki decided to have a shot at what comes between the ads — the serials. Still smarting from her experience in Bollywood, she expected another hard run but, surprisingly, it proved to be a cake walk. Presently working in serials like Andaz, Dastaan, Sea Hawks, Aandhi Jazbaton ki and Baat Ban Jaye, Niki is fairly happy with the way she is going, though she does want to restrict her presence on TV. "I don’t want people to be tired of me and say Oh my God, it’s her again!’, and switch the channel." This also spurs Niki on to constantly changing her looks and playing versatile characters. She loves Sea Hawks and Baat Ban Jaye, as she identifies with the characters. But what she really enjoys are emotional roles. "Now I would like to play a dumb girl," she reveals somewhat astonishingly.

Unlike most stars but like most of us, her life doesn’t revolve around sets and television. She works only one shift a day and finds the time to spend with her close friends. At home, she claims, she usually fights with her sisters and mother.

Her major passion in life is driving to town and eating out in places like Shiv Sagar, where people can spot her. No filmi airs about her. She loves mingling with people and signing autographs. "I love my freedom. Can you imagine Sridevi or Madhuri Dixit in such places without a burkha?" she asks.

Has Mr Cupid neglected her? No, she does have a boyfriend. A fiancee, to be precise. Vicky Seth, the lucky lad, a businessman based in Dubai, is a childhood friend. But Niki refuses to say anything more. What she does like to talk about is her dog Doogie (named after Doogie Howser MD) and her car, Kit. "Every 10 days, Kit gets dirty. Almost like he is crying for attention," she says, tongue-in-cheek. So, she personally supervises it having a bath.

Curled up with a Richard Bach book, she looks relaxed. And she is. Not in any hurry to get anywhere. When she gets calls from producers offering her lead roles opposite Akshaye Khanna or Sanjay Dutt, she lets them go on with details of the role and movie, and then calmly says, "Sorry, not interested". "It feels so good doing this. They troubled me when I was a newcomer, now it’s my turn," Niki winks conspiratorially, “Now that I am in the position, I act like a completely spoilt queen and lord over them."