| |
 |
"At
Balaji, I am assured of a fair deal" |
|
|
Posted on 3 January 2003
|
| |
|
People love to hate her but they dare not ignore her. As the
shrewd and conniving Kamolika of Kasautii Zindagi Kay, Urvashi
Dholakia is offering serious competition to negative characters
currently ruling the small screen.
With a string of serials to her credit - , Dekh Bhai Dekh,
Zamana Badal Gaya, Mehndi Tere Naam Ki, Kabhi Souten Kabhi Saheli
and the recent Kasutii Zindagi Kii to her credit, Urvashi is
fast coming one of the most identified faces in the industry.
Besides bankable looks the lady has an attitude to match ; she
is also quick to proclaim that she is a complete misfit in this
'double faced ' industry. Her sojourn in telly land began officially
when she was just 14 with Dekh Bhai Dekh. Now , at 24 ,she
claims she is ready to perform any character that she wants to.
She walks in with an unmistakable dancer's gait that speaks
of her long training as a Bharatnatyam dancer, on the sets of a
lavish Balaji serial , where she agreed to speak in between shots
with indiantelevision's Trupti Ghag.
Excerpts -
|
| |
|
Despite your young age, you have been around for a long time
in the television indstry?
It all began when I was just six years old. It was my fascination
with the screen that led to me persuading my mother to help me begin
my career as a child model.
|
| |
|
Was the screen your only learning ground or did you attend any
acting classes?
Well, not really. I never had any time for all that. I began
acting when I was 11. I performed with Nadira Babbar's theatre group
Ekjute, but the stint only lasted three months but I guess that
did it. I was already hooked on to the profession.
Then came ABCL's Dekh Bhai Dekh when I was 14 years old and
since then I haven't stopped. I am 24 now.
|
| |
Do you regret not attending acting classes?
No, I think I turned out just fine. |
| |
How was it acting with a huge star
cast in Dekh Bhai Dekh?
If you are talking in terms of experience, it was great. It was
shot on foreign locales, the camera technique used was very novel
too. I was quite happy with the exposure and publicity. As Sanju's
girlfriend Shilpa, I must have been mentioned in most of the earlier
episodes so by the time I was introduced in the 17th episode, viewers
were pretty curious to know me. I was the surprise element of the
sitcom. |
| |
What acting method do you adopt
while enacting a scene? Do you go by the script?
Script comes second, it's always the character that comes first.
I need a precise brief about the character I am playing. I then get
into the psyche of the character and plainly narrate the lines. It
sounds quite easy but then I need two to three days to get into the
skin of the character. |
| |
Are you are a director's actor?
I am more of an intuitive actor. |
| |
|
|
"Script
comes second, its character first always" |
|
| |
How was your role as Kamolika arranged?
I was acting in Kabhie Souten Kabhi Saheli, a Balaji production
during the time when Ektaa Kapoor was scouting for new talent. I entered
her cabin and she called me Kamolika. That was about it. She then
etched out the entire character for me. It seemed like an interesting
role so I agreed to do Kasautii Zindagi Kay. |
| |
What is your favourite character till
date?
That will be the character of 'Pooja' I played in Mehndi Tere
Naam Kii. It showcases all possible shades of a character, right
from a bubbly carefree teenager who transforms into an ambitious go-getter
to a rebel and finally metamorphoses into a mature woman. |
| |
|
What went into the role of Kamolika?
Like I said, Ektaa briefed me about the character, then we discussed
it in great detail. It is a tradition at Balaji, that both Ektaa
and Shobhaji sit with the team and explain each character. Ektaa
enacted a few scenes to let me know how the character would behave
and I got a clearer picture. When I reached the set, I already had
a picture of Kamolika in my mind so I simply went by my instincts
and acted as I thought she would.
|
| |
It seems like you are opting only for
serials made by Balaji Telefilms? Is there any specific reason for
this?
Not at all. I would love to act under a different banner but I
haven't got any good offers. At Balaji, when I sign up for a character,
I am assured of a fair deal. They have faith in me and I share the
same feeling. They have given me roles where I can perform. |
| |
Your roles range from an innocent teenager
to a vamp. How did this transition come about?
Smooth sailing so far. The only thing that I am afraid of is being
typecast, to an extent I think I already am. |
| |
|
"Balaji
Telefilms have given me roles where I can perform"
|
 |
|
| |
Does that mean you are not too happy
with your role in 'Kasautii...' ?
Don't get me wrong, I think Kasautii.... did wonders for
me. In fact, I can say that many people recognised me as a good actress
after Kasautii...But I cannot Identify with that character,
there is so much to me than Kamolika. I just want to present that
to people. |
| |
The character of Kamolika is currently
sharing a platform with that of Menaka in 'Kasautii...'. Do you feel
threatened?
Of course not. Kamolika is a strong character. She may be shrewd
but she is certainly not stupid and plus, she has already established
herself. I think it should be other way round. |
| |
|
What do you think about the 'saas-bahu' serials on air?
What about them? I think they are quite well made.
|
| |
I don't see people relating to the characters
in the soaps. Isn't it time that these serials pave a way for something
more realistic?
I don't see why. Despite
being period dramas, Mahabharata and Ramayana are very popular on
television. All the current soaps are loved by the audience. As long
as they accept it, I see no reason to change. As for the niche audiences,
there are other serials on air to suit their tastes. |
| |
What projects are you working on in
the near future?
I am contracted for two years with Balaji Telefilms. Besides Kasautii,
they have also signed me for a new serial Kahani Teri Meri,
in which I play a catty girl 'Kajol'. This again revolves around a
Bengali affluent family but the storyline is completely different
from Kasautii... |
| |
Is there a crossover to Bollywood on
the cards?
No, I think Bollywood is not yet ready for good talent (Laughs)
. Seriously speaking, I think the film industry has a mind block.
It is not willing to accept actors from television yet. |
| |
| Click
here for more actor's interviews |
