'Ye Meri...'s Annie changes, again! (13 January 2005 1:00 pm) BY AB Kavita Kaushik is the new Annie in Sony's Ye Meri Life Hai. For those who have been loyally following the travails of the simple Pooja, the original Annie, villainous to the core, was played by Smriti Joshi, who quit the show in September. She was replaced by another girl, Aparna, who however didn't go down too well with audiences. The last one week has seen the entry of another Annie - this time played by Kavita Kaushik. Kavita has enough experience of villainy on the small screen - she plays Aryan's sister Manya in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, and has just returned, along with Tisca Chopra to infuse the negative element in KGGK.

Veteran of villainy - Kavita Kaushik

As for Ye Meri..., Kavita says she will be playing Annie in her own style. (For those who want a taste of Kavita in other roles, check her out as the vivacious heroine Mali Naidu on Star One's telefilm Woh Dus Din this Friday, directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia).

While on YMLH, now that the YMLH characters are grown and out of college, the focus has shifted to the personal lives of each. The current tussle is between Pooja and Ronit, who has married Pooja's sister Purnima.

Smriti- leaving Annie for foreign shores

Meanwhile, the original Annie - Smriti Joshi - has taken off to do an UK film, titled Point of View. The film, she says, is being made for the international film festival circuit. In the film, Smriti's character is that of a girl next door, quite opposite to the fire-breathing teenager she portrayed in YMLH.

"I was having a great time in Ye Meri..., but this offer came along that gave me far more scope as an actor. I spoke with the producers and they agreed that I should not let go of the opportunity," she says. Watch out though, Smriti is open and willing to do more TV in India, once her four month shoot for the film is over!

Kavita Kaushik's pics by Vicky Ahuja