Aradhana Sharma: It was really a big deal for me to work in Channa Mereya.

Aradhana Sharma plays the role of Harnaaz Kaur Cheema in Yash Patnaik and Mamta Patnaik’s latest show Channa Mereya on Star Bharat. Happy to have bagged the part, the actor says she likes everything about the show and therefore knows why the audience enjoy watching it so much.

“I'm a true blue romantic person at heart. So, the title Channa Mereya makes me feel love and that’s what comes to my mind every time I hear it. Since I'm Punjaban, Channa Mereya means ‘Chaand Mera’. The show narrates a beautiful love story. These two words are an expression of love without any expectations. I know it's very rare in today's time, but it still exists,” she says.

Initially, Aradhana thought her character is negative because, in her entire career, she has mostly played such roles. But when she spoke to the producers, and directors, they surprised her by saying that Harnaaz will be a different experience for her.

“They also told me that Harnaaz is a very lovely, bubbly girl, who gets what she wants. She is rich and lovable. I do relate to her in some ways. I'm a very possessive person but don’t go overboard. What I also like about Harnaaz is that she is very classy,” she adds.

Channa Mereya has already become the talk of the town. And, the actor sounds happy that it is doing well. “When I got shortlisted for the show, it was really a big deal for me because this has been my biggest project so far. Also, the star cast of this show is amazing. Many veteran actors are a part of it. Karan Wahi made his TV comeback with this show and most of my scenes are with him. So, I was very nervous. Initially when I thought it to be a typical family drama but when I heard the whole story, I understood that this one is a different ball game altogether. Yeh sach hai ki pyaar kuch nahi dekhta, pyaar hai toh hai. That’s the power of love, and that’s what this show is about,” she shares.

Sharing her experience of working with the Patnaiks and Beyond Dreams, she adds, “I’ll be forever grateful to them for giving me this opportunity. I know there’s pressure being the head of the show, but still, they trusted me with Harnaaz and believe that I will be able to take this character to another level. I really hope I will live up to their hopes. Personally, I haven't met them, but I have heard a lot about them. Looking forward to thanking them in person.”

Unique storylines always attract the audience. “If the same thing is shown to us regularly then we will surely get bored. So A little change in life is necessary, we also need uniqueness and some mirch-masala to make things interesting. If the storyline is different, it's going to stand out. I think Channa Mereya is one such show. It is a beautiful love story and I think it has a very long way to go,” she says. About the changes she has seen in the entertainment industry over the years, the actor begins by saying that in between she had stopped watching TV as things were getting monotonous. Now, she is watching it again because new concepts are being explored.  “A lot of experiments are happening and that’s a good thing. People are taking risks, storylines are different. Earlier it was always about Saas Bahu, one Villain, hero-heroine, and the audience got so used to it that they could predict the culprit easily. Now, there are a lot of angles that are being explored, many twists and turns, and new stories are being shown. Things have gotten realistic these days, the superficiality that was there earlier is gone. The reason why people are able to actually relate to these shows that are more balanced now,” she explains.

Daily soaps will always have an audience, no matter what. “Overall entertainment industry is an important part of our life because Bhaagdaud bhari zindagi main if we want some entertainment, either we listen to music or we watch TV, an easy and pocket-friendly source of entertainment. It started with Ekta Kapoor. She made a mark in this Industry. I think people will definitely watch TV because audiences do relate to it these days,” she ends.