'I was scared of getting beaten up..': Anjum Farooki

Today is your birthday. So how will you be celebrating it?
 
I am going out for lunch with my friends. After that I will be watching a movie which will most probably be Gangs of Wasseypur 2. After that my friends have planned a surprise for me, which I am unaware about.
 
You are a star. Isn't it tough for you to go for a movie without being hounded?
 
It is difficult but I can manage it. I just have to ignore the thousand pairs of eyes ogling at me.
 
Would you call Gauri negative?
 
Gauri is not completely negative. She has grey shades. She doesn't give those typical vampish looks. She isn't as mature as Anandi though. She has many positive points. In fact she told Jagya one night that it was wrong on their part to get married which led to Anandi's suffering. However the next morning she was back to square one.   
 
Are you happy with the way Gauri's character is being enfolded?

 I think our writers have done a very good job. However sometimes I fail to understand Gauri's reactions. Whenever scenes come to me I simply read them and try to execute the scene to the best of my ability.
 
Often people shout at you as they hold you responsible for ruining Anandi's life. How do you feel when naive viewers confuse between the real and reel you?
 
 
I just have a good laugh over it. At the same time it feels really nice. I realize that Gauri's character has after all been very convincing.
 

I was scared of getting beaten up by people on the road when Gauri was getting too negative. However people in Mumbai have never been bad to me. They compliment me that I am a good actor.
 
You have been a TV journalist and now you are a TV actor. How do you view both sides of the coin?
 
Acting and journalism are two very interesting jobs. I would love to do breaking news stories as a journalist. I am not a trained actor. However I am very passionate about acting.
 
Jagya is insecure that Gauri was a better doctor than him. Please comment.
 
Jagya was always insecure. He was insecure of Anandi too when she scored more than him in school as a child. Jagya has always been immature and egoistic. He always had to be pampered.
 
Isn't it regressive when a woman accepts a man back into her life after he has cheated on her (we hear that Jagya and Anandi may re-unite)?
 

I agree that in real life, a woman shouldn't keep waiting for a man who has left her and moved on in life. Also the 'other woman' shouldn't always be held responsible. He was equally at fault.
 

In Balika Vadhu however child marriage was the main culprit that lead to the uncomfortable situations. We were showing the bad side of child marriages. When Jagya grew up and went to study in a big city he fell in love with an educated girl.
 
You had said in an earlier interview that you, Pratyusha Banerjee and Shashank Vyas aren't the best of friends. Please comment.
 
 We aren't enemies. We surely are friends but not extremely close.
 
How did you meet your to-be husband? When are you getting married? How are you preparing for your wedding?
 
This is an arranged marriage. My wedding is in December. I haven't started shopping and preparing for my wedding as yet.
 
Which historical character would you like to play?
 
Jhansi Ki Rani
 
 
Reporter: Pallavi Bhattacharya