Shivani Tomar's Daily Pioneer Interview

ENTANGLED BUT SORTED

TV actress Shivani Tomar speaks on her ups and downs, the luxury of privacy and the difficulties of her new role in Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 3

It's been five-and-a-half years since young actress Shivani Tomar has been working in the television industry but has had to battle severe odds just to get noticed. That's a gritty challenge, considering TV careers have a very short shelf life, particularly for women. And if you haven't arrived as a lead star with a longish trail of a successful run, then you stand little chance. But Shivani is hopeful of breaking through in the "better late than never spirit as lead of Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 3 opposite established heartthrob Barun Sobti.

Beginning with episodic shows, her first successful show was the Sushant Singh Rajput and Ankita Lokhande starrer Pavitra Rishta on Zee TV. Says Shivani, "It has been really difficult since and I've had to face numerous ups and downs, especially since I've been replaced in a lot of TV shows. Quite a few of them were cancelled despite all the hard work I had put in. What's more, all this was prominently featured in the media. I didn't even have the luxury of keeping my failures a secret; it's been out there for everyone to see, judge and comment upon. When Satya Ki Kiran didn't air on Zee TV, I was very disheartened. I didn't want all my hard work to go to waste. I would have felt better if even a few episodes had aired so that the audience could have taken a look at what we had in store for them. But I've taken it all in good humour. When one door closes, another one opens and for me that is Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 3.

Having held on so long, Shivani is unfazed by the lemons thrown her way. "In this industry, it's all about luck. If you're not lucky enough to become successful in the first shot, then you need to remain patient, calm and positive, she feels. In her attempt to remain positive, she is ignoring the viewers' partiality towards Sanaya Irani, who along with Sobti, had crackled in the first edition of the hit series. Fans wonder why she is not featuring in a franchise of the same show, which has familiar motifs if not the storyline.

Shivani has more challenges to be worried about though. Like wearing a saree. "I'm finding this show to be the most difficult because of the costume and the get-up that I have to carry with ease. This is the first time that I've had to wear sarees all day long for the shoots. It takes me an hour to get ready, which is twice as long as it takes for everyone else.

Before Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 3, Shivani has been a part of SAB TV's comedy show Hum Aapke Ghar Mein Rehte Hain. Speaking on the transition from comedy to romantic thriller, she says, "Comedy was difficult but very enjoyable. I had to act like a tom-boy for that show and here I am wearing sarees day in and day out.

Chandni, the character she plays in her latest show, is gentle, humble and well-educated, belonging to a Purohit family. "My character speaks Hindi, English and Sanskrit. She teaches Sanskrit to foreign students too. She's very interested in reading the Bhagwad Gita; she's aware of all the shlokas and it is because of her that I'm also getting in touch with our heritage, says Shivani. It has been difficult practising these shlokas but "it's definitely worth it because their meaning is so beautiful. I'm not as religious as Chandni is, but I do believe in God and pray each morning. Chandni is a great devotee of Lord Shiva and so am I. Shivani feels once the show rolls, the audience will feel sympathetic towards Chandni who will be the victim of Sobti's machinations.

Having grown up in Vasant Kunj, Shivani was a regular participant in school and college plays. These initial performances marked the beginning of the realisation that her heart lies in acting. Fortunately, her parents were supportive of her passion and did not prevent her from making efforts to build a career or move to Mumbai. If not an actor, she would have been a graphic designer.

Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 3 will air from July 3 every Monday to Friday at 8 pm on Star Plus.

Photo: MD Meherban

Link http://www.dailypioneer.com/vivacity/entangled-but-sorted.html