'Kkavyanjali was over promoted'
On the sets of the soap, Anita Hasnandani, aka Natassha, aka Anjali, talks about name, fame and the trappings of TV business
Malay Desai
Tell us what's going on with your character Anjali…
Well, Anjali now has become a stronger and mature individual over the one year of the serial's tenure. She has started performing Kavya's duties, along with having family responsibilities and business lookouts. So she is this modern -day woman juggling work and family issues. I am quite happy with the gradual change the character has undergone.
What about Natassha and Anita?
(Laughs) You can finally and permanently call me Anita now! Natassha was only a name that Balaji Telefilms had given me. But after all Anita was something my parents called me. It was, and will always remain my original identity. And by the way I was never comfortable with Natassha – I couldn't relate to that name…
But you look like you relate quite well to these sets and the people here!
Yeah absolutely! It is a very congenial atmosphere over here, where you can really put in your best. Besides, with such a professional cast like Navneet Nishan, Rajiv Paul, Iqbal Khan and others, the outcome also is fantastic. We are like a family here. Although, as per the contract, I do not work each and every day of the month but the time I spend on the sets is a picnic!
After Eijaz's exit, how is your equation with the new hunk Iqbal Khan? Is he going to be your love interest on screen?
It's just great! We have a lot of fun on the sets and also put in a lot into our characters because of this chemistry. On screen, yes, he will be my love interest.🤢🤢🤢 But off screen, the 'hunk' is getting married to his real-life love interest next year!
Have you made a conscious decision to work only for the small screen?
If I tell you frankly, after Kucch To Hai and Krishna Cottage, I did not really get Bollywood offers that would test my acting capabilities. Then Balaji themselves offered me a major role in Kabhi Sauten Kabhi Saheli and I made a switch from film to TV. Although that is a chapter successfully closed now, I have realised that the small screen is my forte.
Kavyanjali went through a kind of downslide after the initial popularity. What do you think happened?
I think Kavyanjali was over promoted. It started off really well and was amazingly popular but as you know the Indian viewer has now become very unfaithful. There are such a lot of soaps happening on TV. For us, retaining the initial viewership was very tough.
So has the soap employed any desperate measures to re-capture waning interest?
I wouldn't call them desperate measures at all! I think the popularity is back on track. We have been receiving wonderful reviews lately. And with the kind of cast we have, the serial has got to be interesting!
What's on the professional agenda for you now?
Well, there is no cut-out plan along which I'm working…I will focus mainly on TV and only accept roles that satisfy me. As far as films go, only those from the south are on my agenda!
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