A Quick Take on Prajkta Virani

We hardly see you in 'Kyunki Saas Bhi...'!
My character, Prajakta, is actually fading out. I've nothing much to do now except pose for family pictures or do a few family scenes. My husband and mother-in-law have walked out of the show and they can't write a separate track for me. I was the Maharashtrian bahu of Ketaki Dave and Husain's wife. It was to be the main comedy track of the show but somehow it never took off after the jump. It's almost two years now and nothing really is happening to my character. It will be fun if Ketaki comes back to the show. I'm too attached to the show and would love to continue being a part of it.

Have you always been with the show?
Yeah, right from the beginning. I feel I've grown with it. I started by playing a college girl. Husain and me meet in college, fall in love and get married. Even the kids have grown. They are almost 14 now. So if there's another jump, I'll be playing grandmother.

How did you accept a mother's role in Kaisa Yeh Pyaar Hai?
While I was doing 'KSBKBT', I had acquired the image of 'Prajakta chachi'. Unfortunately, the image stuck. It's very difficult to get offers of young characters once that happens. Producers may still want to cast me but I don't think the channel would allow it. So finally I got bored of waiting for work and decided to take it up. I'm playing mother to Kripa.

Weren't you worried about taking it up?
Initially, I was worried about my image again. I was also a little sad as I felt that it was too early for me to play mother to grown-up characters. After all, I wasn't that old. I almost gave up workouts and started putting on weight. I started looking older than my age. Even people around kept telling me that it was okay, as I had put on weight.