prachi-bani/durga

In the limelight for her performance in 'Kasamh Se' and her young age, Bani a k a Prachi Desai now will be playing the mother of a five-year-old child after the serial takes a leap of five years.

Q: 'Kasamh Se' is taking a leap of five years. What will be the changes in your character?
A: Yes the serial will take a leap and the story line will also change with it. Well my character will also change greatly but I think you should have some patience and wait and watch. It is only a week away.

Q: You are now going to play the mother of a five-year-old. So how does it feel considering the fact that you are so young?
A: It feels bad. I do not want to be called a mother, I'm so young. I cannot imagine a child calling me 'mummy'. No girl of my age would like to be called so. But I think it is a challenge as an actress and I have accepted the challenge.

Q: Will you be taking tips from your mother too?
A: No, I remember how naughty as a child I was. So I think that I know how naughty a child would be and I would pamper the child all the more.

Q: How do you manage to deal with such a mature role?
A: I do not know. A lot of people have asked me this question and I really do not know how to answer. Frankly I do not know how it happened and how it is happening. I was never prepared for anything of this kind.

Q: Do you feel that leaps are necessary in serials?
A: See it happens that the audience get bored with the same story line and the same characters on screen. So, these leaps help to get in a new story line and newer characters into the original story.

Q: How has been the journey so far?
A: So far it has been wonderful. I never knew that it would be so good to work on television. I wish everything remains the same.

Q: How has been your experience working with Ekta and Nivedita Basu, the creative head?
A: It has been a lovely experience. They have been very kind to me and I being the youngest have always been pampered by them.

Q: How has been the learning experience?
A: I have learnt a lot. When I came here I knew absolutely nothing. I did not know where the camera was, how I had to respond and these little things. And see me now. It has been a jump. I have come to know so much here.

Q: In between, you had been shuttling between Pune, for your exams, and Mumbai, for your shoot? So did it hamper your work or studies?
A: Yes it was pretty hectic for me and I had also hurt my leg, so things were not going too well. But thankfully I managed both since it was only for a week that my exams were held.

Q: Will you continue with your higher studies?
A: Yes, I would.. But I do not think I would continue in regular college, rather I will have to do a correspondence course. I wish to study psychology but I guess it won't be possible. So I think I will opt for some other course but I have not decided yet. I guess I need to find out (Laughs).

Q: Don't you ever miss doing the thing that a normal girl your age would do?
A: Yes I miss it everyday. I would have loved to be in college but when I talk to my friends they say 'wow you are so famous now', I realize it is not so bad here after all. Very few girls of my age have attained what I have.

Q: On a more serious note, don't you think you are trapped in this mature image of yours and in future will not be able to play younger characters?
A: Trapped! Yes I have been trapped in this image but as long as I am being appreciated and accepted like this, it is fine. What is the problem? In future I might not get younger roles but as I said if the audiences are accepting me, I do not mind playing mature characters. - Mili S