I am a practical girl Divyanka Tripathi

Q. You have swept all the television awards for YHM. Did you expect such a phenomenal response?
A: It's been overwhelming and surprising. I knew it was Ekta's (Ekta Kapoor) show and it would fare well but the response is unprecedented.

Q.You recently won the Shan-E-Bhopal Award. How was it different from the others?
A: Gulzar saab handed over the award to me at a function that was held at Bhopal's Bharat Bhavan. We girls, feel a lot more confident when we get support from our own people. This award was like a huge stamp of love and acceptance.

Q.Unfortunately, life hasn't been great for A: you on the personal front. Did work help overcome the pain of the break-up?
Well, yes and no. Since we were together for a long time his name would pop up every now and then in casual conversations with friends and acquaintances. So, such small things would affect me. Thankfully, I got a fracture just days after my break-up. I had this huge plaster on my leg and had to manage on my own for the first few days. I felt if I could manage this, I could do any damn thing. I took this break as an opportunity to chill out with friends wherein I discovered a new me.

Q.Has this made you cynical about love? Are you open to a relationship?
A: I am a practical girl. I guess if I enter into a relationship now I will take it slow and not just fall in love. There might be some trust issues but I am optimistic. Who knows, I might arrange a marriage for myself.

Q. YHM has broken many stereotypes on Indian Television with its take on remarriage, infertility and idea of marrying for the love for a child...You come from Bhopal, a Tier II city ... what's been the response back home?
A: After the show, a lot of people have thanked me for showing them a new perspective on divorce and remarriage. A woman, who could not bear a child, messaged me that I inspired her to adopt a baby. When you build this kind of connect, it's very motivating.

Q. Karan Patel and your chemistry is the talk of the town. What makes you click as a pair?
A: We are thorough professionals who like to improvise and experiment as much as possible. The idea of just saying the lines that have been given to us and packing up does not appeal to us. Our action-reaction is good, which is a blessing.
It is not just Karan. People love Ruhanika Dhawan and you.
Children don't open up easily before strangers. It was somewhat similar with Ruhi. I had to make her super comfortable to achieve this sync. My first task was to make friends with her; play a lot with her. The Indian Government has exempted children working in the entertainment industry under the revised Child Labour Act. Comment. I believe that children should not be made to work. Kids in the entertainment industry are at a risk of developing depression as they see glamour at an early age. The kids of YHM work for limited hours on limited days. They have fared excellently in their exams. If it was otherwise, I would not have supported the idea.

Q. Do you have Bollywood aspirations?
A: A lot of people are expecting me to take up a role in Bollywood but I won't run after films. I might take up another great show on Television as there are some exciting roles being written for female leads now.

Keep reading this space for more updates!