Article-Her kind of twinspotting

H er roles in both the shows are completely different. In AmberDhara, Himani Shiv- puri plays an elderly aunt who helps the conjoined twins, Amber and Dhara, during their stay in the big bad city. "My character Biji, doesn't think they are freaks but two very talented girls," says Shivpuri. In Meri Awaz ko Mil Gayi Roshni, Shivpuri plays a rustic actress. She bumps into the lead character just as the latter is contemplating suicide. Shivpuri explains, "I encourage Sudha (Ashima Bhalla) to face life as it comes instead of choosing a way out." Shivpuri is also in Ravi Rai's Ghar Ek Sapna and agrees that han- dling three shows is quite tough. "It's driving me up the wall," she exclaims but is quick to add, "Each of the characters is so well-etched out.. that it's worth the effort." Remind her that this is her third show with Rai and Shivpuri beams. "Ravi considers me his lucky mas- cot. I wasn't a part of the cast in Justujoo, but he used a photograph of mine." Mean mum Isn't her mum-in-law act in Ghar Ek Sapna predictably mean? "She's got a valid reason. Her son didn't marry the girl she wanted him to, so she's obviously upset," states Shivpuri. The actress does feel bad because producers no longer make shows like Malgudi Days, Buniyaad or Humlog. "It's a vicious circle. As long as the viewers accept and watch rubbish, producers will keep churning it out," she sighs. Doesn't she want to experiment with her look? "I'd love to. But do you really think viewers will be ready to accept me as a smartly dressed cor- porate head?" asks Shivpuri. Not a tough choice Ask her to choose between TV and cinema and Shivpuri says that cine- ma make actors immortal. "People still remember my role in Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jaayenge. As for TV, once you're out of a show, you go into oblivion. But I will continue with TV because it helps to run my home," she admits. Lastly, Shivpuri is all praise for the youngsters on television though she does remark sourly, "They come from privileged back- grounds, so they don't know the val- ue of success."