neena

Shonali Malhotra Sonii is on cloud nine, and why not? Three projects in three weeks

and a wonderful hubby to go home to. What more could a girl wish for? She is doing Sony's Dulhan (as reported earlier by Telly Chakkar, the show was supposed to go on air in September), Star One's Dil Kya Chahta Hai (the buzz is that Madhavi will soon be pregnant in the show), Star Plus' Miilee and SaharaOne's Bollywood Aur Kya.

Shonali comes across as one of the few women in the industry who seem content with what they are doing - varied projects that leave her with time to manage her home and hearth. Simple things as her maid's loyalty and her watchman's appreciation thrill her, Ananya Sengupta met up with Shonali during the shoot of Miilee, where she was getting married to Rahul.

(As I approach the lady, clad in her wedding finery, I realise how cumbersome the lehenga must be, but Shonali didn't seem to mind, she settles herself on the stairs and asks me to join her. Before we start, she offers to write down her complete name - Shonali Malhotra Sonii. She tells me that she now uses her hubby's last name and has added an 'i' to it, courtesy Mr Sanjay Jumani)

So how does it feel to be the third actress to play Neena in Miilee?
I know how difficult it is to replace somebody. You are asked to sometime copy the actress

who had played the character earlier and then that becomes a problem. To be very frank, I was a little lost in the beginning, but I am fine now. My co-stars are great and so are the crew members, I am quite enjoying doing the show.

But how comfortable are you playing a negative character?
(Laughs) I want to do positive roles, and in the beginning I had done shows where I played positive roles, but somehow…Maybe my eyes…people tell me that they speak volumes…maybe my body language that has a certain attitude, that makes me a strict no-no for miss goody two shoes kind a bahu…but really, I would want to do positive.

(I tell her that her kind of a face should in fact get a lot of positive roles….)
But therein lies the challenge, I get to work harder on my looks and my body language! Now people have started telling me that I am doing things right!

Any other shows that were offered to you that were negative…
Well, yes…I was offered the role of Mallika in Jassi…, a character in Le Jayenge Le Jayenge….

Any regrets about not doing Mallika's character…
Well, to be very frank, yes. But you know, I didn't do those roles, but I am now doing others that are equally good…I am doing well for myself and that is what is important.

Your role as Madhavi was appreciated by all…
Yes, it is a fun show and me being the only constant female character, got noticed. Madhavi is a cool character, I love playing her.

Well, you have a good collection of work behind you, why do we see so less of you

off screen…
It is recently that I have started going to parties, I am a very homely person, if I am not working, I am at home with my family. First, my parents were the centre of my life, now, along with them, I have my husband, Ashish Soni, around whom my life revolves.

With so much of work on your plate, where do you get the time to be with your husband?
Oh! That's not a problem. I have ample time to be with my family. I don't shoot throughout the month and the fact that my husband is not from the industry helps us keep that fine balance. Moreover, both of are very secure with what we have and frankly, it is only because of his support that I am here today.

As I bid her adieu, the last thing I see is Shonali in her radiant pink lehenga smiling at me…and I leave, hoping that the lady in question gets better deals than her onscreen negative characters!