Kanica Maheashwari interview

My dreams have come true," says Kanica Maheashwari, who's currently seen in the role of a scheming princess in Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat.

Kanica Maheashwari (TOI Photo)

And how have her dreams come true? "Well, by coming to Mumbai and doing good work. I had heard that this is the city of dreams and after I landed here, it became my reality too," she says. Incidentally, acting was never really on her mind as a career choice. "It might sound cliched but frankly acting wasn't really my childhood dream! I was more into Vaastu and I am still a certified consultant. But then, I had quite a bit of time on my hands and I didn't really know what to do with it. My mom suggested I take up acting classes as it would keep me busy."

With the appreciation she got from her teachers and classmates, her confidence grew and she gave acting serious thought. "Before I realised it, I began to dream of going to tinsel town and voila, I was in Mumbai... bag and baggage!" she laughs.

But this city of dreams has also given her some nightmares. She recalls the events of July 26, 2005, when torrential rain laid seige to Mumbai. Kanica was also caught in the floods and had to actually swim to save herself. She also had to bid adieu to her car, which went totally under water.

She recalls, "Water started coming into the car and I realised this was not the usual heavy rain that the city witnesses, but that the situation was much graver. The loss of my car hurt more as it was my first car in the city and I was sentimental about it. It was my constant companion in those early days so I definitely felt its loss."
But she maintains that the experience has only made her stronger, saying "I didn't let it get me down. In fact, it spurred me on to work harder, to not just buy another car but also a house and other things. Today, I can gladly say that I'm content with the place that I've made for myself here."