*Shabir&Panchi Heaven - Shachi Mental Asylum*

Panchi Bora is the glycerine gal of Kayamath. Off screen, refreshingly, she is a garrulous giggler. A self-confessed "tigress", she has a mind of her own.

You started with Kitni Mast Hai Zindagi but took a break before reappearing with Kayamath. What did you do in the hiatus?

I was in my first year of studying law when I was offered Kitni Mast… After acting in that serial, I was confused whether I wanted to continue with TV or not. I was a newcomer and was made to work for really long hours, which scared me. Also, I was not prepared to take the responsibility of playing a lead. So, I took a gap and modelled for ads, where I was treated like a princess (laughs).

What drew you to Kayamath?

When Ektaa shows confidence in you, you cannot refuse a role. I was told that Ektaa wanted me to play Prachi in Kayamath. I had worked with Balaji and knew the working conditions. And I had always wanted to work with Star Plus.

When Kayamath began, it was a light-hearted love story. Do you miss the fun element?

I knew that the story would go this way and that my track would be with Milind, the character played by Shabbir Ahluwalia. My character is younger than him, we fall in love after marriage.

Will you marry an older person in real life too?

(Laughs) A person elder to you is more caring and loving; but I will fall for someone who is closer to my age.

It seems people liked you more with Shabbir; and the jodi is being called Michi (Milind-Prachi)...

I enjoyed my interaction with both Jay Bhanushali (who played Neev) and Shabbir. People were crazy about my jodi with Neev. Now they love Milind and Prachi's jodi, which gives me a high.

Jay Bhanushali is quitting the show...

I'm going to miss him like crazy because we started together. He was the first person I met when I went for the look-test. For a scene, he had to give me peck on my cheek and I warned him, 'Don't you dare kiss me.' We were very good friends.

Is it difficult enacting the romantic scenes with Shabbir?

While doing romantic scenes, I just sit quietly and Shabbir tells me what to do. I'm very bad with romantic scenes; it is only because of Shabbir that they come out so well.

Does his stubble hurt in the intimate scenes?

(Laughs) No, we never get so close, so no such issues.

Sanjeeda's character and yours are forever at loggerheads. How is your off-screen rapport with Sanjeeda?

Sanjeeda is a very sweet girl and fun to work with. In real life, she is very unlike her character Ayesha.

Your on-screen character is very docile and giving. Are you like that in real life?

(Laughs) I'm like a tigress in real life. I am always screaming at my mother. At the workplace, I'm really humble. I have a split personality; I can be quiet as well as talkative. I would not hate my stepsister or deprive her either. But I would give it back to her, it is pretty human. But there are people out there who, like Prachi, can't speak for themselves.

What has your Balaji experience been like?

Ektaa knows how to select people and give them the right kind of characters. Getting into Prachi's skin was very easy for me. I faced the camera for the first time with Balaji. As a newcomer, they gave me the main lead despite my Hindi being very bad (I am from Assam). All of Kitni Mast Hai Zindagi was dubbed.

Are your lines dubbed in Kayamath too?

I thought Kayamath would be dubbed but they told me that I could go ahead with my own voice. Initially, they gave me easy dialogues to make it simpler for me but now I have regular lines. I have been working hard on my voice and people have loved it.

Is Ektaa a regular on the sets?

She would watch the show closely when it was new; but once the show was established, she knew that I had understood the character and could take care of it myself. But we respect her and she has always been involved. She is the one who has found me among a thousand other girls. She changed my destiny and I am grateful to her.