Ami's sister act

Ami Trivedi (the small screen's Kituu) has a younger brother, Karan, also an actor.

Karan does Gujarati theatre, as well as dubbing. "He, too, wants to do television, but before that, I have told him to put on weight. He is too thin and looks very young," says the doting sister.

Phone family

In the last few months, Ami has barely met her brother. She shoots almost everyday for SaharaOne soap, Kituu Sabb Jaantii Hai. "As the shoots are at various locations, we keep in touch via phone. While Karan stays at our home in Marine Lines, I stay with my uncle in Andheri. It is convenient for my shoots."

Karan has featured in Gujarati plays Goodbye Gomti and Best of Luck, and also dubbed for the Hindi version of the Harry Potter film, titled Potter aur Aag Ka Pyala.

"I am doing a lot of dubbing work. I also have to complete my TYBA," says Karan. "Due to our work schedules and timings, Ami and I mostly catch up on the phone."

Their father, Gujarati theatre director Tushar Trivedi, is currently in London — he is the director of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and has been in the UK for four years. "My mother, Jaya, is also in London. So the family keeps in touch through the cell phone. I speak to my father almost everyday," says Ami.

That rare day off from shooting means catching up with Karan. "I make it a point to go home and spend the day with Karan and friends."

Everyone's happy

But she always wanted to be an actress, so there are no regrets. "My dad was not too keen that I take up acting. He wanted me to be a professional — like a doctor. After my schooling at Manav Mandir, I joined Jai Hind College. I even appeared for the Common Entrance Test (CET) for medical admissions. Eventually, I did my BSc, with physics."

The television world is starkly different from theatre, "So Kituu was a whole new learning experience," adds Ami who has featured in Gujarati plays, like Mahapurush, Life Partner and Ek Aakarshan Ajnabi.

"Now, of course, my family is very comfortable with my acting on the small screen."