Preeti Puri's roles get a shade darker on

Negative characters are a fast-emerging trend in television serials nowadays. It is not easy essaying a dark character, what with so many shades requiring to be portrayed. But Preeti Puri has taken it as a challenge and is ready to make a mark with her first negative role in the forthcoming soap Mamta. It is the story about the universal theme of motherhood "I play an ambitious daughter-in-law hankering after riches and wealth, not the usual scheming, evil types. It is a story that deals with what happens when a young surrogate mother is told that her child was still born, and then a year later she is told that her baby is alive and not in safe hands."

"My family initially stood against my decision to act, but later my parents supported me. It was only after I was appreciated in Aitraaz that my family proudly introduced me to their friends," says this Punjabi girl who comes from a closely-knit family and was born and brought up in Mumbai.

An MBA graduate, Preeti gave up a promising career in banking to join the uncertain world of acting. "I liked my job but always thought that I would look better on screen. Moreover, I would not have liked a monotonous lifestyle so I went ahead and auditioned for television roles."

According to Preeti, shooting for a movie is radically different from shooting for television, which brings out the best in every actor. Preeti has no inhibitions except exposing for a role. "I am not comfortable exposing. The skirt must be upto my knees and I restrict myself to spaghetti tops. I have been brought up in a conservative family and I value and respect my family's opinions."

As of now, she is enacting several roles on television soaps including Mr. Bajaj's daughter in Kasautii Zindagi Kay, Nandini's sister in Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Mouli in Kahiin Toh Hoga and Kehna Hai Kuch. Watch out for Mamta on Zee TV as this soap has a different story to tell. It also highlights how a woman plans for a surrogate pregnancy just because she wants to amass wealth and how an unhappy married man falls in love with the mother of his surrogate child.