'I would never want Geet to be out of public memor

WEDNESDAY, 16 MAY 2012 23:09

PIONEER

Drashti Dhami got 'physical' for her role as namesake of a timeless heroine

She hit a jackpot when her last serial Geet Hui Sabse Parayi catapulted her to the top of the small screen sweepstakes. Something that keeps revolving in an industry that doesn't believe in shelf life. Since then, there has been no dearth of roles for Drashti Dhami. But she took some time to accept Madhubala, a modern retelling of a girl's journey in the film industry like the classical icon. "I didn't want to get stuck in a rut. I was looking forward to do something interesting that would raise the bar I had set with Geet.

"Madhubala was a project I couldn't have said no to. It is a character study with many layers. Refreshingly, the character also responds to people around her and changes along the way."

Drashti has been flooded with calls seeking confirmation whether she was really playing the classical Madhubala on screen, something that would have been a prize role.

"It is not based on her life but derived from several reference points. It is also about the real lives of people in the film industry; it is not as fancy as it seems and they have their share of pain, agony and frustrations. No actress would have refused such a role and I am lucky," says the bubbly actor, who is happy to be called Madhubala. "It is surely the biggest compliment for any woman. But I would never want Geet to be out of public memory. Your first defining role always remains special and close to your heart. And Geet gave me an identity," she adds.

She has been having a gruelling schedule but justifies it saying, "it is tough to be a part of daily fiction shows, you don't have time to even breathe and you need to take immense care and be disciplined."

She has taken to cooking as a stressbuster and has almost become a perfectionist. For fitness, she has added power yoga to her routine.

"I try to do yoga at least thrice a week. It calms you down. Also, whenever I get time, I go out to jog. I am not a gym person and can't spend hours on machines," Drashti says.

If she has a luxury of time, Dhami tries out retail therapy. "I am a compulsive shopper. When I do not find anything appropriate for myself, I shop for my friends," she adds.

Drashti is quite the pragmatist and knows TV actresses have a definite timeline. Though she has no concrete plan, she might do something where she "can be in the company of kids."