TOI: Not dating Neeraj - Hina

Hina Khan,who gained popularity as Akshara inYeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, was in Kolkata recently to attend a programme. CT spoke to her.

Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai just completed 1,000 episodes.Your first and only show turned out to be such a hit? I never expected that my first show would go on to become such a hit. The TRPs came last week and we came out as number one on the channel and number two overall after Balika Vadhu. Only Balika and Yeh Rishta are the oldest and biggest shows on television right now. I don't plan my life. I never wanted to become an actress too, my dream was to become a journalist. Then my friend forced me to audition while in college and next day I was in Mumbai. Now it's been four years. Let's see how life shapes up later. I have got some offers for films, but I am very busy with this show and have very less time for anything else.

We heard your biggest fan is from Kolkata? Yes, I don't know her name, but she is from this city. I have spoken to her once or twice, but I want to meet her someday. She has been messaging me every evening since Day One of the show four years ago, telling me how she liked me in the show. Never once has she forgotten doing that. She is a gem of a person, very polite and unobtrusive. She never calls or disturbs, unlike some other fans who message at 2 am.They irritate me.

The show recently took a four-year leap. Are you ok with playing mother to a five-year-old kid? People have been saying I look younger post the leap. See you cannot hide someone's age. I am just 25, I cannot look 30 even if I want to. I look at the leap positively. This show has given me everything. It doesn't matter if I play a 20-year-old's mom too.

After the leap, your character has transformed from a housewife to a working woman. After marriage, would you like to work? Marriage is a long way off for me. I feel working for women after marriage is good, but your children get neglected big time. My character, Akshara, also goes through this. She is a working woman but somewhere she is hurt because her son is closer to her dadi. You need to give complete time to your kid for at least five years, because all their first activities — first spoon of food, crawling, talking walking — takes place during this time also. No parent should miss this. After five, once your child starts going to school, you can plan this. I have understood all this while playing an on-screen mom. Personally, I would love to work after marriage and I will, but I will also take a gap when I need to.

Your character has an arranged marriage in the serial. Which one do you prefer — love or arranged? Arranged marriage is out of the world. You get married to someone you don't know and fall in love after marriage. You try t get information about their likes, dislikes and try to act accordingly. These moments are very special. I know it's weird to if I think of it as Hina, but it's a different feeling. You have seen it in numerous movies and it is true. As for me, it depends. I am ok with both love and arranged marriage.

We hear you are dating and even secretly married to ex-director of Yeh Rishta...Neeraj Baliyan? No! I am not committed to him. He has taught me a lot and is a very good friend, but we are not dating each other. Even if I was dating someone, I wouldn't tell because I am a very private person. I cannot think of relationship right now, it is too early for me. For four years everyday, I shoot everyday, so where is the time to get married? I stay with my parents and they know every thing about me. How can I be married? And I would never go against my parent's choice. My parents would want me to marry someone who is from the same religion.

After Akshara, what kind of character would you like to play? A bubbly and chirpy girl, totally opposite to what Akshara is. Because Hina is not Akshara. Yes, we have similarities. We have the same family values and ethics. But she is very weak and innocent. I am not like her. I can take my own decisions.

It is said that you and your co-star Karan Mehra (Naitik in Yeh Rishta...) aren't on good terms. You didn't even attend his marriage? Karan and I aren't friends, but we gel very well professionally. We don't know anything about each other's personal life, but on sets, we have lots of fun. After that, he is in his own world and me in mine. He personally came to invite me in my make-up room with an invitation card and a box of chocolates. But the schedule is such that when Karan gets off, I get off that time only. Since that was the only holiday I was getting off that year, I would rather go on a holiday. So I took off to Paris. He understood it.

This is your fifth visit to Kolkata. What do you like about the city? Kolkata is known for its fish and I love fish. I have been to the city during Durga Puja and cannot describe the experience. Some of the people from my set are from Kolkata, so I have heard a lot about the place.