Mouni wants to act with AB Jr 
Mouni Roy, who plays Krishna Tulsi in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi is one of the most talked about actors on small screen because she has arguably bagged the best role that the mother of all soaps had to offer. Shagufta Kalim talks to Mouni about her long distance relationship, fame, living alone, friends and more.
Now you are a pivotal part of the most successful soap opera on television. How has life changed for the ordinary college going girl?
Well, it hasn't sunk in as yet, but the feeling is mind-blowing. And for family and friends I am still the same Mouni.
Are you being recognised on the streets?
Frankly, I am so busy with my shoots that I haven't yet managed to take time out to explore the city. My life right now revolves around the studio and at the end of the day I am so tired that I head straight home.
Your boyfriend is in Delhi while you are working in Mumbai. How are you coping with a long distance relationship?
I miss him very much. And as for maintaining a long distance relationship, like others I am indebted to the inventions of the modern world. We keep in touch through the phone or are hooked on to the Internet whenever possible.
Krishna Tulsi is the quintessential Indian girl, forever clad in a salwar kameez. What is Mouni's off-screen style?
Oh, I am like any regular college going girl. You can catch me in denims with a t-shirt, capris and not to forget comfortable pajamas. Fashion for me is all about comfort and anything that compliments my looks.
You are living all by yourself in Mumbai, how are you managing in a new city?
Right now I am feeling a wee bit lost and lonely living all by myself. Just the mention of home and ghar ka khana make me feel nostalgic.
A few television actors like Surveen Chawla live in the same building as you do. Did you make any new friends?
Considering my hectic schedule, taking out time for myself is a hard task, leave alone making friends!
What is your fitness and beauty regime — especially the secret behind those lustrous locks?
Fitness and me? You are asking the wrong person. I hardly hit the gym but I am a trained dancer, specialising in kathak and salsa. As for my hair I have a zero maintenance policy for it. In fact, my hairstylist is after my life and keeps telling me to comb it more frequently.
What's your favourite food?
I am a real foodie. Bengali food remains on top of my list and Chinese comes a close second.
What are your plans for the future?
I have just made my debut and right now Kyunki... remains my top priority. I never make plans for the future.
What's your dream role and which actor would you love to work with?
Without doubt, Rani Mukherjee's role in Black is to die for. And I would love to share screen space with Bachchan junior.
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Meet the charachter krishna tulsi
Mouni Roy is a Balaji discovery and all set to take her place under the sun as the new Tulsi in 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi'. Mouni, who takes over the mantle of Tulsi Krishna, is a regular looking but modern girl who was pursuing a Masters in mass communications from Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia University till fate took over.
"Getting a break with Balaji was completely unexpected. I had auditioned at several places because I had to kill time during my summer vacations. As I had done theatre and street plays, I was interested in acting," she reveals. However, she admits she has never watched 'Kyunkii…' before. "I guess after being part of this industry, I've realised the hard work everyone puts in. I've finally stopped criticising the soaps," she smiles.
Incidentally, Mouni also auditioned for Balaji's new show 'Kasturi'. She points out that when she got the offer for 'Kyunkii…', she was a wee bit disappointed. "I wasn't sure whether I wanted to do the role. The show has so many stars, and I did not want to be overshadowed by them. I kept insisting for the other show," she says.
Mouni is coming to terms with the necessity to make Mumbai her home — even though her boyfriend will continue to be based in Delhi. As for stepping into the shoes of Krishna Tulsi, Mouni knows she has a long way to go. "Smriti is a great actor and she has been very sweet. I am yet to get into the skin of the character, but I'm working on it," she says.
The debutante has had very fleeting interactions with soap queen Ektaa Kapoor. "I've met her couple of times and she hasn't corrected me much — which probably means I am good," she laughs. But on a serious note she concludes, "Ektaa's asked me to enjoy less and work hard."
Mouni Matters
- Orginally from Cooch Behar, West Bengal English Honours from Miranda House Presently pursuing MA (Mass Comm) from Jamia Millia Islamia University
- Loves theatre
| SIMPLICITY |
| Who's that girl? |
| She's taking the Virani khandaan forward. Meet Tulsi's protege — Mouni Roy |
| Jagmeeta Thind Joy |
| Chandigarh, July 9: It's been a back-to-back schedule. In fact, 27 of the 31 days she's been in Mumbai, have been spent at work. So it's but natural, the few minutes she spends talking to us on the Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi sets, Mouni Roy (affectionately called 'KT' on the sets) eagerly reaches for the plate of steaming hot bhajjis (Marathi for pakoras) and freshly made tea. ''Have you seen the show,'' the dusky doe-eyed Mass Communication student from Delhi (she's enrolled in Jamia Millia Islamia) asks us. Er, yes, sometimes, I answer. ''I never used to watch it before. But now I must,'' smiles Balaji Telefilms' latest find who hails from Cooch Behar, West Bengal. For those not in the know, Mouni Roy was 'the chosen one' after a series of auditions held across the country, including Chandigarh. Selected to play the all-new character of Krishna Tulsi after the soap took its latest generation leap, Roy is being seen as Tulsi Virani's (Smriti Irani) protege. ''Those are really big shoes to fill but I'm all set to give it my best shot,'' shoots Roy, a fresh face on the small screen. Quiz her on what she thinks got her the coveted role and Roy quips, ''Perhaps Ektaa Kapoor will answer that better. I think they were looking for simplicity in character. Maybe I fit the look they were hunting for.''
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| A star in her own right | ||
| MAIN UDDIN CHISTI | ||
Cooch Behar, June 14: Now, a small-screen starlet from Cooch Behar. Mouni Roy of Gandhi Colony here has caught the attention of viewers across the country by acting in the hugely popular television soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. She plays the grown-up self of Krishna Tulsi who as an infant had been rescued by the heroine of the serial, Tulsi, 20 years ago. ?I find it amazing to see my daughter on TV, and that too, in such a popular serial,? gushes Mouni?s mother Mukti, who is a high school teacher. ?I am very happy about it.? Mouni was unveiled in the June-7 episode of Saas Bhi Kabhi and since then has been hogging the limelight. Her whole family ? Mukti, Mouni?s father Anil and younger brother Mukhar ? have been religiously turning on the TV every night at 10.30 to watch her performance on Star Plus. However, Anil, who is the office superintendent of the Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad, still believes his daughter should have completed her post graduation in mass communication before she took up acting as a career. ?I had sent her to Delhi (at Jamia Milia Islamia) to study, but she started on this, right after sitting for her Part I exams,? he said. Mouni?s acting schedule keeps her in Mumbai now. Mouni had studied up to Class XII at the Kendriya Vidyalay in Baburhat here. Afterwards, she did her graduation in English literature from Miranda House in Delhi. At school, Mouni was never known as an actor, but excelled as a dancer. She had the right pedigree, though, as her paternal grandfather, the late Shekhar Chandra Roy, was a well-known jatra artiste. Mouni herself turned into a competent choreographer during her time at Miranda House. Of course, fate had a bigger role in store for her. |
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Nobody's friend | ||
Mouni Roy aka Krishna Tulsi can't get along with anyone on the sets of Kyunki... | ||
Sapana Patil Poojary | ||
On screen, she plays the docile and ideal bahu-to be, as Krishna Tulsi in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. But in real life, Mouni Roy is a far cry from the character she plays. The girl has barely stepped into the television industry, and she has already gained a notorious reputation for her erratic behaviour. The actress has been finding it exceedingly difficult to get along with people around her. She has been throwing tantrums and disturbing the shoot with her annoying pranks. "Mouni doesn't get along with anyone and has had a fight with practically everyone on the sets. She always insists on a particular make-up man for herself and refuses to accept anyone else. On days when two units are working simultaneously and the particular make-up man is busy, she creates a fuss about it," says a source. "Her pranks get on people's nerves. The moment she comes, she shouts and disturbs other actors. This has been the case ever since she joined the Kyunki... team. She doesn't even concentrate on her acting or the character she is expected to play. She focuses more on spending time with older actors and on, of course enjoying herself. She has been throwing a lot of tantrums. She doesn't get along with most actors except for Naman Shaw. She doesn't intend to be irritating, but I guess she just cannot manage the sudden fame and pressures of the glamour world," says a source. Talking about Mouni, co-star Reshmi Ghosh who plays Bhoomi says, "She is a child. She is new to the industry and needs time to adjust to her surroundings. People ask me whether she has an attitude problem, but all I can say is that she might be misunderstood." Mouni on her part admits to having problems on the sets. "I couldn't handle the new developments in my life. I moved to Mumbai and was living alone. The city was new and so was the Kyunki set. It took me time to get accustomed to the environment. I have come to learn that personal and professional life must be kept separate. I am fun-loving and a bit naughty too, which is misunderstood sometimes. I have no problems with anyone. Nobody is bad to me and neither am I bad to anyone. I share a good rapport with everyone and we hang out after the shoot," she says. |
Balaji's latest sensation Mouni Roy (Krishna Tulsi from Kyun Ki...) left her studies midway after being chosen by Ekta Kapoor for the mega-serial. Mouni was a student of Jamia Milia Islamia University in New Delhi. She was doing her Masters in Mass Communication when the Balaji bug hit her hard and she shifted to Mumbai. She wants to complete her studies though, and Balaji is all for it. In fact, if the grapevine is to be believed, they are going out of their way to let Mouni finish her studies, but it is the University that is playing spoilsport by asking her to attend classes. Knowing the impossible schedules daily soap stars keep, there's no way Mouni can heed that request.
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