TOI: Playing Bhabho has made me disciplined: Neelu Waghela

From being an entrepreneur to facing the camera and from regional films to prime time soap and even a reality show, Neelu Waghelaloves to experiment and try new things, as opposed to her rigid onscreen avatar.

Dressed in her onscreen garb (as Bhabho in popular telly soap Diya Aur Baati Hum), Neelu who was in Ahmedabad for a promotional activity says, "When I decided to act in the show, I had to understand where Bhabho came from. I tried to understand what makes her the person she is. She has been brought up to believe that her world is confined to her husband and family. I take a lot of inspiration from my mother for this character. She still keeps giving me domestic advice."

Mother of two, Neelu says "I'm an educated modern-day woman. But when you're playing a certain role, you not only lend your own character to it, but also take some back. I have gained discipline and a sense of empathy after playing Bhabho." Talking about her reality show stint, she says, "I'm glad I gave that a try. Like doing soaps was a first for me, dancing was another first. I got to spend time with my husband too"

But like everything else, this coin too had two sides. "The dance show took a toll on me in its own way. I used to shoot for Diya aur Baati Hum all day and then rehearse for hours, I barely got any sleep. It was extremely stressful."

Neelu has a strong connect with Gujarati films. "I'd essayed the role of a goddess in three of my Gujarati films. I'm a God-fearing person myself, and so it makes me happy to think that I got to play this role. My Gujarati isn't quiet fluent though," she shares. She also doesn't mind playing a grey character because she believes, "Negative is only shown to us, so that we can appreciate the positive in life," says Neelu, signing off on this pragmatic note.

By - Kalgi Patel