'An actor needs the admiration' : Rubina Dilaik

She first tasted success on the small screen as the chhoti bahu in the show of the same name.

Now Rubina Dilaik is back, this time, playing a role decidedly closer to home in the second edition of Punar Vivaah. Rubina says her role as Divya, a TV actress, in Punar Vivaah 2, has been demanding: "Portraying a character closer to your real life on screen is challenging, but there's so much more variation that can be brought in than is possible in the usual bahu role. So far it's been exciting and I enjoy getting this platform to perform. Fans have responded so positively -which is wonderful because I believe admiration is necessary for an actor."

Rubina and her co-stars (Karan V . Grover and Srishty Rode) follow in the rather successful footsteps of Kritika Sengar and Gurmeet Choudhary who propelled the original Punar Vivaah into the ranks of the leading shows on the telly. Rubina admits that she felt responsible about carrying the show's brand forward -although she isn't feeling any overwhelming pressure. "I wasn't a regular viewer of the first season, but I know that Gurmeet and Kratika did a great job. So more than 'pressure', I feel a sense of responsibility, since the show has already made a mark and we have to maintain it," she explains.

Certainly, working towards that goal is a lot of fun with the PV2 team.

Rubina tells us about enjoying the breaks during shooting, sharing cups of coffee as the rains pour down all around the sets, with the cast and crew. "We just enjoy chatting, sipping on our coffee," she enthuses, adding, "I know Srishty since our Chhoti Bahu days, so we get along well. She is an absolute sweetheart! I've heard about actresses on other shows who don't get along, so I consider myself lucky in this matter."

On the subject of Chhoti Bahu, it's difficult not to bring up Rubina's costar from the show and real life beau, Avinash Sachdev. With the couple now acting in separate shows on different channels, Rubina shares that they don't get as much time as they used to, earlier. "Recently I had to shoot in the nights for the wedding track on PV2 while Avinash was working on the day shift. We just weren't able to see each other for a while," she says.

Even when work hours are the same, meeting is still difficult, so the couple makes it a point to schedule special dates. "We live just 10 minutes away from each other, but shooting all day tires you. We make it a point to meet at least twice or three times a week, even if it is just half an hour or 45 minutes. We have dinner together, if nothing else. I prefer home-cooked food so we don't hang out at restaurants too much, but in Mumbai, people aren't so star-struck, so when we do go out, we aren't bothered too much. That said, I'd rather just hang out at home or at a friend's place," Rubina says.

Marriage is on the cards, the couple has previously admitted, but Rubina adds that work will remain a priority for them both for the time being. "We will decide in the next two years. It is all about what destiny has in store for us," she says.

For now, Rubina says she enjoys he time she's not in character, because it lets her just "be". "I have to wear make-up and heavy jewellery all day while I'm shooting, so off screen, I'm glad to just let my hair loose or tie it up in a bun," she admits. "When you play a character all day for 14 or 15 hours, all you want is some time to be yourself."