Double delight on new show

They have set the screen on fire with their fabulous onscreen chemistry. While Sameer Dharmadhikari who plays Siddharth Tyagi in Main Teri Parchhain Hoon is yet to come to terms with his wife's death in the serial, Megha Gupta who plays Aanchal in the show has decided to put her personal ambitions on hold in order to provide support to Tyagi's family. While Sameer who is a seasoned actor and model is not new to the television industry, this is his first attempt at acting in a daily fiction serial. Megha, on the other hand, is a relative newcomer who has done short stints in two daily soaps before.

There was never a paucity of offers for Sameer who has also done nine Hindi films and an equal number of Marathi serials. "But nothing really excited me about Hindi dailies because these shows don't have a definite end and the character graph goes haywire," he says adding, "But this show is an exception because it's a Rajshri production. The people are very decent, the show is good, the character I am playing is different from my earlier roles and I was also given the script for 50 episodes before we started shooting." But Main Teri Parchhain Hoon is a daily. Isn't there a chance of the show going the way of other dailies?

"Yes, the risk is there. But I trust the production house. I know the character's graph for sure and how the story will progress. Also, they have promised to give the script of the next 50 episodes soon. I have also told them to keep me in the loop about the changes in the story and character so that I am better prepared for the role. If I need feedback on certain things or require a narration, there is someone to help me out. In short, they have done their ground work well," says Sameer who came to Mumbai about a decade ago and took up theatre as a hobby. "It was more for relaxation," he recalls.

After his move to Mumbai, Sameer got some prestigious commercials and life took a different turn. "Theatre didn't pay much but it was the right medium to learn acting, discipline and also gain confidence. On the other hand, modelling gave me good money and a decent lifestyle," he adds. Films and television were a natural progression from modelling. "I have always done character-driven modeling. In none of my campaigns have I stood like a mannequin. Madhur Bhandarkar saw one of my ads and offered me a role in Satta. After that I have been doing one or two films every year," he elaborates.

Alongside he also did Marathi serials. "But they were all 52-episode shows where one knew the end of the story and character," he says. Talking about his role in Main Teri Parchhain Sameer says Siddharth is a small time middle class businessman who loved his wife and was completely dependent on her to taking care of his house and kids. "Her sudden death came as a rude shock to him. Though he is trying to get over his grief, he feels her loss when he is alone," he adds.

For Megha who has done second leads in Kavyanjali and Kumkum besides playing a tough cop in CID, Main Teri Parchhain is a major show. "I was doing CID when I got a call from Rajshri for the role. But I didn't show any interest and refused to visit their office as it required me to travel from the suburbs to central Mumbai. But they insisted and quite reluctantly I went for an audition and look test. Within two days I was told that I was going to play Aanchal," she smiles.

Though she has been refusing a lot of shows on 9X and Zee Next, Megha says she accepted Rajshri's serial because of a variety of factors.

"The story, role and the production house are all very good," she adds. Elaborating on her role, Megha says Aanchal is a typical 22-year-old ambitious and career-oriented middle class girl who feels guilty about Sameer's wife Jaya's accidental death though she is not directly responsible for the same. "Guilt makes her give up her career and she decides to take care of Sameer's children. Being a tuition teacher is just an excuse for her to get close to the family and be with the kids. She will gradually bond with the children and this will lead to a loving chemistry between Aanchal and Siddharth," she elaborates.

While working for dailies is a stressful experience for most actors, Sameer says working for Main Teri Parchhain has been an enjoyable experience.

Megha doesn't disagree, "Everything is well planned. We do 12-hour shifts for 21 days in a month. The entire unit has become like a family."

Sameer adds when he is not working for the show he misses the unit. Megha feels the same too. Both these young actors who have already made a mark with their characters in this serial are looking forward to doing more such challenging roles.

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