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🏏T20 Asia Cup 2025 India vs Pakistan, 6th Match, Group A, Dubai🏏
Bigg Boss 19 - Daily Discussion Topic - 14th Sep 2025 - WKV
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Mihika Verma - Interview
Mihika Verma, who is playing Smriti Irani's younger sister in 'Viruddh', has now managed to grab a role in Vinita Nanda and Raman Kumar's new serial. Although she is now doing the pilot project, she is keeping her fingers crossed. Vinita and Raman are the names behind televisions great serials like 'Tara', their last being 'Miillee'. The yet to be named serial is currently shooting its pilot and brings back this hit duo after more than two years.
We recently spoke to Mihika about her achievement so early in the industry. Being humble, she talks about her experience in the industry so far. Here is the excerpt.
Q: How does it feel to have grabbed a major role in Vinita and Raman's new serial?
A: See I am shooting for the pilot, but I do not know what is going to happen next.
Q: So what is your role like?
A: Actually, I'm instructed not to talk anything about the serial yet and I have already landed myself into much trouble by doing so.
Q: In that case tell us about your experience in Viruddh.
A: It has been a great experience so far. I have learnt so much from the serial! Every time I think I have learnt something, the very next day I realize that there is a lot that I still have to learn.
Q: You are working with senior actors like Vikram Gokhle, Smriti Irani, Sushant Singh, Achint Kaur, Ashwini Kalsekar. How has been your experience with them?
A: I'm lucky that I have got the opportunity to work with such actors, but when such actors are around you, you need to work harder. They know their job, but I being a non-actor, I really need to work hard to look good in front of them. Moreover, they pamper me a lot and always make sure I'm comfortable.
Q: How much have you learnt from them?
A: A lot. They are so good to me all the time. I have learnt a lot from them. They help a lot with things like voice modulation, eye and face expressions. I get practical knowledge from them. They show me things on the sets and I emote them there itself. So now I know how well or bad I'm doing.
Q: So who are you close to?
A: Actually, I'm close to the production team a lot, the assistant directors and others. I am also close to Karan, who plays my brother. We are like Tom and Jerry. Also I share good vibes with Chetan who is like my elder brother. I'm also fond of Achint, my on screen nani and mother.
Q: Has there been any incident that has got imprinted in your mind?
A: I do not think there are any such incidents, but there are several moments that I cherish. As for example, I had to emote anger, which I cannot do easily, so the director had to keep a cool with me. But at the end of the day, I was appreciated for my efforts, which I really cherish. There are many incidents like this.
Q: Do you identify with your character?
A: Yes, I'm very much like Shreya. I have always been pampered by my father and was also this little rebellious. But I was a little controlled and calmer.
Newcomer Mihika Varma would rather talk about how petrified she was of Vikram Gokhale and Smriti Iraani.
Games people play
It may be called the small-screen but the TV industry is today a colossal medium, not only promising swelling returns and a deluxe lifestyle but also cross-continent popularity to its actors. No wonder TV actors—be it the ruthless working rota, erratic sleep, nervous breakdowns or endless commuting—are game to sweat it out while the sun smiles. However, most have weaved stress-busting techniques into their routine to help them resist the oppressive work ethic.
Popular 'vamp' Achint Kaur shares, " work out, I've started taking dumbbells to the sets. I also suffer from low blood pressure. So I carry my juices and fruits and regulate my salt intake. In between shots, I read, listen to music and surf the net. Ultimately, it's about mind over matter."
She may be spreading negativity in Zee's 'Kasamh Se', but Roshni Chopra thinks positive. "When 'Kasamh Se' was new, it was so demanding! Today, I make it a point to workout. I stick to a protein diet. I meditate in between the shots, and carry an I-pod and books all the time."
Her co-star in the same show, Ram Kapoor reveals that he has joined a gym because his 'body suffered' due to lack of exercise. "We work for minimum 12 hours. But sometimes it goes up to 18 hours and more," adding, "I don't get enough time for my daughter Siya. But I'm working this hard for her. During 12 hours on the sets, I finish watching a two-hour movie on the DVD. It relaxes me."
Parizad Kolah Marshall, host of 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge' has to stand on her feet all day. "So in between, I shut my eyes for ten minutes and relax. I've to keep encouraging the contestants, which in turn ensures my energy levels are up. However, the comic participants do not allow me to get bored. They are my stress-busters," she claims.
Baddie Akashdeep Saigal says that when people 'jump' out of their cars and shout 'Ansh Gujral!' on spotting him, the grind seems worthwhile. "Playing negative roles sap you. So I sip electral water and meditate." He sums up the spirit that drives the TV work force saying, "Nobody has seen tomorrow, so why crib?"
No, I wasn't keen on doing serials simply because I can't connect with any of them though I have nothing against serials. Also time has been a major issue with me. I have been getting offers but I can't work for 20 to 25 days in a month for a show. Q So what made you change your mind? Did the Virrudh magic work on you? Or are you doing the show because you play an important role opposite Smriti Irani? Virrudh is definitely a different and classy show. It has a real good star cast of film and television actors. And the show is story-centric. Though it is being made in a television format, it has been treated like a film. When I was offered an important role which requires me to work for only eight days in a month, I couldn't say no to it. I am really excited about working in a multi-character soap. Q What's your role like? I am playing Aditya Bhardwaj, an industrialist who is also into social work. Aditya is a long-lost college friend of Vasudha (Smriti) and they meet at a Seva Ashram of which Aditya is a trustee. He starts taking an interest in her life and helps her get over her problems. He motivates her to face setbacks in life and is like a shoulder for her to cry on. But he is also a fun-loving and friendly guy who loves to flirt as well. Q Will Aditya become Sudha's love interest thus forming a love triangle? I really don't know. But yes, the character has romantic inclination towards Vasudha. Q Zaher didn't do all that well. How was the experience of doing the film? I loved shooting for the film and playing a bad guy. I did the film to enter the Bhatt camp. Q Which are the films you are doing currently? I am doing Shaadi Ke Side Effects for Manish Jha's Mumbai 10, which comprises 10 short films. Then I am doing Mukta Arts film called Cycle Kick, which is inspired by Bicycle Thief, where I am playing a young football coach. Q You anchored the first of its kind sex education show called Dangerous with Kamal Siddhu on Zoom.Were you comfortable hosting the show? No, I wasn't and neither was Kamal. The first one or two months,I was apprehensive because a show on sex education had never been done before. But we anchored it for nine months ,telling people to practice safe sex, try different positions and explore was quit fun. After Dangerous, I did another show for Zoom called Love Bytes, which dealt with relationship problems. Q Will you be doing more television shows in future? I want to explore the medium and will juggle my time between television and films. www.deccan.com |
Sameer Kocchar, introduced as Smriti Irani's love angle in Virrudh, sweated it out on the first day of shoot. And we're speaking literally.
Kunal M Shah
Sameer and Smriti Irani in a still from Virrudh
Popular television host Sameer Kocchar is shooting for Smriti Irani's Virrudh and will soon make an appearance in the serial. On the very first day of the shoot, Sameer who has never worked in a fictional show before, got a taste of the rigours of working in a daily soap, since the studio he was working in, had no air-conditioning.
Sameer took more than five hours to complete one scene as during the scene he kept sweating. The perspiration was visible on his face. Sameer says, "I can't tell you how horrible it was. This was the first time I was shooting for a television serial and I was excited that it is not a routine saas-bahu show.
"However, to my misfortune, on the very first day, the director Santram, gave me lengthy, high-voltage dialogues as it was a dramatic scene. The air-conditioners failed that day and I felt as if I was in a steam bath as I had a coat and jacket on. I play this rich, stylish industrialist called Aditya Bhardwaj and that's why I was dressed like this. I had such a lengthy dialogue that after every line, I would sweat and we had to cut the scene. My make up man would wipe sweat off my face after every line. It was one horrifying day and it happened to be my first day on the shoot. I took the entire half day to execute the scene but thankfully the director understood my problem."
Sameer will appear in the show as a childhood friend of Smriti. His character meets hers in her hour of crisis. There is supposed to be a romance angle between him and Smriti.
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