Amrita Rao, who is best known for her role in Main Hoon Na, is all set make her TV debut with the show, Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai.
Amrita, what brings you to television at this point in your career
A lot of factors brought me to TV. Sometimes the story can be mindblowing but if the people concerned are not good, you leave the offer. It was a life changing moment for me when I met Vikas Gupta. The moment he narrated the story of Kalyani and Ketki Gaekwad, I was like ‘what a beautiful concept’. Then he told me that it’s a finite series and wasn’t TRP driven. Also, I was impressed by director Kushal Zaveri’s work in Gumrah and was keen to work with him.
Generally when a mainstream Bollywood actress takes up television, the general perception is that her career in B-town is over. Is it People can perceive anything they want to but time will prove it. The fact that I chose to do a finite show means I am doing my next Bollywood film this year. My journey in Bollywood has been good. I got everything easily. I was lucky to get films that were in my comfort zone. In the last four-five years, trends have changed. Filmmaking has become more real and personal on screen. That’s not my comfort zone, so I choose to decline some good offers. The story of rivalry between two sisters gives an impression that the show is based on the Mangeshkar sisters. Is that the case I don’t believe that it is inspired by Mangeshkar sisters but if anybody wants to draw a comparison, they are most welcome and we will take it as a compliment. Veteran actress Deepti Naval is playing the older you in the show. Does the prospect make you anxious in any way Deeptiji is such a profound actress that I wish I could have shared screen space with her. But she is playing me so there is no chance of that. I am thrilled that they chose her to play the middle-aged Kalyani. Looking at her I always felt, ‘that could be me.’ She was the girl next door and I have always been like that, in Bollywood. But I am nervous to think that she will come on the sets and watch all my episodes. She obviously has to study what I have done to take the character forward. That puts lot of pressure. Would you be open to doing non-fiction and infinite fiction on the tube I don’t think I would do ever do a non-fiction or an infinite fiction show. Today, the definition of non-fiction has become something else. I don’t identify with that. Besides, I don’t have the patience to work for 12 hours every day.
