She made us laugh while hosting shows and was an ideal bahu on the small screen, Aishwarya Sakhuja aka Toasty of Saas Bina Sasuraal fame is all set to return as Shikha, this time in a thriller drama Main Naa Bhoolungi on Sony TV. She speaks with Sangeeta YadaV about her role
What’s your new show Main Naa Bhoolungi likeIJ
I’m playing Shikha, a simple and sweet college girl. Her parents get her married to a boy who is an ideal husband. But he has a dark secret — his dreams are all about torturing and killing her. It’s a thriller drama with lots of twists. The show and my role is opposite of Toasty of Saas Bina Sasuraal (SBS). I want to break the Toasty mould and bring Shikha into the limelight.
The show is about crime against women. What are your viewsIJ
Crime against women has been happening for donkey’s years but it is now getting reported. It’s sad that women feel unsafe in India and fear reporting the crime. People are shackled with stereotype thinking about women. It makes me angry to see how easily criminals go scotfree and repeat their offence. This is because we don’t have harsher punishment or strict laws.
How much can you relate to Toasty and Shikha in real lifeIJ
I couldn’t get into the character of Toasty in SBS too much. I would get irritated because I couldn’t believe that anybody could be so good in real life. But slowly Toasty and Aishwarya’s personalities got merged. Shikha’s journey is yet to start.
Grapevine has it that SBS Season 2 is on the cardsIJ
There were talks about this but nothing concrete as of now. But, I would love to be a part of it.
Do you believe in arranged marriagesIJ
I would prefer to marry a person I love. I’m already in a relationship. Rohit Nag is a producer and director of ad films and movies. There are no plans of marriage as of now but may be after a few years, we’ll take our relationship forward with our parents’ blessings.
What kept you busy since SBSIJ
I don’t want to do any run-of-the-mill shows. After SBS, it took me a while to choose a fiction show I liked. SBS was pathbreaking for me and I was looking for something bigger. This industry gives you a lot and also takes away a lot from you. In my case, my health suffered and post SBS, so I took a break. Being without work makes you feel depressed. If you aren’t fit, showmakers think twice. So, I wanted to completely recover.
What’s the best thing about actingIJ
I used to have lots of fights with the crew on why they would put my call time early and others’ late. But when I would hear people talk about my show, it made me feel good. That feeling is going to stay with me forever. I love to act and will do so till I die.
Tell us about your experience as a TV hostIJ
Hosting requires a lot of brilliance. I got to learn to be spontaneous and be funny at the same time. There is a difference between dealing with a celebrity contestant and a general contestant. When I hosting Nach Baliye — Sriman Srimati, Neelu Vaghela had to moonwalk and she did it wearing heels. It was awesome. People used to call me Amitabh Bachchan since I am tall. It was all in fun. I have now mastered how to host a show and can anchor any reality show. Also, being a part of reality shows, as a contestant, is not a bad idea either, especially if you get paid well.