ANGElA PAlJOR speaks to child actress SANIYA TAUQUEER who will be seen portraying the role of seven-year-old Manpreet on &TV’s Waaris
How do you manage your studies along with actingIJ
I go to NTCC school in Malad, Mumbai, and my teachers there are very supportive. So I don’t find it hard to work as an actor and study alongside it. When I’ve a lot of homework to do, I take it with me to the set and I complete it there. I don’t work late nights, maximum time would be nine.
Do your parents accompany you to the setIJ
My father always accompanies me to the shoots. My parents got divorced when I was three. Since then, my dad has continuously supported me. He is a choreographer and he really understands me. My dadi, too, was very supportive and now that she is no more, I feel like I’m living her dream.
Do you get treated differently by your friends at schoolIJ
I don’t have many friends at school. I’m hoping that once I start coming on TV I will become more famous.
Do you want to be an actor in futureIJ
No, I want to do everything from singing and dancing, to acting. I was a non-actor when I did my first short film, Pari Ki Pukar in Delhi. later, I went for acting classes and I’ve been acting since then. Whenever someone asks me what I want to do in life, I say ‘I want to be all in one’.
Other than Waaris, what all serials have you worked forIJ
I’ve worked in a lot of serials. I started by playing Anarkali in Jodha Akbar. Then I worked in Shapath, Balika Vadu and Sumit Sambhal lega. Since I have started working in Waaris, my confidence has reached another level.
What do you do when not in school or on the setIJ
I hate cartoons like Chota Bheem and Doraemon, so I avoid watching any of that. I usually work on myself from acting to stunts. I try working on my cartwheel and splits.