"I would like to play characters with grey shades in future"

The very popular Namrata Thapa has been a part of many shows but is still popular as Lata of the Lata-Raj jodi of Yahaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli... Currently seen as Pallavi in Badalte Rishton ki Daastan, she reveals everything about herself in this candid chat with TellyBuzz.

Tell us something about yourself?

I am a very chilled out kind of a person. I love having fun with my friends and family and I enjoy life to the fullest. I am just like a kid, who can't keep quite even if asked to do so (chuckles) I keep on doing masti. I don't even take rest on my days off. I prefer going out for shopping or watching a movie since I love watching movies. I am a family person and can't stay alone without my people around. I am also a food lover and love having non-vegetarian food. I also love travelling and it's my agenda to travel around the world.

I began my acting career with Cinevistaas' Koi Hai on Star Plus. The shoot was supposed to be happening in Jaipur and they were auditioning for some roles in Delhi. I was doing modeling in Delhi and I was 16 yrs. old that time. They pushed me to go for this audition. When I came for the audition, I got to know that we have prepare our own script to give the audition. I had never done it before but I did it and they liked it and that's how I bagged the show. My Mom was into plays so I think that acting ka keedaa came from my Mom only. My Mom encouraged me to go to Mumbai. At the age of 18 and half, I came to Mumbai. Vaidehi... Ek Aur Agni Pareeksha was my first show after coming to Mumbai, then I did Stree Teri Kahaani on DD 1, then I got Naaginn..Wadon ki Agnipariksha, Kuch Apne Kuch Paraye, Kahiin To Hoga, Mera Naam Karegi Roshan, Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Khel, Jhilmil Sitaaron ka Aangan Hoga and now Badalte Rishton ki Daastan.

In between, I have also done few regional movies. I also got a chance to work with a very renowned producer of Odia who are as big as Yash Raj in Odia. The movie was a super duper hit in Odisa. I also did few regional movies in Bengali and Bhojpuri movies with Ravi Kissen. Then, my dates were clashing with my television schedule and I wanted to focus more on my television career so, I concentrated only on my television career and did Yahaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli.

It has to be Lata from Yahaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli! The scenes and the chemistry was good and people liked it so much that even now people  remember the pair of Raj (Sameer Dharmadhikari) and Lata and I keep reading their messages on Facebook. They even send mails to Zee TV and Kavita Barjatya to bring this pair back. This character touched me as the character was getting build up properly and it was the parallel lead but sadly, this started happening later when the show was to go off-air. I wish all those messages had happened little earlier.

With which character,  can you relate yourself the most?

As yet, I haven't got any character with which I can relate myself to. I can relate myself a little bit to the character of Lata, which I played in Yahaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli because she was homely and sanskaari. I also address people with respect by saying 'Ji' to them and we talk with respect even to children in our family.  

How were you as a kid? 

I used to be a very quite child as a kid. I used to hide behind my Mom when somebody used to come to meet me. I have never played with kids but I turned out to be quite the opposite when I entered into my teens (laughs).

I had never thought of becoming an actor during my childhood days. I was into modeling during my teenage years because of my brother. He went for an audition and I also went there along with him and I gave the audition and got selected. I always wanted to become a doctor or an air hostess.

How was the experience working with Rajshri Productions?

It was a very nice experience to work with them. Rajshri's one of the best production houses to work with. They make you feel very comfortable on the sets. One gets a different feeling being altogether on their sets. They treat everyone with a lot of love and respect.

Fans have loved the pair of Raj and Lata and still cherish the moment and want this pair back. How do you feel about it and what you would like to say to the fans?

The character of Lata is very close to my heart and one of my favorite work and shows. I hope to get a role similar to this again in near future with whichever actor opposite to me whether Sameer Dharmadhikari or someone else and people will admire the character like this. I would like to say to my fans that history can't be repeated but I hope to satisfy my fans again with some other shows.

Are you in touch with Sameer Dharmadhikari? What kind of bonding you used to share with off-screen?

He is a very nice and fun loving person. I am not that much in touch with him now because of our busy schedules; its not possible to talk daily or meet but sometimes, we do message each other. We are friends and we will remain friends always. I used to share a good bonding with each other and used to have food together on the sets along with my on-screen mother in law.

I am very close to everyone on the sets. I share my room with Tanushree Kaushal (my on-screen Taiji) so I am very close to her... she is a very nice human being. I am a pure soul and very simple; whatever I am from inside, I am from outside too and Tanushree is also like me. I like making friendship with such people so both of us became good friends.

What are your views about Badalte Rishton Ki Daastan ending so suddenly?

Its sad and shocking. I feel that, a lot could have happened in the show and TRPs also would go higher, if was in a different time slot. A lot of drama and tracks are yet to unfold but don't know why it couldn't happen. I feel that everything has its own time span so, I am not feeling that sad about what to do next. I am charged up with a hope to see something new coming my way and definitely I would be back soon with a different role. I would like to a play challenging character in future because I know my potential.

I am not on Twitter. I am on Facebook but I am not a Facebook person. I go there in 3-5 days to check messages and notifications. I am a homely kind of person who likes being with family and friends rather than going on social networking sites but I will be doing this from now on wards, so that  I can keep myself connected to my friends or fans.

I remember a fan who sent a collage for me in which there were a lot of pictures of mine from my different shows, my modeling days, with Sameer and also from my Odia movies with a quotation below each picture. She also sent a big card along with that. The craziest encounter I had was when I got an e-mail from one of fans saying, 'Why you are doing Jhilmil Sitaron Ka Aangan Hoga? We don't like the chemistry with your husband in this show. We want you back as Lata with Sameer. Why the channel is not listening to our request and why are they not bothered about this? Why they are not bringing you and Sameer as lead pair?' and then she sent this mail to Zee TV and to producer Kavita Barjatya also. She also put this message on Facebook. She had written this with a lot of anger. I felt that fans were not happy to see me playing the wife of any other actor after reading that mail (laughs).

What kind of roles would you like to play in future?

I would like to play characters with grey shades in the future. I want to play some different character apart from this typical rona dhona characters. I want to play the real me who is very bubbly and westernized. I am a fun loving person and I even keep on doing masti on the sets so, I would like to play this kind of character or then maybe a negative one too.

I never took it seriously but people in my family, keep on telling me to give a try. I want to try getting into Bollywood if something good comes my way.

Talks are on and I recently was on a vacation for 8-10 days and came back yesterday only. I was in Delhi and now I will see what has to be done. I would like to say to my fans that I will come back soon and won't dis-hearten them. I will take up something challenging and different this time which they will like it.

Anwesha Kamal