Tellywood's erstwhile protagonists:Shama

Looks like there is a dearth of lead roles for television actresses who had earlier essayed central characters in popular serials. They are twiddling their thumbs and waiting for main roles to come by or are busy doing reality shows, because in this profession the dictum 'Out of sight, out of mind' applies with an alarming alacrity.

Many new faces have surfaced with new serials, and have become quite popular - for instance, Neha Bamb (Kaise Yeh Pyaar Hai), Kanchi Kaul (Ek Ladki Anjaani Si), Manasi Parekh (India Calling), Ami Trivedi (Kittu Sab Jaanti Hai), Rajashree Thakur (Saat Phere) and Prachi Desai (Kasamh Se).

So, where does that leave our earlier actresses like Aashka Goradia, Moulli Ganguly, Shama Sikander and Sonal Sehgal, who were equally talented?

Shama Sikander made not just the Gujjus of Ghatkopar proud but the entire nation
sit up and take notice of her as an ambitious student of film making when
she meandered through her role of Pooja Mehta, an obedient daughter, a lover and a feisty wife in Yeh Meri Life Hai on Sony. It was an out and out heroine-oriented serial with Shama in every frame. But once it became redundant, there was a curtain call for the show. Obviously Shama did not want to play any secondary character after having the entire story of YMLH revolve around her. Thus she ended up taking offers in episodic serials like Darna Mana Hai on Star One and is also one of the anchors in Jet Set Go for the same channel. She is currently keeping herself busy by shooting for another episodic one-hour teleserial based on real life stories, Man Mein Hai Vishwas, due to be launched in a leading channel. She also keeps her fingers crossed for a re-entry but this time as a heroine in Hindi films. She had earlier done miniscule roles in Bollywood films like Mann and Prem Aggan.

After Kkusum on Sony wound up, Aashka Goradia who made her presence felt as Kusum's daughter Kumud, (she had earlier acted in Achanak) which involved
a lengthy and focused character, disappeared from the telly scene. After a spate of ill-fated car mishaps and surgeries, she reappeared as one of the anchors in Star One's reality show Jet Set Go! which was a short-lived one since the format demands that the anchor with the least number of points quits the show. Presently, of course, she is seen as Kinnari in Fireworks Productions' hero-oriented Akela who is the ex-flame of the hero, but has little to do as Kinnari when compared to her act as Kumud. One has to wait and watch how her role develops in this supernatural thriller.

Shaina as Ramola Sikand's daughter-in-law hit it big time in Kahiin Kissi Roz on Star Plus and so did Moulli Ganguly as Shaina, who won the viewers' sympathy for bearing the brunt of the wicked and wily ways of ma-in-law only to get killed by the vamp's endless plotting and made a re-entry as the grand-daughter. Soon the TRPs dipped bringing about its finale. By then most of the viewers had lost track of the ending. After that Moulli was seen doing brief stints in Kkusum, Sarkar and an episode of Darna Mana Hai but nothing substantial as the main protagonist. Though, there is still hope for her as she has been roped in for Hat's Off Productions' Resham Dankh, as the protagonist's wife. Moulli has also given a noteworthy performance in the movie Raincoat. She is said to be waiting for good offers to come her way, be it in films or television.

Remember the smart, perky Air Force officer in Sara Aakash on Star Plus, Sonal Sehgal. She was in the news due to rumours of her alleged relationship with her co-star Shakti Anand, till it died a natural death when he married Sai Deodhar, the other actress in the same serial. After essaying the role of the stylish, brusque and offhanded Director of Hotel Kingston on Star One, Sonal Sehgal is nowhere on the tele scene today except for modeling for ads. The reason: She fell in love with a guy from outside the industry, got married and has perhaps quit acting too. One can never say if she will decide to make a comeback tomorrow but the big question is will she be considered to play the main character!