Urvashi Dholakia: No More Tears

NO MORE TEARS FOR URVASHI DHOLAKIA!

"I Have Broken Up With Sandeep (Chowta). It's Not Necessary That Dating Should Materialize Into Something Serious"

She's the original vamp of television and she's back to reclaim her crown. It had been a while since we'd seen Urvashi Dholakia on screen but she was always in the news. Whether she approved or not!

We decided it was about time we caught up with Urvashi. There are her shows, 'Risshton Ki Dor' and 'Kasautii Zindagi Kay' to talk about, her apparent strained relationship with co-star Moon Moon Banerjee and her recent split with music composer, Sandeep Chowta. And lots more…

ST: Tell us about your television debut as a young teenager?
UD: I did 'Dekh Bhai Dekh' when I was neither a kid nor a grown-up. I was in school, somewhere around the end of Standard 10. But it was a great experience.

ST: You are then known to have taken a break, not to finish your studies, as one would expect, but to get married and have your twin boys. Two years later, as a 17-year-old mother, you made her comeback. Was it as difficult as we would like to assume?
UD: It was never difficult for me. The industry has always welcomed me with open arms. When I came back, it wasn't that television had become huge. It was still pretty small. Star Plus had just started with Hindi programming and I did an episode for their show, 'Saboot'. I went on to do 'Zanjeerein' for Zee. Nobody gave me any problems.

ST: Then followed Zee's 'Mehendi Tere Naam Ki', which got you a lot of accolades for your acting skills…
UD: I had a beautifully etched character. That role will always remain special to me.

ST: You agree that it was your advent into Balaji that has largely made you the star you are?
UD: Balaji just happened to me. I got a call one day saying 'kal se shoot karna hai'. This was for their show, 'Ghar Ek Mandir'. I was very skeptical of doing dailies because I had kids to look after. And I never wanted to engross myself so completely with work as I was still trying to figure out what to do with life. But I decided to give it a try and fortunately, that track did really well. After that, Balaji gave me 'Kabhi Souten Kabhi Saheli' where I played the lead with Anita Hassanandani. That was a step ahead for me; in fact, it was the number one show on Channel 9."

ST: And then came the show that made you the star you are today…. As Komolika in 'Kasautii Zindagi Kay', you became the most hated woman on TV, all thanks to the torment your character brought about in Prerna's (Shweta Tiwari) life.
UD: The credit should only go to Balaji. It was Ekta (Kapoor) who devised the entire character and look. In my previous shows, I was this little thing who hardly did any make-up, no fancy hairdos, nothing. But Ekta had faith in me. I don't know what she saw in me; maybe she spotted the bad side in me.

ST: And you had no inhibitions playing an out-and-out vamp?
UD: I didn't really. See, TV was just emerging at that time. It's only today that it has got the grounding and the rooting. And I don't fear being typecast as the vamp at all. I'm just an actress; if people want me to perform a negative role, and if I get paid for it, why not?

ST: Today, you are rocking the show with your catty act once more, but there was a time when you'd left it citing personal reasons. There was much speculation that this move was due to your emerging problems with Balaji and Ekta Kapoor…
UD: This happened last October and things got blown out of proportion. I had mentioned to Ekta in July itself that my health was deteriorating. I had lots of issues due to that. It was a cut-to-cut telecast and I couldn't concentrate on my health. Ekta very well understood my situation and she realized that in six years, I'd never asked for something like this. So there had to be a valid reason. She granted me the leave. There was never any problem. Balaji is family to me and I share a very special relationship with them. If my family wouldn't understand me, who else would? I'd always said that whenever Ekta wants me back, I'll come back without the slightest hesitation. I'd never left the show anyway; I'd just taken a deliberate break because my health was in a terrible state. Talks were on since the past five months but things were just not materializing. Recently, Ekta felt this was the right time for me to come in. She told me openly, 'I need you now.' I was always happy with 'Kasautii…' and I still am. Ekta's never given me a reason to be unhappy about anything.

ST: With 'Kasautii…' you have full satisfaction. What about Sony's 'Risshton Ki Dor' where you play the main antagonist again?
UD: I didn't take up anything after 'Kasautii…' last year because I was recovering. Then, I got a call for 'Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin', where I did a cameo and 'Risshton Ki Dor' on the same day. I did my first-ever daily soap, 'Waqt' at the age of 13 with the Adhikaris. That's how long back I go with them. And in complete due respect to that, I took up this show.

ST: The role was offered to a lot of other actresses before it came to you?
UD: That really doesn't bother me. I got to know that much later, and at the end of the day, the fact remains that I'm doing it.

ST: You, and co-star Anuj Saxena are also being criticized for your lack of chemistry on screen. There were stories abounding about you being replaced too...
UD: Yeah, but I'm still here, right in front of you, on the set of the same show. In fact, I'm the queen of the set. I'm very much in the show and I will be in the show. Those were baseless rumours as usual. All I'd like to say is that whether or not I speak to the press, I'm still written about in some way or the other. They love me so much; it's very flattering for me to be given so much importance. As far as the so-called lack of chemistry between Anuj and me is concerned, it's for the producers to decide. They seem quite satisfied. So I don't think others should bother.

ST: What about your reported cold vibes with co-star Moon Moon?
UD: What rubbish! I didn't even know that Moon Moon had joined 'Risshton…' because the day she entered the show, I was detected with chicken pox. For nine days after that, I wasn't shooting at all. Why should I have a problem with Moon Moon? Besides 'Risshton…' I'm also doing 'Kasautii…' with her. We don't just go back to our 'Kasautii…' days; the world should know that Moon Moon and I know each other since college. We were in the same class so there's no way in hell that we could have a problem. Obviously, we don't communicate beyond the sets. It's just hi and hello for us. We're neither best friends nor are we enemies. And I'm not best friends with anyone from the industry. It's very cordial between us and I think even Moon Moon would agree to that.

ST: 'Risshton Ki Dor' was touted to be the next big thing on Sony, but unfortunately, it hasn't lived up to the expectations.
UD: It's very easy to have high expectations. Sony never really had an afternoon broadband. Other channels did. There have been several prime-time shows, which didn't pick up for 50-60 episodes. We're still a small-time afternoon show. But we've completed 80 episodes, it's been a good innings, the TRPs have been consistent and I'm sure gradually it will do well.

ST: What about the latest buzz that they might pull it off air?
UD: Well, there are many people in the industry who say lots of things. Let's see what happens. Frankly, these rumours have been going on since the show started.

ST: Your professional life seems just about perfect and until recently, your personal life was blooming with a budding romance with music composer, Sandeep Chowta. But things were not to be?
UD: Sandeep and I were just dating. I remember there were some silly rumours about marriage. I don't know where the hell they came from. People got unnecessarily excited for me. I think it was because for the first time I came out in the open and claimed that I was dating someone. What's wrong with dating? We were just trying to get to know each other. It's not necessary that dating should materialize into something serious. What's new about my break-up? Yes, I have broken up with Sandeep but I'd rather not comment further. Life takes its turns. It just took its turn, that's it. It's not some big event worth talking about.

ST: How do you explain a romantic relationship to your sons?
UD: I don't need to explain anything to them. They are 11-years-old now and quite mature. The trust between the mother and her sons is very much there with us. They don't really question me on anything. If they do, then I have the answers.

ST: One thing you are adamant about is never quitting your career. No man or marriage could ever make you give up on something you've worked so hard for?
UD: Why should I give up my career for anyone? I gave up my career when I was 16 for a man. I won't make that mistake ever again in my life. And it's not the question of any man being worth your career. It's just that in today's times, I don't think any woman should give up her career. Every woman should have her own identity. I make my own rules and live my life the way I want to.

ST: Did your first marriage make you bitter?
UD: It's not made me bitter at all. Had it made me bitter, you think I would have spoken so openly about it? I would have probably said something nasty. The fact is my ex-husband and I didn't get along, so we went our separate ways. Nothing more. The only mistake I made was leaving my career. That I can say with certainty, I'll never repeat.

ST: Tell us something about your new venture. You decided to go a step ahead and set up your own production company, Zephyr Media with partner, Shanela Kapoor. You've launched your first show 'Rang De Basanti Salaam' on 2nd October. The programme celebrates and pays homage to the heroism of common people. Sounds exciting for sure. But your trump card is the show's host, actor Aamir Khan who brings the programme to life.
UD: People wrote my production company off but look what we've managed today. Things do take time. And I especially feel people from our field should not be so nave and daft that they don't realize that things take time to happen. Shanela and I met six years ago when I was shooting for 'Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand' in London. I always wanted to do something in production and Shanela wanted to do something similar. So we joined hands and this is our venture. God willing, everything should work out well!