"I prefer to keep a safe distance from Surekhaji to get into the mood of my character in Balika Vadhu" - Neha Marda
November 20th, 2008
Neha Marda tells Jyothi Venkatesh that she watched the CDs of Bandit Queen to get into the skin of her character Gehna in Balika Vadhu…
Neha Marda who is playing the role of Gehna in the popular serial Balika Vadhu is quite excited at the fan following that she has been receiving for her performance in the serial. The sprightly lass has signed on the new show Jo Ishq Ki Marzi Woh Rab Ki Marzi slated to go on air on Sahara One and is enjoying this phase of her career now.
Not many are aware of the fact that Neha had actually started faced the camera for the first time as a little kid with her stint as a participant in the popular dance show Boogie Woogie. Then followed yet another dance show called Kaboom.
When I meet her at the location shooting of new show Jo Ishq Ki Marzi Who Rab Ki Marzi at Phaltan near Satara in Maharashtra, Neha tells me excitedly that Neil Bhatt who has been cast in the romantic lead opposite her in the show was a co-participant in the show Kaboom. "While I went on to win the show, Neil lost out to me in that show", Neha giggles.
Besides the dance shows Boogie Woogie and Kaboom, Neha has also acted in quite a few serials till date including Ek Thi Rajkumari which as on the now defunct channel Zee Next. "Though it was Ek Thi Rajkumari which had me playing the title role for the first time, I also enjoyed working in the serials like Saath Rahega Always and Ghar Ek Sapna too."
Neha says that she is playing a very challenging character in the new show Jo Ishq Ki Marzi Woh Rab Ki Marzi too. "I play Sunaina, who is only 19. She is a live wire, full of energy, outspoken, witty and highly adventurous. Music and dance runs in her blood and she is very passionate about it. Life however takes a sudden twist and the two love birds are separated for ten years. The show is all about how Sunaina, with her faith in Sumer's love and their relationship since their birth is ready to face all adversities, in their only desire, to be one forever".
Neha concedes that though she has acted in a few serials earlier and is not a new comer , people presume that she has actually made her debut as an actress with the serial Balika Vadhu, because it has become quite popular. Neha confesses that though acting in Jo Ishq Ki Marzi Woh Rab Ki Marzi was like a picnic, it is quite tough getting into the skin of her character in Balika Vadhu as the innocent young girl Gehna who is married off to an elderly widower.
Neha confessess that it is not a cake walk as far as preparing for the character of Gehna is. "The first brief that I was given was that I had to watch the CDs of Shekhar Kapoor's controversial film Bandit Queen , because the film also deals with the issue of sexual harassment in an adult manner. "
It is interesting to note that Neha, as a part and parcel of her preparation for the character also asked by the director to maintain a safe distance and not to become very friendly on the sets with the actor who is playing the elder brother Vasant who forcibly gets Gehna as his second wife. "Since I had to get into the mood of the character, I prefer to even keep a distance from Surekha Sikriji who is playing my mother in law in the serial. I just make it a point to walk up to her when the shoot starts and just say a Hi Ma'm."
Neha admits that it was after her episodes in Boogie Woogie were telecast that Sahara One offered her the role in Saath Rahega Always. Besides Saath Rahega Always, Ghar Ek Sapna and Ek Thi Rajkumari, Neha has also acted in a documentary directed by Harsh Chhaya. "I played an 18 year old drug addict girl who gets molested mentally. It was after Rajesh Chaddha of BAG Films saw the documentary and asked me to do an audition, that I was selected for Ek Thi Rajkumari."
Neha says that, as an actress, she yearns to bag a role which will allow her to display her prowess in dancing, since she is proficient in dancing . "I feel that dancing is actually related to acting in many ways. I have learnt Bharat Natyam for nine years, Kathak for seven years, jazz in four years and Salsa in three years. For three consecutive years, when I was 17, 18 and 19, I was lucky enough to win the hat trick in the Boogie Woogie dancing competition on Sony."
Though as of now, Neha is quite busy round the clock working in two daily serials at the same time, she asserts that she is keen on acting in films too. In face, recently though she had bagged a very plum role in a South Indian film, she had no alternative but to forego the role because she could not get off from shooting for both her serials.
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