'My pet name is Go Go'- Sparsh Khanchandani

Did you prepare for Rashi's role?

I didn't have to prepare for essaying Rashi's character. That's because Sparsh and Rashi have a lot in common. We both hail from a middle class family. She's naughty, clever and plays pranks just like I do.

Rashi is 13 whereas you are 11. Was it a challenge to play a girl two years older than you?

In acting you often play characters who don't exactly match your age. It was in fact very simple to play a girl two years older than me.

How do you bond with your reel mom Rupali Ganguly on the sets?

I have great fun with her on the sets. She calls me Chinti. I call her Pinky. She has an I-pad on which I play games. We talk on a variety of topics.  I call her 'mamma'. She tells me what happened in her childhood and I tell her that the same happened in my childhood too. We share lunch. She pampers me with cakes, cookies and ice-cream.

How do you bond with the other kids on the show?

They are like my real brothers and sisters. We all study and play together. Sometimes we fight too. We are like one big family.

Do your friends and teachers call you Sparsh? Or do they address you by your show names Nanhi, Choti and Rashi?

No they call me Sparsh. My pet name is Go Go. My real mom calls me by that name lovingly when she wishes to patau (pamper) me.

How are you performing in school?

I go to school regularly and study on the sets. I am always prepared with my lessons in class. I get in my A's in school. We just had a Hindi test. I got 9 out of 10. My teachers are pleased with my performance.

What do your teachers and friends say of you when you act?

I don't get star treatment in school. My friends and teachers are however always keen to know what will happen in the upcoming episodes.

Do you still want to be an IAS officer when you grow up?

I seriously want to become an IAS officer. I will continue acting till I start finding my studies difficult. I am now in Class VII. Maybe I will act till I am in Class VIII.

Will they replace you if you quit the show because of study pressures? 

God knows...

What advice would you give to children who want to be TV actors?

I wish to advise them that studies come first. They have to complete their studies no matter what. Acting is after all not a steady career...sometimes you may get roles, sometimes you may not. 

Reporter and Author:  Pallavi Bhattacharya