I feel priviliged to be born in a modern society-Sulagna Panigrahi

The beautiful Sulagna Panigrahi won all hearts playing the subtle Dhara in the conjoint twins' tale on Sony, Amber Dhara. The girl has come a long way as an actress, and has now bagged the lead role in Chhota Ganpati Telecreations' new show on Zee TV, Do Saheliyaan Kismat ki Kathputaliyaan..

Here is the actress talking about her break and how she visualizes her role in the show...
 
Do Saheliyan is your second serial and has happened after a long break.
When I bagged a lead role in Amber Dhara I had signed a 2year contract with Swastik Pictures, but the show went off air within 8 months. So during that tenure I had been approached for many serials but couldn't work because of the contract. It's only after the contract ended I took up this role in Do Saheliyaan.

How did you bag this role?
I was doing modeling in Delhi and during that time the coordinator of the show called me saying that the producer has seen my pictures and wants me to give a screen test for the role of Maithili.

Then what made you take up the role?
Actually I wasn't very keen about taking up this role. But then the director explained me the strengths of the character and convinced me to take up the show. And finally I agreed to take the project because my mother wanted me to give it a try.

Have you'll been doing outdoor shoots? How's the experience?
The first four to five months we were in Jaisalmer and after that we have been shooting at different places. The experience has been amazing as we are getting an opportunity to explore new places and Jaisalmer indeed is a very beautiful place, and people too are very strong and sweet to communicate with.

Which character according to you was more challenging, the one in Amber Dhara or Do Saheliyaan?
Answering this question itself is difficult for me (smiles). The manner in which a character is performed depends upon the demands of the script. In Amber Dhara as I was playing one of the conjoint sisters, there was more emphasis on physical appearance where as in Do Saheliyaan it's more character based. So they both have equal strengths and weakness.

Do Saheliyaan is an issue based serial, so how strongly do you feel about the caste indifference?
Actually speaking, the serial is a mixture of everything that is being screened on Television these days. Though it prominently highlights caste difference, it does speak about many other issues.

How privileged do you feel that you aren't a part of such a caste based society?
I feel utmost privileged. Because life in such backgrounds is not easy and for a woman to survive in such circumstances is even more difficult.

In Amber Dhara you entered the screens as a duo and now in this serial also it's somewhat the same, as Bawri and Maithili are thick friends. Is there any common thing in both the characters?
I would say its mere co-incidence. But there is nothing in common as concerned about the character. But the plus point of working in duo that too in lead, is that the work stress gets divided very nicely between both of us. It's makes work experience much more interesting. 

With whom did you share a good rapport with, is it Kashmira Irani or Ankita Srivastava?
Both of them are unique in their own way. And they both are very close to me. So I can't compare them as such. In simple words, on screen as well as off screen, rapport with both of them has been equally exciting.

How much can you relate yourself to the character Maithili in Do Saheliyaan?
I can't relate myself to the surroundings and social background in which Maithili has been brought up because I hail from a very modern Army family background. But as a human being one can always relate to some qualities of the character. Like, she is very level-minded, intelligent as me. But I'm not that scared as she is in the serial.

What are your future plans, any other projects?
As of now I'm just working on Do Saheliyaan. This is my come back after a long time that too in a lead, and I wanna give it my best shot.

Reporter and Author: Pooja Shenoy