To play Krishna Tulsi is an honour

Monday, July 10, 2006

New Delhi (UNI): With her simple demeanour and her girl-next-door looks, she seems very much the perfect successor to 'Tulsi' of the popular serial Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, the icon of virtues for millions of housewives in the country. For Moni Roy, the dusky beauty from Kolkata who plays the protagonist Krishna Tulsi in the 'post-generation leap' in Kyunki Saas.., the reality of bagging the central role in what is considered the most popular soap on telly today is only now beginning to sink in.

''When I first got a call from Balaji telefilms that I was to play 'Krishna Tulsi' in Kyunki......., I was in the midst of a class for a course in Mass Communication I am doing and so had no time to react. However, now when I find myself the center of all attention with everyone on the sets, from my co-stars to members of the production unit, rallying around me to help me perfect the 'look' and the 'demeanour' of 'Krishna Tulsi', it all seems somewhat like a dream'' Moni told UNI in an interview.

For Moni, it was her plain good luck that she got the role of 'Krishna Tulsi', a character for which thousands of wannabe actors across the country had auditioned during a nationwide talent hunt conducted by Balaji Telefilms during the last few months. ''On May 7, I appeared for a general audition with Balaji Telefilms at Marwah Studios in Noida and was asked to appear two days later for a look test for Balaji's new serial 'Kasturi', to be aired shortly. After appearing for the look test, however, I got a call from Balaji that I had been selected to play Krishna Tulsi,'' she says.

So how was it rubbing shoulders with veteran TV actors like Ronit Roy, who plays Mihir in the serial, and Smriti Irani, who plays Tulsi, we ask. ''Acting alongside veteran TV actors like Ronit Roy and Smriti Irani has been a pleasurable experience. However, working with Smriti Irani has been really great. We share an excellent rapport on the sets. In fact, she has been treating me with chocolates and ice creams. All of us on the sets are just like one big family with all my co-stars helping me work on my character,'' she says with a feeling of elation.

On playing the home-loving Krishna Tulsi, she said, ''Krishna Tulsi is somewhat like me in real life. I feel that her character is one with which every middle class girl would identify. Though with entire focus being on Krishna Tulsi, there is undoubtedly some pressure of expectations, I do not let myself be bogged down by such fears as I realize that it will take me some time to get into the skin of the character.'' Asked whether she felt that bagging a role of a girl-next-door like Krishna Tulsi would typecast her and make it difficult to get out of this 'image', she said,''undoubtedly there is a risk of getting typecast in a particular image. However, it depends on an individual whether he can make a successful transition to other roles or from TV to films. After all, most actors have the ability to carry off different kinds of roles.'' However, right now, Moni has no time to get bogged down by such fears. ''Right now, my entire attention is focused on playing Krishna Tulsi and completing my Mass Communication course,''she says.

Born and brought up in Kolkata, ''Krishna Tulsi'' did her graduation in English literature from Miranda House in Delhi and subsequently enrolled herself for a PG course in Mass communication from Jamia Millia Islamia. Though she has had no formal training in acting, she has done some street theatre in Delhi.