With
a
surname
that
reads
as
Shukla,
23-year-old
Gujarati
girl
Payal
is
often
left
to
clear
people"s
perception.
“My
name
is
Payal
Shukla
and
I"m
not
a
Bihari
or
Upite.
Often,
I
have
to
explain
this
to
my
friends
and
other
people.
Shuklas
are
also
Gujarati,
“said
Payal
who
is
better
known
as
Kanchan
of
Palkon
ki
chhaon
mein
fame.
Over
the
last
year,
life
has
been
a
smooth
ride
for
Shukla
as
she"s
finally
managed
to
establish
herself
in
the
industry.
That
wasn"t
the
case
before
Palkon
ki
chhaon
mein.
The
cherubic
Payal
was
taking
one
show
after
another
but
they
were
all
cameo
roles.
“I
started
with
an
episodic
in
Aladin.
Thereafter,
I
played
cameos
in
Yahaan
Ke
Hum
Sikander,
FIR,
CID.
Soon,
I
was
labelled
a
cameo
queen
but
that
didn"t
bother
me.
I"ve
come
here
to
work,
and
so,
I
accepted
anything
that
came
my
way.
In
fact,
I"ve
also
done
cameos
for
Gujarati
and
Urdu
shows," says
the
actress
unflinchingly.
Well,
Palkon..
too
was
purely
destiny.
She
says,
“I
got
a
call
from
a
friend
who
was
going
for
the
auditions
of
an
NDTV
Imagine
(now
Imagine
TV)
show.
I
was
sitting
idle
and,
so,
I
agreed
to
go
with
him
reluctantly.
You
wouldn"t
believe
but
I
gave
my
first
audition
without
any
make-up.
Later,
I
was
called
for
another
audition
and
this
time
with
the
make-up.
I
felt
that
I"d
done
a
good
job
and
was
expecting
a
call
from
them.
That
didn"t
happen
instantly
but
20
days
later;
I
was
told
that
we"ll
be
shooting
in
Indore."
Palkon
ki
chhaon
mein
has
nearly
completed
a
year
but
if
rumours
are
to
be
believed,
the
show
might
come
to
an
end
soon.
Shukla
though
disagrees
saying,
“These
rumours
were
there
for
a
whole
but
not
any
more,
as
we"ve
supposedly
got
an
extension..
Palkon..
has
been
among
the
top
two
shows
on
Imagine
thus
I
don"t
think
the
channel
will
shut
it."
History
shows
that
such
extensions
are
just
a
temporary
relief.
God
forbid,
if
the
show
was
to
go
offer
air
or
if
our
girl
bagged
a
lead
role,
would
she
then
quit
the
sagging
Palkon..?
“Well,
I
can"t
comment
on
the
first
possibility
but
if
I
got
a
maiden
lead
role,
I
surely
will
request
Palkon.
producers
to
relieve
me
of
my
duties.
They
are
nice
people
and
I"m
sure
they
won"t
object," says
Shukla
confidently.
Finally,
the
conversation
veers
towards
her
personal
life;
Payal
though
is
quick
to
kill
our
excitement.
“I"m
not
seeing
anyone
and
nor
am
I
interested
in
this.
My
work
is
my
only
priority.
That
doesn"t
mean
to
say
I"m
a
nerd.
I
love
watching
films.
In
fact,
my
Palkon..
colleague
Amrapali
Dubey
and
I
spend
time
together
seeing
movies
or
shopping.
My
other
interests
are
travelling,
learning
different
cultures.
I"m
also
very
religious
and
fast
every
Thursday," the
girl
sighed.
Well,
a
God
fearing
individual
is
bond
to
reap
success.
Keep
the
faith
intact
Payal.