I can’t connect to daily soaps, but now I respect them: Pooja Sharma

| TNN | Jan 11, 2014, 12.00 AM IST
Pooja SharmaPooja Sharma
From anchoring to modelling to acting — it has been an interesting yet smooth transition for Tellywood newbie Pooja Sharma. She's set to enter Mahabharat as Draupadi sometime in the immediate future. TOI caught up with her when she was in town and got chatty with the bubbly Delhi lass who by her own admission finds it 'difficult to conduct a monologue'. Excerpts from a chat:

This is your first show as an actress. Can you relate with the fact that you'll be playing a mythological character?
Well to be honest, I found it funny to imagine myself playing Draupadi when I was heading for the audition. A friend who was in the show's casting team asked me to audition for the role and I wasn't too focused about it. It is when I rehearsed the lines for audition and dressed up, I realised it was serious. After I bagged the role, I also watched a few links of the previous Mahabharat.

Are you feeling nervous that you will be compared to Rupa Ganguly (who played Draupadi in BR Chopra's Mahabharat)?
I haven't really thought about it. I have seen her (Rupa Ganguly) performance — not even as Draupadi but also in a few Bengali movies and she's such a fabulous actor. But, I know I have given my best to essay this character and I'm sure I will be perceived without getting compared.

Did you ever think of becoming an actor?
I never planned anything but I was always interested in doing theatre and performing arts. During my college days, I was selected for a sports-based talk show of Doordarshan India. I thought I was terrible in the show, but someone from the team told me that I had the makings of an anchor. And after some anchoring auditions for Zoom TV, I was selected! After anchoring, I did some TVCs, walk the ramp. I'd say I had a smooth transition from Delhi to Mumbai — I didn't have much of a struggle to join television. And frankly speaking everything just happened pretty smoothly.


Do you watch daily soaps?

Never. I can't connect to daily soaps. I just used to flip the channels and couldn't understand them. Even now, I don't understand what all goes into making them but, now I respect them. I did an episodic of Teri Meri Love Stories with Karan Kundra and now I'm doing a daily soap. Now I realize that so much hard work, sincerity and efforts go into making a daily soap.


Tell us about Pooja is like off-screen...

I'm a fun-loving person and a total Bollywood movie buff. My parents have always been supportive of my career moves. In fact my mother is happiest now as she'll get to see me daily in Mahabharat. Earlier I used to read a lot of fiction but now, I've started reading a lot of philosophical books. Currently I'm reading The Buddha, Geoff and Me. And when it comes to traveling, I prefer a planned vacation as I need my comfort. I don't workout ever and don't prefer chasing any fashion trends.


And how about your love life?
I want people to keep guessing about it!
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