In conversation with 'Rajkumari' Neha Marda

The spurt of new channels has provided a window of opportunity for rookie actors to showcase their talent. Making the most of this opportunity is Kolkata's Neha Marda, who plays the lead in Zee Next's Ek Thi Rajkumari. The 20-year-old talks about her show and more in an exclusive interview with Mayur Lookhar. You are playing a princess in the show but you don't appear as one. In fact, the various hoardings across the city show you dressed as a common girl. Comment. Laughs! I may not look like a Princess in the hoardings but I definitely am one in the show. I many not dress like a princess but I do enjoy all other luxuries that you can associate with in a royal palace. Can you please talk about your character? I play Rajkumari Priyamavada. At the time of her birth, an astrologer finds fault in her horoscope wherein Priyamavada could end up wandering in her life. Fearing this, her mother never lets her out of the palace. Thus, she's been living like a caged bird. When Priyamvada turns 18, she wants to break free and so one fine day, she runs away from her home. Later on, she befriends two guys through the internet and then the plot moves around this trio. In the 21st century, can we really expect a princess to live the life of a caged bird? It's this contrast that we want to highlight. After all, it's a fairy tale. Logical thinking simply doesn't apply. It will be best enjoyed if one takes it as a fairy tale. How does Priyamvada relate to Neha? There are no similarities between Priyamvada and Neha. I'm a free bird. Though, I must confess that I did aspire to look like a queen. Though, I couldn't become a queen, I'm glad to be acting as one. How did things fall in place for you? I never aspired to be an actress. In fact, I don't consider myself a good actor. Since childhood, I was always passionate about dancing and singing. I've participated in Boogie Woogie thrice. Thereafter, I featured in Star Plus' Kaboom, where I won Rs 30 lakhs. That gave me the necessary exposure and soon I bagged the lead role in Sahara One's Saath Rahega Always. Ek Thi Rajkumari is my second show. If you don't rate yourself as an actor how will you do justice to your role? I'm not saying that I'm a bad actor. At 20, I consider myself lucky to be getting such roles. Whatever I've achieved today it's purely by destiny. However, now that I've become an actor, I want to be the best. What about your personal background? I'm a 20-year-old Marwari form Kolkata. Just because I speak fluent Bengali people find it hard to believe that I'm a Marwari. I'm doing my Bachelors in Economics through correspondence. So, how will you balance time between studies and work? Well, I work 20 days in a month and I only study when exams are around. However, I always clear in all my subjects. Now that you aspire to be the best, are you game to do saas-bahu roles? I'm open to playing any role. I don't mind playing an aged mother, even if I'm just 20 years old. As an actor, unless you experiment, you would never be able to evaluate yourself. Wouldn't you like to take part in celebrity dance shows? That will be perfect but I'm waiting for the invitation. If someone calls me then I certainly will perform. Finally, how's life in Mumbai and have you found your Rajkumar (Prince)? No, not yet. At the moment, I'm occupied with my work. That doesn't mean I don't find time to relax. I feel like a free bird in Mumbai. Back home (Kolkata), my evenings were spent traveling from the fourth to the fifth floor. Our house is placed on the fourth floor, while aunt lives upstairs. Mumbai truly is a rocking pace and I miss it dearly when I'm away from it.