Just like my character Roo in Ghar Aaja, I too enjoy living life on my own terms - Pooja Banerjee

Pooja Banerjee who came into the limelight with MTV Roadies, is currently playing the role of Rudrani (Roo) an independent and outspoken NRI who comes to India in search of her roots in Sahara One’s Ghar Aaja Pardesi (Saibaba Telefilms). She talked to Tellychakkar.com on her role in the show, her co-actor Ruchi Savarn and her hobbies. Read on… How do you play an NRI so convincingly? I would often wonder as to how I was to speak if I was an NRI. I have a lot of friends who stay abroad. I remembered how they used to speak which is how I picked up the accent. How else did you prepare for the role of Roo? I didn’t do any workshop. To get into the mood of the scene every day I would prepare daily after I got the script. Whatever element the season may have had- anger, frustration, laughter or possessiveness; I would do my homework scene by scene. That is how I grow as an actor. Are you like Roo in any way? Roo has her own opinions. She is very free, independent and talented. I too enjoy living life on my own terms. She just left London on her own to visit Varanasi. I also take my own decisions. I pick up my bag and just go for it. Please tell me a few words about your co-star Ruchi Savarn who plays Devika on Ghar Aaja Pardesi… Ruchi and I both hail from Nagpur. We gelled from the very day we met one another. We have a lot of fun together on the sets and have sev puri together in the evenings. What was the most memorable moment while essaying this role? It was undoubtedly the dip at the Ganges. When I came to India in search of my grandfather’s home I had pledged to the River Ganga that if find my family I will come and take a dip in the Holy River. After I was welcomed to the Mishra house, I immersed myself in the Ganges. That moment of the shoot was very close to my heart. In Varanasi the ghats are so serene. The sadhus out there seem to be so used to shooting that they made spontaneous actors. They seemed to know everything about camera angles and shots. Why is the theme of an NRI girl coming to India gaining popularity? More Indians are settling abroad nowadays. The same is being reflected in TV serials. To root NRIs back to their culture, these shows will really help. They will get to know that it’s nice to be back home to the country and its people. Also now we have the budgets to shoot on foreign shores too. What are your hobbies? I like dancing and swimming. I am a national swimmer.