I miss theatre: Ankita Dubey

Ankita Dubey, known to many as Vibha of Colors’ Kairi, has a very interesting story of her journey from theatre to the television industry to relate. Having come down to see how the television industry works in Mumbai, the actress was finalised as the lead in Balaji’s regional show. Later on, she went on to do Shashi Sumeet Mittal Pvt. Ltd’s Kairi. Talking about her journey Ankita says, “I was doing theatre when I got selected for a reality show on Mahua TV called Bhauji No.1. Since, we had to shoot in Lucknow (where I hail from), I participated in it and stood as the winner of that show. Later, the inquisitiveness to see Mumbai got me to the city for a week. And during the span I stayed at the Mumbai University campus. During my one week stay, I gave one audition for Balaji Telefilms’s Bhojpuri show for Mahua TV. Luckily, I got selected for it.” So is that when your journey in Mumbai began? “Yes it was, but before coming to Mumbai, I had to convince my parents as I belong to a very conservative family. First of all my parents weren’t in favour of me coming over to Mumbai, but later they relented. So, I came down to Mumbai and took up Senoor Mang Tikuli. I played a lead in that show. But like any other show, this one too had to draw to an end. Since I did not want to go back home, I started looking for work and that’s when I got Kairi.” Don’t you think it was an impulsive decision to play a character role after playing a lead? “Yes, things were different when I was playing the lead, but then I always knew that it was a regional show and that only certain sections of the audiences would come to know of me. But, frankly speaking, even adjusting with a character role wasn’t easy. There are times when I do not have much to say and I am just standing in a corner. But I am getting used to the pattern.” This is not the only change that this actress is trying to adjust to. “Since all along I have been a theatre person, I miss it. Working for television shows is very different from working in theatre. For a play, one rehearses for days before he/she performs but in TV, one gets the script while on the sets.” All the best…Ankita!!!