Veteran actress Smita Jaykar, last seen in Star Plus's show Kashmeer (2003), now marks her return to the small screen with Ek Thi Rajkumari on Zee Next. Surprisingly, the actress can't recall when she last did a TV serial. Smita says, "I reckon it has been a good 12 years since I last worked on television. I don't even remember my last show." So what brings her back to the small screen? "Honestly speaking, television today is now on par with films. A few years ago, I was busy doing films, thus I could never get time for television. I guess now is the right time to do one. I wasn't doing much work for a while thus it gave an impression that I've called it quits. For an actor, it's important that you're seen on the screen," she answers. Smtia is playing a negative character for the first time. "Years ago, I acted in a show called Adhikar, wherein my character did have grey shades but it's for the first time that I'm playing a full-fledged negative character. Though, I'm comfortable playing emotional roles, but versatility is a key trait of a good actor," quips Smita. How will the audience view her in this new avatar? "It will be a surprise for them. However, sometimes a soft face fits into a negative character perfectly," Smita informs. The actress is not keen on doing the usual saaas-bahi kind of roles as she herself never sees such soaps. Television apart, the actress will soon be seen in Sooraj Barjatya's upcoming film Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi.