To pay someone on the basis of their gender is absolutely wrong I think it's the talent people should see and you should be paid accordingly.
Tv has given me everything even when I'll do something good in the future, this is where I started my you know my career my journey from so I'll always have a special place for tv in my life.
Naira's character is very very close to my heart and it'll always be, it felt like she's me only you know so Naira is and will always be very special to me but obviously you move on
Our 'Kaira' family were really waiting for the both of us to come together again
I'm a big-time Bahubali fan. What was that meeting like? what was the conversation like? I think you all will make a lovely pair also on-screen
Rumours are you are doing next season of Khatron Ke Khiladi are you doing it?
Hi everyone this is Abhinash Lohana and you're watching Pinkvilla. Our guest today is one of the most special persons I've interviewed in a very long time she's been ruling the television industry for many years and
has won the hearts of many across the globe however surprisingly or either lovingly her fans still don't hesitate to ask her 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai'. Yes, you've guessed it right I've Shivangi Joshi with me.
Hi Shivangi. Hi. Thank you for such a nice intro. I mean every word of it though
I was really looking forward to this interview we've been trying o this for very long so even before we get into the interview I want to ask you this bond that you formed with your
audience for so many years what is this relationship? These are bonds of love, yeah it's love it's true love I think obviously. I'm sure it is and you have a large fan following Shivangi but
I really want to start from the beginning with you. Do you remember the first moment when you decided to become an actress you started when you were 15.
So I was really young actually there's a long story behind it but yeah so I wanted to be an actor and I told my parents that you know I want to do this and they were really supportive so...
Yeah that's how it happened my mother like we came to Bombay and that's how it started
but when you came was it easy for you? right since the beginning or were there many auditions that you had to give?
There were many auditions, it was not easy. There was a lot of struggle and you know a lot of things but yeah it was not easy at all. What was this phase like?
I don't remember the count but there were a lot of auditions every day I think I used to give three to four auditions every day for six months wow and yeah so that happened and then I got my first break. Sure.
Tv is uh we were talking before we started this interview as well it's a very grilling business. Yeah. You're constantly on your toes you're constantly working and in Bollywood we always talk about this thing called pay parity where you know
male stars sometimes are paid much more than female stars but is that same in TV? I don't think it's there in tv but yes of course in the movie industry we've heard a lot about it you know but I think it's same in case of tv.
And... yeah I don't think on tv- I'll talk about tv only as I'm a part of that industry so. Yeah. I don't think it's there that difference is there it's just-
-I think you and your experience and I think everything and I think that matters and not because you're a male you'll get more or a female so you'll get less I don't think it's there in television
Which is also wrong in so many ways right I mean just to pay somebody because- Of course it's wrong to pay someone on the basis of their gender is absolutely wrong. I think it's the talent
people should see and they should get paid accordingly. So I think it's that. But I'm so proud that you're using the word television actor I've sometimes also noticed sometimes
actors also shy away from saying tv actors, no but why? Right? Yeah more power to you yeah thank you.
It has also given you all the fame- of course, everything tv has given me everything
even when I'll do something good in the future, this is where I started my you know my career my journey from so I'll always have a special place for tv in my life. Lovely.
but do you feel as an artist it restricts you because you play a character for so many years?
It never happened with me because of the show that I did for almost six years. Really? Yeah.
There my journey started from 17-18 years old to being a mother of two kids, so my character was growing and therefore it was never monotonous for me. Yeah and...
Honestly, I've been blessed because I got to play variations in that one character and I played two different roles also in the show so you know I did a lot of things so it wasn't monotonous for me
In fact, I've learnt a lot from my characters. 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai' was hugely popular, yeah you know and you've been a part of that show for six years
When you decided to move on? Was it difficult? Of course, it is difficult and not like I have moved on completely from the character I played. I don't want to. Really?
And I'll never because that character, Naira's character is very close to my heart, and it'll always be; it felt like she's me only, you know, so Naira is and will always be very special to me but obviously, you move on.
Move on as in you move ahead in your journey, there are many more characters to play so yeah I played another character
who is also a very sweet and loving character and I mean I love Anandi's role I love her you know everything about her yeah, so but not like I've completely moved on from Naira and I don't want to so. Yeah.
These are two very popular characters, Naira and Anandi both and you've played both of them very well on-screen.
but a lot has been also written about Balika Vadhu's abrupt end, so what do you have to say about it?
I think it has not ended; it is coming on OTT, so I don't think it's really ending, and it had to end on tv so that it can be continued on the OTT. Sure.
It is being continued but yeah it didn't do very well on tv but it's working uh well on Voot on the OTT platform. Okay. And OTT has its separate audience.
The audiences are a little different, yeah so we're happy that you know it's on OTT now, and it'll reach other audiences as well, and people will see a different
concept I think of Balika Vadhu so it's nice, the storyline is very interesting it's also relatable, the situations that will be shown there- which I know about them I know about the situations
They'll be quite relatable, the current generation will be able to connect to Anandi. Sure. I actually have two follow-up questions on this.
Number one is from a character point of view Anandi I think started in 2008 and then you came back in 2021 do you think the audience has disconnected from the character itself? Because it was made in a different era.
I don't think so because that character was loved so much that I think that and everything is still there so it's just that-
You know for that matter Naira, if we take a break and then come back after say 10 years and do the same thing again- Please do. So I don't think audience will feel disconnected
They'll not see the character for some time, but that will not lessen the love and affection they gave to that character, people will welcome it with the same love and appreciation. Sure.
How different is the OTT version of the show? It is very different like from Anandi's dressing to the way she talks now and she's a businesswoman and you know a lot has changed, yeah.
You know Shivangi, we've always seen you as like you said you relate so much with Naira and you've played Naira for six years. We've always imagined you as you will be like Naira in real life also but what is Shivangi Joshi really like?
And you know a lot of after they do a successful show they move on to a reality show or probably that's why the real side comes out you know where people see who this as a person is but you've not experimented on that space as yet
Do you want to do a reality show or do you want to- Yeah why not why not a good reality show I will definitely say yes to because
I want people to know me as me as Shivangi so I want people to know what else Shivangi can do you know so I want that to happen so if there's any reality show which I'll feel you know it's a positive a nice show where actually
people can see the real side of me, I will do it. What is Shivangi Joshi really like?
She's definitely a lot like Naira and yeah actually she actually there are a lot similarities between Shivangi and Naira but you know
If I ever participate in any reality show, people will get to see what other things Shivangi can do. Correct.
So Shivangi is- yes of course, she's strong she is a family person she is like Naira she's bubbly she's happy and
You know all those things are there, but I think the other things can be brought forth through a reality show only, so let's see. Sure.
But like you said there is another side to you as well and I know you also are learning MMA? Yeah. Right, so there is an action side also. Yes. To our dearest Naira that people have not seen
Yeah, that's what I was talking about. People have seen Seerat in action that's the other character in the show. Seerat was a boxer so for me the journey to learn MMA started from there only
I enjoyed boxing so much that I continued learning MMA; I'm still learning now, even after the show. Yeah, I have started again. So, I'm enjoying it because I have always wanted to learn new things or new activities.
I like learning new things and I enjoyed boxing so much that I'm still doing it and I think it's good I'll be tough. Tougher. Yes.
rumours are you are doing next season of Khatron Ke Khiladi are you doing it?
I don't know.
have you been offered? Are you in talks? I don't know
If something good comes up if a good reality show comes up the I'll definitely take it. Sure
A lot is also happening besides tv shows you're also doing a lot of music videos. Yeah. One of which I think recently came out was Teri Ada with Mohsin Khan.
That place has been explored right in the last two years. I love doing music videos I love it and our last song Teri Ada is loved by everyone and it is definitely a beautiful song
very meaningful song and our Kaira fan base or family were really waiting for you know for both of us to come together again and do something so we did that and people loved it and so I'm happy and there are more projects lined up
and more music videos which are quite interesting. Wow. Details? No. Okay, I'll give you a small detail, that it is a north based love story. Oh wow.
And you're shooting for it very soon? Yes. Lovely. We can't wait to see that as well. But you know you and Mohsin both were an important part of 'Yeh Rishta-'
How is your equation, you all spent so much time on set, how is your equation? Did it change or remain the same after the show ended?
The equation has always been good. It's good, it's the same. Wow. I mean do you all talk often then?
yeah the equation has been, it's the same i mean nothing has changed
In 2019 you met Prabhas? I did and you're a fan of him apparently yes I'm a big, big time Baahubali fan.
What was that meeting like? What was that conversation like? I think you all will make a lovely pair also on screen.
I hope he's watching this interview.
So I love him I think Baahubali! I'm a big Baahubali fan. And if I ever get a chance to work with him then I'll just jump on it.
Yeah, I'll definitely, I mean he's a superstar and he's amazing. What did you tell him when you met him? That I am a big fan and he was so sweet he was so humble. It was a pleasure meeting him
I was nervous like what will happen or what will he say? But he was really sweet yeah he was very nice
You are extremely popular on social media. Social media has both sides it gives you fame and gives you attention and then it has its own pressures also there are trolls everywhere sitting do you get a lot of it?
I don't think I've been trolled so much but a few moments back I was talking about it like every platform has a positive and a negative side so social media platforms are no different
they too have their positives and negative sides, so yeah that's there, one thing I would like to say that is social media is a platform where you can directly connect to your audience so there-
if they want to say anything to you or tell you anything they can directly write it to you okay. They can comment or post or anything so sometimes it's positive, we get to know that the audience is loving our performances or they're not liking it
so whatever, then there are people who sometimes post some insensitive comments which can be hurtful although this has not happened so often with me
I mean there have been instances but I think people shouldn't do that. It's a beautiful platform and it's doing good for a lot people and you know it's also a platform where we can connect the audience directly
So I think we should use it in a good way and not misuse it. Yeah That's it.
But I know a lot of actors who keep their sanity by just not looking at the comments only, do you still go and check? I do I check
not on the regular basis but yes I do of course so but yeah there are a lot of positive comments sometimes it's overwhelming. I feel really good seeing those comments.
So that is there but if there is something negative then also I think it's absolutely fine people can have their own perception obviously. Everybody is entitled to one.
So they have the right to say whatever they want so I don't bother about that, I don't want to I'm doing good for myself I think I'm doing good for my family and
I'm doing what I'm supposed to do and I love what I do. So it's okay if somebody doesn't like something about me. If it's genuinely wrong then obviously I too will think about that and I'll change it
But if don't see anything wrong and my family thinks the same then yeah it's okay.
Do you feel responsible for the content you put out? On social media? Yes I do
if you go to my insta you'll see I try to put contents that are relatable and might benefit someone and if don't believe in something then I'll not do it. I agree.
So that has been there and will be there in future as well. If I don't believe in something if think something is not right I'll say no to it. I won't do it no matter what anybody says.
One last thing I want to know is, is there something that Shivangi Joshi hasn't done, which she wants to do in the future? Do you have a to-do list for yourself?
There are a lot of things like what? give me two-three examples. Like I want to travel alone
Alone. I want to travel the world alone. Because I don't go anywhere alone not even say downstairs. But you'll be mobbed?
But it's okay it's the love I think people get genuinely happy seeing us and we feel good too so it's okay. But I want to travel. I want to travel the world. Lovely.
I hope that happens soon and everything else that you want to do in the future, thank you so much this is a lovely conversation. Thank you.
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