Shoutout to the vamps!

Shweta Gulati

While she didn't believe that television had become regressive, Shweta Gulati was consciously avoiding doing daily soaps until something worthwhile came her way. The search ended after one year and nine months when she was offered the role of the antagonist in Main Hoon Aparajita. "The moment they offered me the role, I was on board. If this role hadn't come my way, I would have been away from television for much longer," says the actor, who has been playing the goodie-two-shoes or the ideal daughter or bahu in daily soaps since 2003.

Gulati was brought on board to play the second wife to Manav Gohil's character Akshay. "The fact that they considered me for the role was a happy moment. If they believed that I have the range to play a negative character, then why should I [stop them]? I have done a variety of roles, but they've all been positive. This was my chance [to do something] different, and I am loving every bit of it."

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While playing positive characters is a guaranteed way to garner love from the audiences, Gulati hopes that the viewers hate her. "It would mean that I am successful at what I am doing. Playing a negative role is not as easy as it seems. I salute the vamps who came before me and all those actors who played negative roles. It is not easy to play the baddie on [TV shows]," she says, adding that all her life, be it on screen or off it, she has always tried to be friendly, kind, and generous to people.
"We all have a mean bone in us, but we are not like that 24x7. It takes a lot of effort and craft to be vicious, which has been quite challenging. While Mohini [her character] feels she is justified in her actions, among all the options in front of her."

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