Urvashi Dholakia discusses avoiding negative roles following her iconic role as Komolika.
While actor Urvashi Dholakia has been relatively happy and content with her journey on the small screen, she laments when show producers can’t see past her image as a vamp, thanks to her role as Komolika in Kasautii Zindagi Kay, which made her a household name and continues to do so even after 15 years.
“They still call me Komolika. It is incorrect to believe that because one thing has become so powerful, I am powerless to do anything else. Where is the producers’ and creative directors’ creativity when they can’t think of me in any other role?” She questions, adding that because of this stereotyping, nothing she has done in the last few years has received much attention.
Dholakia has recently appeared in shows such as Chandrakanta, Ishq Mein Marjawan, Tu Aashiqui, and Naagin 6, but fans continue to complain that they see very little of her on screen. “I keep coming and going because something has to come my way, which is more exciting than what I actually receive. I can’t do the same boring thing over and over. I’ve been typecast so much. It’s like saying, “Rekha ne Umraao Jaan kia toh bas,” which means that is the pinnacle of everything. “No, it doesn’t end there!” the actor explains.
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In fact, Dholakia reveals that she consciously chose Comedy Circus immediately following Kasautii Zindagi Kay in order to distance herself from Komolika’s image in the minds of the audience. “I’m humbled that even in this day and age, people share Komolika memes and reels, which keep me alive. I am extremely grateful. But, simultaneously, I also want to be recognized for other roles that I’ve played,” she says, highlighting the challenges she faces in breaking the stereotype.
Dholakia, who is currently appearing on the TV show Pushpa Impossible as a lawyer, hopes that the audience will accept her doing something different. “I’m happy and grateful that the filmmakers saw me in a different light and gave me the opportunity to play a completely positive character. I understand that miracles are impossible, but there must be a beginning. Now, when I hear people refer to me as Devi Singh Shikhavat (her character in the show), I feel like the beginning has arrived.
So, yes, I’d like to do more such roles,” the actor says, adding that she will not take on a negative role for any TV show.
“I did it, and I set the bar. When it comes to playing a negative role, I’m done as an actor. Even if I take on just one character, people will start comparing it to Komolika. “I’d rather throw a spin ball to the audience and make them believe we had no idea she could do something like this,” says the mother of two.
When asked if the digital medium interests her, Dholakia says it’s the limited opportunities that keep her from taking the plunge. “OTT is unquestionably a booming medium. But last year, I felt very depressed because people would tell me that you’re an overexposed TV face. I’d like to ask the world: ‘Which OTT platform has a show without a TV face?’ So, why are you telling me that? Everyone is there, so why am I being treated differently? Also, I’m not getting very interesting projects on OTT, and I believe makers aren’t seeing me in a new light,” she concludes.
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