Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; May 21, 2014)

Anyone who’s seen 2 States will remember Shipra masi, Amrita Singh’s loud but loving sister. Achint Kaur, who has played the Punjabi character, has been getting an overwhelming response for her small but substantial role. “My phone hasn’t stopped ringing. It’s amazing the kind of feedback this role has got. I have done quite a few films earlier but Shipra masi has registered. I got lucky as the casting director thought of me in a different look, not the typical sari-clad one,” gushes Achint. For the actress who is a Punjabi, playing the role was cakewalk, yet she had her apprehensions. “I was scared of going overboard. I had to be loud but natural and the director helped me along the way,” she says modestly.

For an actress, who started out with bold serials like Banegi Apni Baat and Swabhimaan, it must have been a step down to play conventional roles in serials like Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Karam Apna Apna among others. “I had to change my mindset. I had played hep contemporary characters, so essaying traditional ones needed a bit of getting used to. However, I could relate to them because I am a small-town girl from Meerut. Also, earlier we used to cater to niche audience but when middle-class boomed, the viewership changed and we had to cater to that. I think we should be able to do everything,” says Achint happy that characters are no longer black and white on TV, but grey.

Ask her what kept her away from the small-screen (she was last seen in Jhansi Ki Rani) and Achint says after working for over 15 years she just wanted a break. “I got busy with two plays Dinner With Friends and Two To Tango, Three To Jive, which took all my time. I am doing another play Big Fat City. I was also doing films. It was only a few months ago that I felt the urge to go back to TV but it took a while because once you are away you take time to reconnect,” says Achint who will be back on TV with Jamai Raja, a serial based on the Anil Kapoor-Madhuri Dixit-Hema Malini starrer. “I have given an experimental look test but I can’t tell you anything more about the role or the serial because we are yet to start shooting,” says the actress.