Gauahar Khan, a household name in the reality TV circuit, has taken a significant step forward in her career by making her fiction TV debut with Fauji 2. This spiritual sequel to actor Shah Rukh Khan’s iconic 1999 show has given her an opportunity to fulfil a long-held dream.

“For me to do acting on television, I needed it to be treated in a way that it doesn’t come across as I’m taking my acting lightly, like I’m doing it only to churn money. It needed to satisfy my brain as an actor. I’m just happy that if I had to debut on TV, this is how it should have been. I wanted a role that let me perform. Every scene I shoot is a performance of the character; it’s not just ‘say the line and move on,” she tells us.

Joining the show on the national broadcaster, Doordarshan, is particularly nostalgic for Gauahar. “Doordarshan is the definition of my childhood entertainment — Chitrahaar, Fauji, Mungeri Lal ke Sunehre Sapne and Malgudi Days. It’s almost like living my childhood dream,” she says.

Despite some seeing the channel as dated, Gauahar is optimistic about its progress. “I know their plans are huge. DD always does something substantial; they know their audience and what they desire. Their OTT platform is a big step into the digital market.”

When asked about the show’s connection to SRK, Gauahar admits the legacy comes with pressure. “When you think about the legacy, the pressure is too much. But when I first heard that my name was mentioned alongside Shah Rukh Khan’s, I felt proud. I haven’t worked with him yet, but I hope to. Just being mentioned in the same line as his name is a big thing for me,” she says.