Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; February 27, 2020)

By her own admission, her journey on Bigg Boss 13 was nothing short of a roller-coaster ride. Rashami Desai, who took a while to understand the game and come into her own, had a rather tough stay inside the house, when she learnt about her beau Arhaan Khan’s marriage and also the fact that he has a child with his former wife. Days after the reality show concluded, BT caught up with Rashami to know about the status of her relationship with Arhaan, her equation with other inmates on the show — friend-turned-foe-turned-friend Sidharth Shukla and Asim Riaz. Excerpts...

You had a rather tumultuous journey on Bigg Boss, laced with several ups and downs. You learnt about Arhaan’s marriage and fatherhood on national television. However, the way you handled the situation was appreciated by the audience...
Many people judged me inside the house, but I didn’t care as I was being true to myself. I am the only one who had such a tough journey on the show. I got time to take stock of the situation and also learnt about what was happening in the outside world through people who visited the house. I got to know what he (Arhaan) was talking about me and our relationship. On the show, he once said that unhone mujhe sadak par se uthaya hai. It was quite funny. Yes, there was a time when I didn’t have a house and was going through financial troubles, but I was never at his mercy. Those things hurt me, but I stood like a wall for him inside the house so that nobody could say anything to him. I have never spoken badly about him even after his exit from the show. I won’t say anything bad about him even now, because he is a closed chapter for me.

It was reported that you took up the show so that Arhaan could get a chance to be a part of it, too. Is that true?
Yes, that was one of the reasons. I thought main agar yeh show karti hoon toh usko ek opportunity mil jaayegi, but I had no idea that the situation would backfire.

Did he try to get in touch with you after the show ended?
He tried to reach out to me via text messages. I, too, need some answers and will meet him. I didn’t know about his marriage and child. I haven’t even met his parents. I just know that he has three sisters and one brother. I am not aware of his two houses in Mumbai either. The gem business he talks about is owned by his dad. I didn’t expect him to hide such a big aspect of his life from me. It came as a shock; at one point, I contemplated leaving the show, as I wasn’t able to handle it. I realised that after one point, the game wasn’t about how I was dealing with other inmates, it was more about how I was tackling the situation at hand with him. I think it was a good decision to not leave the house, kyunki main baahar aati toh mujh par questions uthte ki I used him for the show. I don’t harbour any ill feeling for him even today.

Looking back, do you think that Arhaan used you emotionally and your popularity to his benefit?
I believe that he used me emotionally. I don’t want to comment on other things at this moment.

When your relationship with Arhaan started out, were you hoping to get second time lucky in love? (Rashami got married to actor Nandish Sandhu in 2012, and the duo got divorced in 2016). In such a scenario, when you are hoping against hope, taking the ultimate call to end this relationship must have been heartbreaking and really tough?
It was difficult because I couldn’t detach myself. You always wish for a relationship to culminate in a life-long commitment, but it was not meant to be. I have realised that I don’t need a man to take care of me, but someone who can understand and respect me as a partner. You learn from your mistakes. Failing in one aspect doesn’t mean you have failed in life. I made a decision and have moved on beautifully. I lost my father at a very young age and maybe, that’s why mujhe aadmiyon ki pehchaan nahi hai.

Have you developed trust issues because of these bitter experiences?
I had trust issues earlier, too, but I don’t see anything wrong in it. Transparency makes a relationship stronger, but if the person isn’t ready to give you answers, there is trouble. There should be no reason to lie in a relationship. I have been an independent woman all my life, and I have taken care of people associated with me. I can’t trust everyone and it’s natural.

On a lighter note, ab ghar ki chabi kiske paas hain?
Abhi, aapke aur mere beech mein jo mera bag hai usme hai mere ghar ki chabi (laughs!)

While your journey on Bigg Boss was a roller-coaster ride, you also made some friends on the show. In fact, you forged a strong friendship with Asim Riaz, which has been liked by everyone...
Asim and I started talking in December. Before that, we would fight a lot. He took his time to come around and maybe, that made our friendship stronger. We understood each other well and he did things for me without making a noise about it. He is genuine. We became closer because of the situations we faced inside the house. We don’t expect anything from each other. I am just thankful to him for standing by my side.

Your equation with Sidharth Shukla also became a talking point on the show. In the past, your friendship with him had turned sour while both of you were working together on the TV show, Dil Se Dil Tak (DSDT). Recently, you were also seen on a couple of episodes of the reality show, Mujhse Shaadi Karoge, with him. Do you two still fight?
I am sure that four-and-a-half months ke baad usko meri aadat ho chuki hogi, aur mujhe uski (laughs!). Sidharth and I had contrasting points of view and differences of opinion, because of which, we would often fight on the set of DSDT. As I always say, he is like a 10-year-old boy trapped in a big body. Keeping aside our differences, we were extremely professional; he was cordial and cooperative on the show we had worked on. We just couldn’t stop fighting even after becoming friends during the course of the show (laughs!). Later, when the fights became intense, I decided to end our friendship. Aisi dosti ka kya faayda jisme aap apne dost ko nahi samajh paa rahe ho.

There were rumours of Sidharth and you being a couple during DSDT, though briefly. Were the two of you in a relationship then and how would you describe your equation today?
No, we were not in a relationship then. Hamaare bohut jhagde hue hain Bigg Boss mein, but towards the end of the show, hamaare beech mein ek achhi understanding bann gayi thi.

What are your future plans?
I have been working for years and work will always be my priority. I will take up a TV show if I like the concept. I would also like to dabble in theatre to hone my acting skills and upgrade myself.

Are you willing to give love and marriage another chance?
It’s very difficult for me to answer this question, because I have gone through so much. I am not thinking about either at this point and am focusing solely on work. If it has to happen, it will.

Sidharth Shukla, the Balika Vadhu star, reveals why he has been off the Bollywood radar inspite of doing a KJo film
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; January 29, 2017)

Telly town’s brawny dude Sidharth Shukla of Balika Vadhu fame is back with Dil Se Dil Tak, a new daily soap opposite Rashami Desai and Jasmin Bhasin. The actor gets candid with hitlist about returning to daily soap, his drunken episodes, rumours about his unprofessional behaviour and more.

You have a great chemistry with Rashami Desai in Dil Se Dil Tak. Is it taking time to build the same with Jasmin? No, not at all.
Jasmin is like a buddy, and very real, you get what you see. I feel she is like a female version of me — daft at times, but real all the time.

You took a long time to come back to daily soaps, was it conscious decision?
I was doing a lot of things post Balika Vadhu. I tried my hand at anchoring; I did a reality show, which I won. It was the right time now.

Weren’t you trying to concentrate on your Bollywood career?
Not really. There’s nothing to concentrate on. I am an actor and I’m always ready to act. I don’t want to do a film, just to fill up my portfolio. I’ve seen a lot of movies, they come and go and I don’t want something like that.

You are being choosy about Bollywood. What is it exactly you are looking for?
There’s no ‘a’ particular thing that I am looking for. If I get a good script, whatever the role, as long as it’s meaningful, I’d love it.

Doesn’t being tied up with Dil Se Dil Tak kind of restrict your chances in Bollywood?
There’s always enough time for you to do other things. In fact, even when I was doing Balika Vadhu, which was such a prominent and long show, I managed to get time to go for auditions, do a film and even do reality shows.

Have work timings for television actors reduced, now? Or do you still have to shoot for 18-19 hours a day?
When was it 18-19? I have never done that many hours. I have worked for 12 hours, and that’s it. I know people do it, but I can’t. I get too exhausted and then you can’t give your best.

When does monotony sink in?
That happens when there is no movement in particular character or in the story. That’s when you get frustrated. As an actor, you want to keep doing interesting work. It is my job to emote on cue, sometimes I succeed and at times, I don’t.

If you had to evaluate yourself as an actor what would be your pluses and negatives?
I think I was a terrible actor. I couldn’t act to save my life. In my first show, I started learning the process. I was a model. Fortunately, someone wanted me in a show and I got it. I needed the money. It was really tough. I had lost my father, and we were not doing well financially. I could not pay for an acting school. I couldn’t afford that. So, television was the perfect learning tool. I stuck to it, and fortunately the work kept coming. Now, I believe I’m a better actor.

Television churns out episodes like factory; do you think sometimes people miss out on some of your best scenes?
Yes absolutely. Sometimes, I feel like I’ve done an epic scene and you want that scene to be there for ever but it’s gone. Things get missed and I do feel bad.

How do you deal with criticism?
If it is constructive criticism, then I keep it, or else, I let it pass.

Does your chemistry with Rashami start right after the director says action or does it transcend even off camera?
We can talk all the time. We are very easy with other. It’s never been a problem as such. The first day we were shooting, it was a love scene and we didn’t know each other from Adam.

Is there anything you’ve refused to do onscreen?
Yes. Of course, I can say what, but why do I have to say it?

There have been a lot of things written about your unprofessional behaviour on the sets of a show. How do you deal with it now?
I let my work speak for itself. All the professional and unprofessional things you are talking about are from my past. If an iconic character is scrapped, who faces the biggest loss? The channel. If the channel thought I was unprofessional, why would they invest in me again? The stories don’t matter to me, yes it hurts me.

Did you really have a drinking problem?
(Laughs) I have never had a drinking problem.

Or was it one of the drunken episodes?
I think it’s human to err. We all have our learning curves, but what happens is when we (read actors) do it, it is talked about. But I am still learning and growing.

Earlier, we heard you had signed a three-film deal with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. What is the status of that?
It will happen, but it will take its time.

We’d also heard that KJo has scrapped the deal...
Life is not yet over, it will happen. But I don’t know. Karan is the best person to answer that.