While many would have expected Kamya Panjabi to take up a new daily soap soon after Shakti Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki wrapped up in September last year, the actress waited patiently for a good opportunity to come her way. She is now returning with Rashmi Sharma’s Sanjog, in which she will play Gauri, a fierce, ambitious and materialistic mother.

She says, “I was offered a few shows but I didn’t take them up, as I didn’t want to be associated with any run-of-the-mill project. Sirf paise kamaane hote toh phir alag baat hoti. Of course, I want to make money but I also seek work for satisfaction. I am my own competition. So, I want to try something new with every show and improve my graph.”

A common complaint in the TV industry is that it prefers young, new faces, but Kamya is confident that her show will strike a chord with the audience. She says, “Several shows have wrapped up in just six months in recent times. One needs to understand the importance of a good mix of actors. Naye talent ko bilkul mauka milna chahiye, but not at the cost of seasoned actors. I am a proud supporting actor and shows need actors like me for longevity. But no one wants to spend on seasoned artistes, who are professional and talented. Jisko acting ka A nahi aata aap usko laakhon rupaye de dete hain aur jinko aata hai unko aap Rs. 5,000 dete hain.”

The actress was also certain that she wouldn’t take a pay cut, which was another reason for a 10-month wait. She says, “I can compromise a bit for a great role, but won’t settle for a drastic pay cut. I am hungry for a good role. I know my capabilities and the extent I can go to play my part convincingly. I don’t aspire to be called a star, but a good actor who can play any part effortlessly.”

Kamya Panjabi recently shared a video on women empowerment after which someone online commented, ‘Ek apni shaadi to bacha ni payi talaq ho gaya. Fir dusri shaadi... had hai.’

The actress hit back at the person saying, “So? Mujhe khush rehne ka ya jeene ka koi haq nahi hai? Talaq ho gaya toh aurat ko marr jaana chahiye? Talaq se zindagi khatam ho jaati hai aurat ki? Aap jaisi soch rakhne waalo ke khilaaf aaj harr ladki ko apni awaaz uthani padegi our utha bhi rahi hai... Mujhe kamzor naa samajna main ladki hoon lad sakti hoon.”

Kamya, who was last seen in the TV show Shakti: Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki, married businessman Bunty Negi in 2003. They divorced in 2013. She tied the knot with Delhi-based healthcare professional Shalabh Dang last year.

We reached put to Kamya regarding this and she said, “These trolls have been there since a long time now; it’s not something new that we are facing. These people on social media talk about my daughter, my past marriage, divorce, that I got married again... I ignore it most of the times, but sometimes you need to give it back. You have to make them realise how wrong they are to bring about some change.”

Kamya consciously keeps her 12- year-old daughter Aara away from social media due to this. “These days kids are on social media right from the time they are born, but I consciously keep my daughter away from it. She’s 12 years old and isn’t aware of how people say nasty things. She doesn’t know much about these trolls, but she hears me talking about it sometimes. I can keep her away from it for sometime, but later in life whenever she is on this platform, I hope she fights her battles on her own. She will know how her mother has been fighting against such things for years,” said the actress, who recently got into active politics.

She has been one of the popular faces on TV in the last two decades. Now, Kamya Panjabi is all set to don a new hat in real life. Yesterday, we exclusively told you that the actress is getting into politics and she has joined the Congress Party. We reached out to Kamya, who spoke to us about her decision and future plans. Excerpts:

It had been on my mind for many years. Even when I was at the peak of my TV career, I was certain that I wanted to join politics in the future. When my show Shakti — Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki ended in September, I started working on what I had envisioned for myself. Tehseen Poonawalla, whom I met on Bigg Boss 13 (she made an appearance on the show as a celebrity guest), learnt about my political aspirations. He realised that I had the potential and guided me through it. I want to serve my country and work on causes I strongly feel for. Besides other things, I want to focus on women empowerment and help those who suffer domestic violence in our country. I, too, have suffered silently in the past for many years. The desire to join politics stems from a strong cause. I am not hungry for power, I just want to work.

At the moment, I will be working out of Mumbai. But I am open to everything. My aim is to do good work. My husband is extremely supportive, be it acting or now politics. Chaahe Mumbai ho, Delhi ho ya UP ho, I am willing to cover the length and breadth of the country wherever I am required.

Acting is my first love and I will continue to do it. I will balance the two and divide my time. I have seen lead actors of my shows go on leave for eight days at a stretch, but the work doesn’t suffer. When I join a show, I will inform my producers of my responsibilities and I am sure that they will be happy to adjust. Having said that, if it’s required of me, I will enter politics full time. For me, it’s not just about being a face, I will walk the talk. My actions will speak louder than words.

It’s not that I am clueless and have decided to join politics for fun. I have done my homework and am very clear about my goals. I am not here to make money or achieve power and fame. Woh mujhe TV mein bahut mila hai. I am here to work. Let’s leave everything to time. Everyone knows that main jo kar sakti hoon wohi bolti hoon aur jo bolti hoon woh karke bhi dikhaati hoon.