Hetal Yadav: I want to try every genre

A wide variety of roles in hit serials have helped versatile actress Hetal Yadav to carve out a successful television career.

That impressive range has enabled her to tackle everything from comedy to hard-hitting drama on popular shows like Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Dil Yeh Ziddi Hai, Kashibai Bajirao Ballal and current series Imlie.

As she looks forward to taking on more challenges, Eastern Eye caught up with the popular small-screen star to speak about her TV journey, acting, current series Imlie and dream role.

How do you reflect on your acting journey?

Well, if I had to take a moment to reflect, my journey of being an actress has been exciting. It has also sometimes been disappointing, happy, and sad. Overall, I have had an amazing life with so many things to be grateful for. And ever since I became an actress, I have been more disciplined in life.

Which character is closest to your heart?

I have played so many different characters that I have lost count, trust me. But two characters are closest to my heart. One is Jwala from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, which gave me recognition. The other must be Bhavani Bai, which I played in Kashibai Bajirao Ballal. That author backed role extremely close to my heart gave me great satisfaction. I wish I would have got a few more years to play that role, but unfortunately all good things come to an end eventually.

What has the experience of working on Imlie been like?

I am still a part of the show, and my journey hasn’t come to an end. I am really fortunate to be a part of Imlie. The entire team of directors is great. I am still waiting to explore something really good while playing Shivani in the show.

Why do you think Imlie as a show has been so loved?

You can never figure out what your audiences like. There are some shows that are not that great story-wise but do great on the ratings charts. You can never figure that out. Our job as actors is to perform, give our best, and see how audiences react. The entire team works on the storyline day and night to keep audiences entertained and engaged. The reason behind a show’s success is the team’s effort to keep the storyline engaging and audiences

hooked to the screens.

How does acting in a comedy like Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah compare to a more serious drama like Imlie?

There’s no comparison between comedy and serious characters. As an actress I’m always greedy to play different kind of characters. Comedy needs more effort - you must be at it otherwise you’ll not be able to make people laugh. As an actress, I’ve experienced that comedy is harder. It is very tough to make people laugh. You can make people cry easily.

Which genre do you enjoy?

As an actress I want to try each and every genre, with different shades. I’ve not touched thriller, mystery, or action, and want to do that.

What do you enjoy watching as an audience?

As an audience I love the romance genre. It is my favourite. Apart from that I like action and thrillers.

Do you have a dream role?

I don’t have a dream role. But as a reference, I’m a Sridevi fan. She did wonderful work and played all the shades possible. She was also a dancing diva, like me. I love to dance. One Sridevi character that remains a dream is in Chalbaaz, where she played a double role, with one being very naive and the other street smart.

Who would be your own acting hero?

I don’t have a particular favourite because there are so many good actors, with unique qualities who perform so well that you can’t imagine anyone else in that character. For example, I really like Dharmendra ji’s performance in the film Chupke Chupke. I also really admire Saurabh Shukla, Vijay Sethupathi, Tabu, Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranaut. So, I don’t have any favourite actor, but do have favourite performances.

Tell us something not many people know about you?

No one knows that I started my career as a dancer, and then as an assistant to a choreographer. I am very passionate about dancing. I always wanted to become a successful choreographer, but unfortunately couldn’t. That is still there deep down in my heart. The hope is that I’ll make it happen someday.

What do you love the most about being an actress?

I don’t just love being an actress, but the entire process of filmmaking, which I am very passionate about. It is a very creative job. I just wish and pray that I can try my hand at other departments as well. I’ve worked as a choreographer and a co-producer, but want to do more of it, and being an actress is one of them.