Talented and beautiful actor Rati Pandey, who is returning to TV after a break with upcoming Swastik Productions and Sony TV show Porus, has one major grouse against the TV industry and that is the age bar.

“Everybody is asking me if I am playing the above legendry’s king’s mom; they don’t see that my warrior character Anusuya plays such an integral part in show. Porus owes his existence to her.”

She adds, “There is a myth that once you play a mom, you will not get leads anymore. Things have reached such a stage now that girls younger to me are also playing mom. They take 18/19 year old girls as a lead and also make them mother, thereby destroying their careers. ”

“All this needs to change like films where heroines play all kind of characters. What should eventually matter is the on-screen age and how you fit the character?” exclaims Rati.

Porus is her first tryst with the mytho-historical genre. “At first I thought it would be tough but soon I realized that it would be a different experience. The show has everything i.e. visual beauty, thrills, emotions and battle royal etc. I have never seen anything like this on desi TV. The best part is that I am not playing a Goddess or something, it is just me putting in my best.”

Explaining on the gap between her last show Begusarai and Porus, she states, “Not many know that I waited nine months after signing my above show before we started (about three months back). I guess this wait was worth it for it gave me the chance to do something really challenging.”

Best of luck, Rati!!