Akshita Mudgal, who has had a strong screen presence in TV shows Bhakarwadi, Iss Mod Se Jaate Hai, Tulsidham Ke Laddoo Gopal, Ishk Par Zor Nahi, etc, was destined to play the lead role of Radhika in Zee TV‘s recently launched show, Lakshmi Niwas. Produced by Rashmi Sharma Telefilms, the show has successfully connected with the audience with its relatable family bonds and emotions.

Akshita, who was not seen on television for some time, stresses that it was not a conscious break that she took from TV. Talking to IWMBuzz.com, she says, “My health was not in my favour. It needed my complete attention. I had to take that time to recover and prioritise myself. Now that I am doing better, it feels good to be back and doing what I love again. So the whole break was not by choice. This is why I was not doing any show.”

Talking us through the emotions of Radhika, Akshita says, “Radhika is someone who does not have a dream of her own. She dreams that her parents’ dreams get fulfilled. She is not someone who has ambitions for herself in life. She knows the value of her father’s wish to build a house. She knows that her mother’s happiness lies in her marriage. She is willing to get married, not for herself, but for her mother. She is very giving, calm and composed. She will give back when she sees anything wrong. However, when the person causing the harm is known, she will not react and will happily endure the pain with a smile on her face. This is Radhika, – simple, sober, very relatable, can take the pain for her family.”

Speaking about simple people like Radhika being a rarity in the times we are in, Akshita states, “In today’s times, all are decked with their modern values. But traditions, somewhere, take a back seat in this effort to hold on to modernity. People are presentable from the outside, but have shallow, dark thoughts from within. Radhika is different when compared to the generation of people we see now. Simplicity is Radhika’s strongest weapon. She is innocent in many situations. Girls like Radhika are rare in today’s time.”

I want to stay true to Radhika to do well in the role. ‘Be the character’ is the advice I got.

Akshita was truly meant to take on the role. She mentions that she had to step away from it due to an accident. However, when the same role came back to her after she had let it go, it felt like fate was at work. Talking in detail about it, she says, “When this role initially came to me, I was sceptical as I wondered whether I fit into the age bracket of Radhika. But they were sure that I would fit into the character very well. I had got on board when I injured my back. I fractured my spine and was advised not to shoot. We were to start shooting in two weeks or so. This is when I backed out of the project, as I did not want to waste their time. Obviously, the channel and makers were also in a dilemma. I was told that they tried a lot to get someone on board. Eventually, the show also saw a delay, which was a blessing in disguise for me, as it gave me the time to recover. This is destiny’s play, I feel. I took all the rest possible before the shoot. I took 20-25 days of bed rest and got back on set. And now it feels surreal to be playing Radhika.”

Ask her about the best part of playing the character, and she says, “I want to stay true to Radhika to do well in the role. ‘Be the character’ is the advice I got. I was hooked on it, and I want to be honest with my character.”

She goes on to talk about the scope to perform as Radhika. “The scope for performance in this show is different. Here, I need to do a lot of things by not doing much. I have this thin line and need to be very careful and well aware of not crossing this line. I need to express a lot of emotions by not doing much. I have to emote through my face most of the time, while my actions are different. I am enjoying doing it.”

She is thrilled at the response she has been getting for the show. “I have people in my life who give me an unbiased review of my work. The response to this show has been overwhelming. People have come up to me and expressed that the show’s strength is in its relatability. The show’s feel is being liked, and the depth of the warmth in the family is delivered well to the audience.”

Best of luck!!