Mom’s passing is a void that nothing can ever fill: Niilam Paanchal

Niilam Paanchal, who lost her mom Vasantiben Panchal in March, has resumed working. The actress, currently seen in the Hindi TV show Saru, shares, “Her death is a void that nothing can fill. I miss mom every day.”

‘I think I got my new show due to mom’s blessings’

Recalling the day when she got a call to audition for Saru, Niilam, who lives in Mumbai, shares, “My mom was in hospital and I was with her 24*7. So, I was not keen to audition for the project, but my mother told me, ‘You must do it, you will get this show.’ I had to go for a mock shoot in Naigaon and when I returned, mom’s condition had deteriorated. The day we lost her, I got a call confirming that I had been selected. I was not in a state to process that information.”

Niilam adds, “I started shooting for the show barely a week after my mom’s death, and it was a very difficult time for me. But my co-actors have been supportive and understanding. In a way, it is good that I started working because otherwise, I really don’t know what I would have done. The show went on air on mom’s birthday. I feel I got it due to her blessings.”

‘I am keen to do more Gujarati films’

Before Saru, Niilam was seen in the TV show Dil Ko Tumse Pyaar Hua, which went off air in February. She shares, “Be it Ishqbaaaz, Hamari Devrani, Lajwanti or other shows, I have always played negative roles on TV. In Saru, I am playing a positive character on the small screen for the first time and it’s a great feeling.”

In D-Town, she was last seen in the film Nasoor (2024). In an earlier interview, the Hellaro, 21mu Tiffin and Vash actress had told us, “I was being offered mother’s roles but don’t want to play moms to 40-year-olds on screen.” Asked about her plans of making a D-Town comeback, she says, “I am very keen to do more Gujarati films. It’s refreshing to see that age-appropriate roles are being written now for women in Gujarati films too. In my TV show contract, it is mentioned that I will take a break and shoot for Gujarati films if I get one. But surprisingly, while I used to be offered a lot of Gujarati films earlier, I have not been offered any in recent times. My husband (Mihir Rajda) is a terrific actor and I am glad he made a successful debut in Gujarati films with Mithada Maheman. I hope we get to see more of him in Gujarati films.”

‘I start crying whenever I remember mom during little moments’

Talking about her mom’s contribution in her journey, Niilam says, “I lost my dad when I was just four-and-a-half years old. We are four sisters and mom struggled a lot to bring us up so beautifully. Our financial condition wasn’t great, and she had to sell her jewellery. Woh silaai ka bhi kaam karti thi. Back then, a lot of people would say that there was no need to send girls to college, but mom made sure that I completed my graduation. When I started getting acting offers and shifted to Mumbai in 2008, I told her that I wanted to pursue it and she supported me. I had promised her that I would make her proud and when I won the National Award for Hellaro, it was a huge win for both of us. I could fulfil my dreams only because of her.”

She adds, “During her last moments, mom told me, ‘Mere jaane ke baad tum logon ka kya hoga? Mann laga ke kaam karna, aur tumhari beti ko khoob padhana.’ I still start crying when I remember her during little moments, and there are times I can’t sleep at night. However, the show must go on. I hope I continue to do good work so that up there, she can be proud of me.”