The wait was worth it: Alisha Prajapati on Hindi TV comeback with Aankh Micholi

Alisha Prajapati, who is back on Hindi TV after almost four years with the show Aankh Micholi, says that she is in a happy space professionally. The actress, who has also done Gujarati films like Teacher of the Year, Dhuandhaar, and Gujarati web series, tells us, “This is my second Hindi TV show after Dil Yeh Ziddi Hai and I am excited to be back on TV with a good family drama that has interesting characters. Also, there are a lot of Gujarati actors in this show. I think the wait was worthwhile.” Excerpts from a chat:

‘I didn’t purposely stay away from TV’

The pandemic struck while I was doing Dil Yeh Ziddi Hai and because of the lockdown, I had to come back to Ahmedabad. I didn’t purposely stay away from TV. After the pandemic, I did ads with the likes of PV Sindhu, Alia Bhatt and Sachin Shroff, and web series in Gujarati. I would travel to Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai for shoots and travel back to Ahmedabad. I shifted back to Mumbai on January 1, 2024. During the pandemic, I auditioned for a lot of ads from home. I had also auditioned for TV projects, but things weren’t working out. Now, I am happy with how things are shaping up. I learnt a lot during my first TV show and it’s a very spontaneous process when compared to films, where you get scripts well in advance and attend workshops. Doing Gujarati web series has been a good experience and it has given me recognition. Also, Lali Lila (her play) remains one of the best things to have happened to my career and I miss being on the stage. If time permits, I might do plays again in future.

‘I am grateful for the films I have done so far’

I have shot for a Gujarati film starring Aarjav Trivedi, Aarohi Patel, Naman Gor, Deven Bhojani, and Prachee Shah Paandya, which is directed by Anish Shah. It was great to share screen space with some amazing actors and they were very helpful. It was inspiring to hear Deven sir and Prachee ma’am talking about their journey. ⁠I am grateful for the films that I have done and also for the ones that were offered to me. I have got appreciation for my performances and that matters the most. While not all of them did well at the box office, it’s not in our hands. Personally, 2023 was about learning and acceptance-accepting things as they are. Peace and happiness have become my priority now and my thought process has changed after the pandemic. 2024 will be about growth; be it spiritually, mentally, or in monetary aspects, I feel this will be a bright year for me. I am glad to be back in Mumbai. I hope to do good projects and strike the perfect work-life balance.