Exclusive - Bani - Ishq Da Kalma actress Neha Bagga on staying away from TV: I had to move to my hometown due to personal reasons; will be back to Mumbai in this New Year

Neha Bagga was recently seen in a music video with her boyfriend resty Kamboz. The actress seemed excited to be a part of it and spoke about her zeal for acting and how she wants to do a powerful role in her next project. Neha also spoke about the web space flourishing and her desire to work in it. The Bani - Ishq Da Kalma also spoke about the short comedy videos that she makes with her boyfriend, marriage plans and more in this exclusive interview with ETimes TV. Read on: (All Photos - Instagram)

We are 90s kids and we've grown up watching them and even today, those songs are in our playlist. Many superstars have come out of these music albums. Being an actor and as a commoner, I would get influenced by those songs and wished to feature in it. The era of music videos has returned and I feel lucky to say that I have my own song now.

I have been doing TV since 2012 and did four shows. Before the lockdown, my show was released on a particular channel but unfortunately it went off-air very soon and that's why people aren't aware about it. That show was also about weddings but it went off-air before the lockdown. When I met Resty (Kamboz) as a friend, I would feature in his videos and even record for him but unfortunately the lockdown was imposed, which was a very difficult situation. Showbiz was at halt, auditions, look tests weren't happening and you may say I reacted as per the situation. I started making videos with Resty (her boyfriend) and our videos became popular. I never thought that I would get the similar name and fame through short videos that we get from TV. I am technically challenged and social media is just not my forte. It's because of Resty that I am doing it and he motivates me to create more funny videos as people demand for it. Adapting to the situation, I took the digital route and trust me, the amount of popularity Bani - Ishq Da Kalma gave is still intact and after that I did four shows but after reaching here at this stage, I am getting the similar fame that I received from my debut show. Fans appreciate and say, "Wow, Neha you are making good stuff. We are really liking your videos."

I am very much focused now with my digital content creation. I want to do TV though but due to personal reasons I am here in my hometown (Chandigarh) for a really long time. I'll be back in Mumbai in the New Year and will then start conducting my meetings. For now, I have just been telling everyone that I need some time at home due to personal reasons. I'll be back in February 2022 and after that I'll work on the rest of the projects. I have been in Chandigarh since the past six months and I keep getting various calls where I am approached for work. I politely tell them that I will take up projects a little later and I also ask them to let me know if there is any work after January then to let her know about it.

I haven't been able to watch TV but I have heard a lot about one show - Anupamaa. Many people post the story of the show on social media and speak about how it's faring well. The other show that I know about is Udaariyaan because it's being shot in Chandigarh but I haven't watched it.

This has always remained my point of view. I got a very strong and powerful character during Bani. I know that I don't have the face of a model but I want people to react strongly and in a loved manner after seeing my work. I don't have much interest in clicking hot pictures and sharing everywhere but I just want the seniors and veterans of the industry to watch my work and say, "Wow, kya kaam kiya hai isne." I want to hear this phrase in my life and want to do something that is powerful.

Of course, yes. If the content is great then as an actor, you get to play a lot with your skills. This is what I have understood by observing people on the web. There are great stories flourishing on the OTT platforms and I feel like, "I want to do such a 'dhamakedaar', amazing character." There are many of our senior actors, who are doing web shows and are doing some great work. This new option is truly a boon for us actors. Earlier, there were TV and films and now we have OTT, slowly but steadily we'll have YouTube too.

If the script is amazing and there is a genuine need for the character to go bold then I don't have any issues in doing intimate scenes.But, if such scenes are put in unnecessarily then it's weird and I wouldn't do it.

Haven't thought about it yet. It doesn't even cross our minds. So as of now there's nothing.

I never had any sour experience initially because I bagged my first show in Chandigarh itself. I asked a sir to give me an opportunity to try because I wasn't sure about my family supporting me or if I would ever get a chance to come to Mumbai. By God's grace they were taking auditions in the room next door. So, the sir agreed and they gave me Rajji's script (her character from Bani - Ishq Da Kalma). I rehearsed the dialogues and went on the podium and gave a live audition in front of many people. The day after that audition, I would get dreams of them calling me to Mumbai. Now when I look back at the audition, I wonder what I did and how I looked. But after a year, I got a call that they wanted to do my look test with makeup and costume because they liked my performance. They told me to book tickets and fly down to Mumbai. I said, "My family won't send me." Then the production people said they'll book my tickets and my family refused to send me alone and insisted on taking my brother along. I conveyed this to the production team and they agreed on booking my brother's tickets as well and said, "ab toh aa jao." The production house told me, "If you get finalised then you'll stay or else we'll send you back to Chandigarh." After that I never returned but after Bani - Ishq Da Kalma, people started knowing me and I did not have to stand in the queue for auditions. In TV, there is a process where you have to audition every time no matter how much work you have done in the past. So, that way it was great. Look tests happen even now.