Exclusive - Kratika Sengar on watching dad-in-law Pankaj Dheer on screen in Mahabharat: I went and touched his feet

Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki actress Kratika Sengar has a huge fan following on social media and is adored by fans. The actress has done a variety of roles in her career and has proved her prowess as an actor with every project that she took up. Be it the historical Jhansi Ki Rani, slice of life show, Punar Vivaah or Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki, Kratika Sengar is a woman of substance and during this lockdown period, ETimes TV conducted a live chat session with her and we spoke with her over several current topics. Read on...(By: Gayatri Nirmal)

"We (Kratika and Nikitin) had planned on working out together but I have a very bad knee injury. In today's time, you really can't go to any doctor as such and therefore I consult the doctor online. With this knee, I can't really workout. Even while walking, I am limping, so workout is out of question for me," said the Punar Vivaah actress. (Photo: Instagram)

The era of classic shows has returned and Kratika's father-in-law played the role of Suryaputra Karna in Mahabharat. When asked her about it. she said, "While it was airing on DD, we did watch and now again it is coming on some other channel. Now, we are not watching but we followed every episode and in fact, when it was dad's (Pankaj Dheer) entry and when he came in that show for the first time, we all really applauded and loved him in the show. I even went and touched his feet and said, "You're so good." He looked so handsome and was so good in the entire series of Mahabharat." (Photo: Instagram)

Kratika said, "It's like any other family. We crack all types of jokes together. When dad and I sit, we really talk because he is one encyclopedia and you can talk to him about anything and on any subject. He has so much knowledge about everything that when you sit with him, you really feel like talking about good subjects and something about that I don't know. There are a lot of times when dad and my point of views don't match but we are like any regular family. We have a lot of fun together and how Punjabi families are with no filter." (Photo: Instagram)

Tanu and Rishi's characters from Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki were adored by fans and they want to see them reunite. When asked if Kasam 2 is made and if she got an opportunity to collaborate with Kasam's co-actor, Sharad Malhotra. The actress said, "Why not! In fact, I am sure even he would love to collaborate." (Photo: Instagram)

The era of supernatural shows are going on and people love watching them. We asked Kratika if she would essay the role of a 'Naagin' or so on, if required, and she replied, "I am an artist and I am open to doing anything that I am comfortable with and something that audience loves to watch because Naagin has been on the number one position in the TRP charts. So, why would I not? I would do it." (Photo: Instagram)

In one of the earlier interviews, Nikitin Dheer had said that he does not like to see wife Kratika romance other co-actors onscreen. Speaking about it, the Kasam actress said that he said it in a very light note but it was taken out of context. Here's what she said, "That was said on a very light note and unnecessarily it was taken out of proportion. He is possessive and I am possessive too and that is it. It's not that he would stop me from doing anything. Anything that I am not comfortable of, I won't do not because he won't like it. He is very understanding and at the end of the day he will tell me, 'If you think that you are comfortable to do, please go ahead. He will never stop me ' He had said on a very lighter note that I don't like romancing you somebody else because in real life, I am not romantic. And, on television, he teases me with my co-actor, "Oh God, what chemistry!" He teases me that you should learn from your characters to become a little romantic." (Photo: Instagram)

"I've had great experience in all the shows that I have worked. I've never ever had bad experiences with anyone. Punar Vivaah was a different journey. I had just finished Jhansi Ki Rani and every time one has to prove oneself with their project. In Jhansi Ki Rani, I was playing a warrior and after that, I had to play a wife in Punar Vivaah, where I played a housewife, a next-door-woman, who has a child and who is remarried. So, that was a journey for me and Kasam was again a different journey for me because it was a cameo for 3 months, and it turned out to be a three-year long character and I loved shooting for both the shows. All my shows will be very close to my heart and they hold a very special place because of something or the other," said Kratika Sengar. (Photo: Instagram)

Kratika said that they became friends only after the show ended. "Gurmeet is a thorough professional. While shooting for Punar Vivaah, he and I were not friends. He would only do 'masti' (fun) with the guys. He never did masti with us. Gurmeet and I became friends only after the show got over and we went abroad to do our events. I think, over there he did not have anyone, so, he had to talk to me, and vice versa. Otherwise, it's been very smooth. He was always very nice to shoot with and it went really smooth," said the actress. (Photo: Instagram)

There are many videos of Kratika playing pranks on her co-actors and when asked why is she called a prankster, she told us, "I had played a prank on Sharad and one more co-actor, Amit, and they really got very scared. I had a dead cockroach in my hand and I placed it on Amit's shoulder and he started running around on the set while the cameras were rolling. And, the other time, I just threw cockroach on Sharad's lap and he also stood up and started dancing. There were also a lot of other times when I used to just go and stand behind an artist and just scare them by saying 'boo' and throw water on them." (Photo: Instagram)

Many television actors have taken up the adventurous show, Khatron Ke Khiladi and Nikitin Dheer, too, has done this show. When asked his actor-wife, if she would take up this show, she said, "While I was shooting for Jhansi Ki Rani, I had got an offer for doing Khatron Ke Khiladi. Again, I got a call for it after I finished shooting for Punar Vivaah but the problem is I have slip disc, and I got slip disc when I was in 11th standard. So, because of that I really can't do such shows where I am required to do such physical stunts. I am not scared of creepy crawlies too. Because of that (slip disc) constraint, I doubt if my family or doctor will allow me to do it." (Photo: Instagram)

Speaking about it, Kratika said, "We are in a situation where everything is intertwined. You would really not know who to blame, because the 90 days thing (payment structure) has always been there. Ever since I have joined this industry, it’s been there, I don’t know if it existed before that. It is a very disheartening situation when you get to know that your fellow mates or co-actors are facing such troubles and they have to take such a big step to commit suicide and the reason behind that is there is some crisis or financial crisis. So as an artist, I can only request the artists, actors and producers that help as much as you can because we are doing our best." (Photo: Instagram)

"I don’t put such things (about helping people) on Instagram, I don’t put it on media but I am helping people as much as I can financially, and as well as come it in the open and give them some motivation. We have to be strong and we all should understand that we all in it together and everyone is facing some of the others problem in their lives. People who all are in our industry they are also on daily wages. So it becomes really difficult for them to feed their family on everyday basis. So, I can only pray and request them that they keep their strength and believe that this too shall pass as well. We all know that even the darkest of night has the end and the sun comes back again," concluded the actress. (Photo: Instagram)