'People still refer me as Anjali'

Sana Saeed, the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai moppet speaks to Riya V Anandwala about her new serial Lo Ho Gayi Pooja iss Ghar ki.

Lo Ho Gayi Pooja iss Ghar ki.. quite a mouthful, huh?
Yeah well, it's about Pooja, that's me, a runaway from Bhatinda. She wants to become a singer in Bombay.

Runaway from Bhatinda.. a la Jab We Met?
Pooja is a chatterbox so yeah, she is a lot like Geet (Kareena Kapoor) in Jab We Met. But the soap has a hatke twist. I play my age.. a 19-year-old. Except for the lines.. I didn't mug this much even in school!

What went wrong with your television debut - Babul Ka Aangan Chootey Na?
I was promised a strong character and track. I wasn't happy with the way things eventually shaped up. Then this offer came along.

So you admit Babul.. was a wrong move?
Not really. I didn't plan my television career. I never thought Lo Ho Gayi.. would be called my comeback. I'd prefer if people called it my debut instead of Babul.

So whom do you get to romance in Lo Ho Gayi..?
Amit Dolawat.. but only after a couple of months into the soap.

Any hotties you'd want to be paired with?
Except for Smriti Iraani, I hardly know anyone on TV. I don't watch much of it, I'm into films.

Yeah, you started out as a child artiste in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai..
Yes, so I don't need to prove my acting prowess.

You're still referred to as Anjali from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, isn't that irritating?
Yeah, it's irritating when I'm called Anjali. But now I'm used to it.

Isn't working on TV stressful for a 19-year-old?
(Laughs) I do get worked up because I'm not used to back-to-back schedules. I relish my days off.

You started out at the movies with Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Ever thought about returning as a heroine?
Eventually yeah. But before that , I plan to go abroad after my graduation. I'd like to do my masters in advertising. I need to have a back-up plan in case things don't work out in the movies. The industry can be quite unreliable.

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