Deepa will be seen next in Qayamat Ki Raat.
Deepa says her role in Qayamat Ki Raat will change the way people look at her. After playing a mother to grown up girls in Kaala Teeka, the actor is back to looking fit and young. In an exclusive chat with indianexpress.com, Deepa shared that she was waiting to break the image for a long time. “Karuna is today’s girl, who believes in living life to the fullest. Just like today’s generation, she and her sister are a bit carefree and how something happens that changes their lives completely will be for viewers to see,” said the actor while talking about her role in Qayamat Ki Raat.
While she believes that talent is important, it’s crucial to be physically fit and look good to get good offers in television. She said, “I was 30 kgs up and it would have been wrong as an actor for me to go to producers and ask for lead or younger roles. Honestly, we get paid to look good and it would have been dishonest on my part to ignore my health concerns. I have worked really hard to get here and struggled to find a role of my caliber. It’s really not fair how the industry perceives mothers, and we need to break that stereotype.”
Qayamat Ki Raat actor Deepa shared that the lack of good roles kept her away from work.
Deepa accepted that the lack of good roles kept her away from work. “It was definitely a forceful break as everyone I met saw me only in a role of a mother. It was really difficult, as I knew this is not what I should be doing. But being a single mother, I need to earn and I was in a threshold of taking up anything that came my way but thankfully this show came my way. It was extremely difficult and it broke me in many ways but when you have Ekta Kapoor, who is the epitome of creativity and talent, dreams do come true,” she shared.
Heaping praise on her producer Ekta, the actor further added, “She has revived my career and literally given me a second chance. I think you need just one person to trust you, and see I am brimming with happiness and confidence. She has changed perceptions by offering me this role, where I play my age, romance and just be me. I really think, hope and wish that after this, people will understand that just because I go back to a son at home doesn’t mean I should be only playing a mother on screen.”
While she doesn’t have too many shows to her credit, all her roles have definitely being recognised. The Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon star shared that she feels humbled by all the love that’s come her way. “I don’t come from a family of actors and had no waiting for me to give me a break. But God has been really kind to me and I have gone through a lot personally and professionally but that hasn’t deterred me at all, for I have the love of my fans, who have supported me throughout and are excited about everything that I do.”
It’s been three years that Deepa divorced Shaleen Bhanot. When asked if she misses having a man in her life, she said, “I do miss it for me and for Jaydon as well. Shaleen has been really kind and today we are in a much better space, and he spends time with our son. As for me, my parents are looking for a guy like crazy and I have confidence in them that they will find a good match. We have made a pact that I enjoy my work and they can find me the guy.”
While Qayamat Ki Raat stars Karishma Tanna and Vivek Dahiya in lead roles, Nirbhay Wadhwa, Dipika Kakar, Abhinav Kohli, Papia Sengupta and Sumit Bharadwaj will play pivotal roles. The show will air on weekends, starting June 23 at 7 pm on Star Plus.