What was it like on the sets of Khatron Ke Khiladi?

It was an experience of a lifetime. I haven’t had a better experience in my life. When I got an opportunity to be on the show my initial reaction was main nahin kar paoongi… Then I thought over it and finally I was like, I cannot miss this chance. I decided to do it and today I am very happy that I chose to be a part of Khatron Ke Khiladi.

Why were you edgy initially? Do you get scared very easily?

I am like that (laughs). I do get scared of a lot of things. I had seen some of the episodes of Fear Factor on AXN and they really freaked me out. It was like no! it’s not my cup of tea and so what’s the point of going? But then I was like unless I go, unless I try how would I know whether I can do such weird things. These were not things that you get to experience in daily life. They were really wacko and completely crazy.

That’s all on paper. How was it when you actually had to do the stunts in South Africa?

Mixed bag really. Some were really scary, the ones which make you think: “Oh my god, how am I going to do this?” There were others which once you do it for a few moments, you think you can do it. But overall most of the stunts were very freaky. Honestly I would cry before a stunt in total fear and I would again cry at the end of the stunt thinking how I had managed to pull it off.

What are you most afraid of?

Actually it was water and cockroaches and I had to face both of them on the show (laughs).

How was the Akshay Kumar experience?

Oh, he is a fabulous host. He is the perfect khiladi for Khatron Ke Khiladi. No one apart from him would have been able to do a show like this. His sense of humour, his rapport with the contestants, his support and encouragement were really very helpful. He was like, you have to try even if you can’t. He would even show the stunts beforehand which were really difficult. Like, he touched the cockroaches himself to make me feel comfortable.

And did you and the girls really get along?

Honestly, we got along brilliantly! In an atmosphere like this, when you are starting early and having a real stressful day, high on emotions, you just come back to the hotel and go to sleep. On the sets everyone was super supportive of each other. The competitive atmosphere was obviously there but in a positive sense.

You have done everything from films to saas-bahu shows. Do you think the audience will see the real you in Fear Factor?

A reality show will show the real you. So here people will get to know how I am in real life, how I react when I get scared, when do I cry... I am looking forward to seeing how they receive that side of me. I am sure they would say: “How will she do the stunts? She doesn’t look the kind.”

Is it ok that you are playing Draupadi on one channel and fighting cockroaches on another?

I think it’s really great that I will have two opposite kinds of serials on air. Also, I believe audiences now can differentiate what is real and what is characterisation. I don’t think they will say, “Oh my god, how can Draupadi play with cockroaches?!”