Ragini Khanna in Calcutta on Saturday. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Television actress Ragini Khanna, Suhana of STAR Plus TRP-topper Sasural Genda Phool, was in Calcutta on Saturday. She visited the AMRI Women and Children’s Hospital and spent some time with the kids there. t2 caught up with Govinda’s niece for a quick chat…

How has your Calcutta trip been?

I haven’t been able to spend as much time in Calcutta as I would have liked to. I just came yesterday (Friday) and I am leaving this afternoon. I did manage to catch Delhi Belly last night, though.

What did you think of the film?

I was okay with it. It’s the kind of film that will appeal only to a certain section of the audience. I can’t think of taking my family with me to watch it.

How has it been playing Suhana in Sasural Genda Phool?

Life has definitely become better. I feel very blessed to have got to play such a wonderful character so early in my career. The best part about Suhana is that it’s a flawed character; she isn’t Miss Goody Two-Shoes. The show is about her journey from being someone who needs to be corrected at every step to a character who eventually becomes a true heroine. It’s someone who is very real.

Suhana was recently voted the most popular character in Hindi television…

It’s such a superb honour! It’s something that every actor spends a lifetime hoping and working for and to have it come to me so early in my career is simply amazing. It just brings a smile to my face every time I think about it.

What else are you looking at doing on TV now?

Fiction is completely ruled out at the moment, because I am doing one of the best fiction shows on television already. I am interested in doing reality shows, but I don’t think a controversial format will work for me. I am not someone who is comfortable baring my life in public or getting into needless controversies. I don’t think I have it in me to pull it off. If it is a reality show, it has to be clean and for family viewing. Even within the space of a reality show, I want to be a part of something with sensibilities that enrich me.

Ragini Khanna in Sasural Genda Phool

Earlier this year, we saw you as a participant on Season 4 of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa…

Jhalak was a completely new experience for me. I had never danced on screen before and to be honest, I had never even seen previous seasons of the show properly, maybe an episode here and there. I took time to understand the show and its format and to get my bearings right. That’s why I got eliminated early. But when I came back on a wild card, I was far better equipped and much more confident. I wanted to do a lot more on the show, but somehow, I couldn’t. Maybe next time.

You also debuted in Bollywood this year…

Teen Thay Bhai was a really good launch. To work with people of the calibre and sensibilities of (producer-director) Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Om Puri, Shreyas Talpade and Deepak Dobriyal is a dream launch for any newcomer. I know the film didn’t do well, but it did a lot for me, like giving me the chance to rub shoulders with some of the best in the industry. I learnt a lot on the sets. Like Teen Thay Bhai, I want to be part of films that tell good stories. Slapstick and action rule nowadays, but I don’t think there has ever been a substitute for a good story.

Is it true that over-exposure on TV comes in the way of a career in Bollywood?

The truth is that most TV actors work such long hours that they are burnt out. And then people turn around and say that they are over-exposed. I personally feel that far from over-exposing me, my stint on TV has actually given me a solid platform to hone my acting skills before I step on to the big screen. Most Bollywood newcomers today go to some acting class or the other before they debut. For me, TV is my acting class. When I get into films, I will have double the confidence as opposed to a rank newcomer because I know I have the exposure, the experience and the confidence from my days on TV. Plus, I think TV actors have a certain connect with the audience which helps whenever we do films.

Not many know that you are Govinda’s niece…

I have never taken his name to get a show or a role. In fact, I never even mention his name. Only when I am asked do I speak about him and that too, I keep it to a minimum. I am very clear about the fact that I will never use his name for publicity or to get a role. If I have to get a role, it will be on the basis of my abilities.

Hasn’t he ever given you any tips on acting and the industry?

None at all. Not even one.