Niki Aneja is almost identified with Astitva these days. But before Astitva, she was, as a matter of fact, known for varied roles in serials like Daastaan, Samandar, Sea Hawks, Patang, Piya Bina, Baat Ban Jaaye and Gharwali Uparwali. When Astitva hit the television screens and Niki was seen playing an intense older woman, Simran, it was hard to believe she was the same chirpy young Niki from Baat Ban Jaye and the overbearing and funny housewife from Gharwali Uparwali.

This has been Niki Aneja for the audience over the years. Variety is the spice of life, maybe that?s what she believes in. ?I have always dared to be different. My show doesn?t have huge sets or bejewelled women. In Astitva, I started out as a 37-year-old which was much more than my actual age at that time. I am not an insecure actress at all.?

So when the 18-year-old leap happened in Astitva, it was natural for the serial to have something new in store. ?So what if other serials (Kasautii Zindagii Kay, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, which will have a leap second time again soon, and Kumkum a year back) are also having time leaps. There are a lot of differences. Like except for wearing saris in Kasautii Zindagii Kay, Prerna looks the same after the leap. My look in Astitva will age in its own way.?

Ask her about the look and she says, ?We have kept the no-makeup look for Simran. Since I am not going grey, we thought it would show her ageing gracefully.? When Indian television at primetime is crowded with saas-bahu sagas, a favourite with Indian housewives, Astitva has managed to garner attention amid all the competition.

Is Niki against these saas-bahu sagas? Why hasn?t she chosen to work with Balaji? ?I keep getting offers but they ask me to start working straightaway. They should also understand that even I am doing a daily soap. Their way of working is not my kind actually.? When told that she is called Zee?s Tulsi, she laughs and says, ?If I am Zee?s Tulsi, Tulsi is Star?s Simran. But let me tell you whereas Simran is a woman of today, Tulsi is not.? Did she know in advance that the time leap would happen or did it come as a shock to her? ?I definitely saw it coming. I knew this from day-1 as I discussed everything with the director Ajai Sinha from the very beginning.?

How does it feel playing mother to grown-up kids? ?I repeat, I am not an insecure actress at all. Moreover the kids, Yuvika who plays Aastha and Abbas who plays Harsh Chhaya?s son, are much younger than me in real life.? (Yuvika and Abbas were participants at the Zee Cinestar Ki Khoj contest. The third girl, who will play Simran?s real daughter, has not been cast as yet.)

How does she manage balancing her personal and professional life? ?My husband Sonny Walia (who is a UK- based marketing consultant) is very co-operative. In fact, he likes keeping house much more than I do. That makes my work easier,? she says.

Sonny loves cooking and the production team of Khana Khazaana (on Zee) made him appear on the show along with Niki. ?I like being in London which is my second home. When the UK schedule of Astitva happened I wanted the Astitva team to come home ? which unfortunately couldn?t happen because we were having a tight schedule.?

Niki is also into jewellery designing. ?Actually, I am artistic by nature and I used to advise my designers. So I felt I should do it myself as I had that sense. But it?s more of a hobby.? Few know that Niki had started out as a model and had done a film, Mr Azad, with Anil Kapoor. ?Though I was disillusioned with that experience, I am open to doing films if a substantial role comes my way,? she says.

Also noteworthy is the fact that she has successfully come out of a freak accident on the sets of Gharwali Uparwali to do Astitva. Niki Aneja has lasted out all that. And shows no signs of letting up, anyway.