“I wouldn’t worry too much about the consequences. I choose to do whatever makes me happy.” This is Karishma Tanna’s response when asked if artists should alert and mindful of the social consequences of their art. Karishma has just returned to television serial space with Naagin 3 (Colors) and will now be seen in Qayamat Ki Raat on StarPlus. In the horror series, which is about a young couple and the ordeal they have to face because of a tantrik’s curse, Karishma plays the role of Gauri alongside Vivek Dahiya who plays her on screen partner.
“I didn’t have to think too much before accepting the show because it is produced by Balaji, the place I had begun my journey from. I didn’t want to do a regular daily soap and Qayamat provided just the opportunity. It is a bi-weekly show where you can’t afford to drag the storyline.”
A huge fan of horror genre, Karishma lists Chucky and The Exorcist amongst her favourites. She feels that after a really long time a good fantasy thriller is being narrated on the small screen and is hopeful about a positive reception. Inspired by the Ramsay style of horror, international make-up artists have been roped in to employ prosthetics.
On Naagin , a show which has been panned by the critics as regressive and perpetuating superstition, Karishma, who showed her opinionated side in Bigg Boss , says, “We are only trying to entertain people. People know that there can’t be a ‘rakshas’ in real life or that a person cannot possibly turn into a snake. People should watch the show, get entertained and not think too much about it.”
Life is hectic for the young actor who is juggling between two T.V shows but she is not complaining. However, if she were to have a day to while away, watching television is one of her options. And her choice, interestingly, is Netflix. She opines that Indian television has a long way to go before it can hope to be at par with international television shows. Having said that, she adds, “There is only so much you can experiment as after all human emotions remain the same. We try to portray those emotions within different storylines.”
