She was perhaps the most widely awaited face on Zee. Priya Badlani is not unfamiliar with fame. She shared screen space with Amir Khan in Ashutosh Gowarikar's Coke ad and also did a cameo in the Abhishekh Bachchan starrer, Naach. Priya, who wanted to become a stylist or a photographer, landed up in the industry thanks to Gowarikar. She makes her debut on television with Jabb Luv Hua and the actor is all set to make waves!

Kavita Shyam spoke to the perky Priya....

Me... I am a complete Mumbai girl,after completing my studies I did a course in Photography. I always wanted to do something behind the camera and I thought I posed like a monkey and never thought I'd look good in front of the camera. I did fair bit of commercials and I did this Coke ad with Amir Khan and Ashutosh Gowarikar and that's when he advised me to give acting a shot. I did cameo roles in Silsilay and Naach and did have options open to do more of that but I realised this offer had more scope to grow as an actor than anything else. It's a sensible decision besides I feel no genre of acting is different.

On how I bagged the role in Jabb Love Hua
I auditioned for the show and could feel the character well right from the beginning. I performed a skit to open up and followed it by a couple of look tests and finally I bagged the role.

My role in Jabb Love Hua
Anya comes from a good family where everyone has been very protective and possesive about her. She has got everything she wanted in a platter and has got it all too soon and comfortably , living in a paradise. So when she steps out in the big bad world she has to adapt to the different kind of lifestyle. It's about how she gets to the village and the twists in the tale following that. She does not think like a villager and it's about taming the shrewd with a love story attached to that. Both the guy and the girl have a different points of view but none of them are bad or arrogant.

Playing Aanya
I do relate to the character Aanya in many ways, maybe not in terms of her lifestyle.
It's her process of growth as a person and the situations she goes through which is something each one of us can empathise with. Every individual has different sides to them but I'd say I am not as cocky or snooty as Aanya but I am a lot like her as well.

My Experience with the team
I am extremely excited about this show and the different character that I get to play.I started having a ball while auditioning itself. It's fabulous to work with Sudeep, he's such an easy,balanced and focussed guy. Suhasini is the perfect lady and DJ's are so open-minded and different and keep giving suggessions to improve. Even if one of the actors is absent we really miss each other.

Preparing for my role
Modelling is very different from acting,it requires no thinking while acting one requires to do homework. We had a two day workshop, we were given character sketch as well. We work for 13 hours a day but I do lead a disciplined life otherwise. We work outdoors, when there is no light, stress and we are running out of time all the time, get our script last minute, go to the gym, so it's a tough medium. But each day I feel I am blessed to go to work and it's good income too.

Personal life
I have no time for anything in life. For now I am working, working and only working. I am absolutely passionate about my work so there's no time personal life. I wake up at five in the morning,go to the gym, go to work, come back home, watch movies, vegetate in front of the TV and crash. I am a very domesticated person and not at all into parties. I am pretty hyper and active person by nature.