Kanika doesn’t want to be ‘an empty vessel’
Actor Kanika Maheshwari believes in immersing herself in whatever she does and to produce content that has substance and ‘moral value’.
“I worked through my pregnancy. [Then] I immersed myself in bringing up my son,” says the actor, who gave birth to a boy in 2015. “I didn’t want to waste any more time, and started creating, writing, and producing stories that I wanted to. I’m only looking for work that has [substance] and moral value. I don’t want to be an empty vessel,” the Diya Aur Baati Hum actor adds.
She has written and produced the short film, Forever Whim, which must mean creative satisfaction, but the highlight of her career, says Kanika, was playing Meenakshi in Diya Aur Baati Hum, which ran for eight years until 2016. “I believe I was instrumental in bringing comic relief to the show while throwing a negative shade [as well],” she says.
“The role meant a lot to me and gave me enough recognition. But soon after, it started affecting my work. Actors get paid to attend many events across the country for appearances, launches or performing at weddings. On one such occasion, all my scheduled events were cancelled, and the agency cited the reason as my playing a negative role on the show — his client [had] presumed I was evil in real life, too,” she recalls.
Citing the example of fellow TV actor Urvashi Dholakia, when it comes to versatility, Kanika says, “Urvashi played the glamorous villain in Kasautii Zindagii Kay and set trends for years to come, but I also remember the cute girl from Dekh Bhai Dekh. She could do both and become famous for both. So, makers and audiences should give [actors] chances.”