‘I hate crying scenes’
CHILD ARTISTE RUHANA KHANNA TALKS ABOUT HER SHOW GANGA, JUGGLING STUDIES, SHOOTING AND HAVING FUN ON THE SETS
Ruhana Khanna, who plays Ganga in the show by the same name, talks about the soap which is about an orphan child widow who ends up in a rich home because the youngest son in the house wants a friend to play with and initially treats her as his little human toy.
They soon become fast friends and the show revolves around the girl, how she adapts to difficult circumstances and how in her own way, deals with and breaks several beliefs that widows are expected to follow.
About how she bagged the role, six-year-old Ruhana, who is from Delhi, says, “I gave my first audition for this role in May last year. There were many rounds of tests after which I was finalised. I had to be patient.” Now, she has landed a four-year contract by the channel. Being a child artiste is perhaps the toughest as one has to juggle studies and shoots. Ruhana, however, is managing quite well. “I have taken a few months off from the school. Last month I went back home for my final exams. I study on the sets every day and the day I am not shooting, I study at home. The principal and teachers of my school, Indraprastha World School, New Delhi, are very cooperative and encourage me both in pursuing acting and in studies,” she says. In fact, her teachers Watsapp assignments to her. To make things convenient for her, Ruhana’s father has rented an apartment close to her sets so that she can commute with ease. And when she gets a few days break, the family goes back home to Delhi.
Her role as a child widow would be quite alien to a girl of urban India and Ruhana takes it in her stride. “It’s just acting,” she says, adding, “I follow the director. And it’s so much fun shooting with everyone, especially Rakhi (Vijan) aunty and Hiten (Tejwani) uncle. We do a lot of masti. My friends treat me the same as before. In fact they also like me on TV.
“Everyone on the sets is my friend... Swar Hingonia is a good friend of mine. In fact all the senior actors are also fun to work with and I get to learn a lot learn from
I am too young to decide what to do with my salary. My parents know best.
them,” she adds.
About other child stars in the industry, like Spandan Chaturvedi who plays Chakor and Ruhanika Dhawan who plays Ruhi in Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, she says, “I haven’t seen much of them, but I like watching both their shows whenever I have time.”
Though she has not taken any acting classes, Ruhana is confident in front of the camera as she has been working as a child model since the last two years in Delhi. Asked what she does with her remuneration, she says, “I am too young to decide what to do with my salary. My parents know best.”
Coming back to the show, taking about tough scenes, she says, “I hate crying scenes and it’s very difficult to do these scenes because I am always in a happy mood. I’ve never cried in real life, so it becomes very difficult.”