I had complaints about being typecast as a vamp but not anymore, says Kamya Punjabi
Sangeeta Yadav
After impressing everyone with her vamp avatar on the small screen, actor Kamya Punjabi is content with the way her career has shaped up in the last three years. The actor says the transition has happened for good — from playing out-and-out negative roles in shows such as Piya Ka Ghar, Woh Rehne Waali Mehlon Ki, and Banoo Main Teri Dulhann, to doing Comedy Circus and essaying positive characters in Maryada: Lekin Kab Tak?, among others.
“I was tagged as the vamp of TV and was offered similar roles for quite long. But when I did Comedy Circus, people realised that I can be funny as well. As an actor, I’m open to a variety of work, which has now happened in the last few years,” says the 40-year-old.
Contentment aside, the actor doesn’t shy away from saying it loud that stereotyping continues to be the biggest drawback of the TV industry, and that’s a reason why even makers don’t cast actors in different roles. “Nobody envisioned me in a comic role or a family drama. I had complaints about being typecast as a vamp, but not anymore. Especially after doing Maryaada…, things changed for me,” Kamya says.
As the trend of typecasting is on a decline, the actor, with a career spanning 18 years, believes in better late than never. “I see the producers and channels taking the chance and bahus are also playing negative parts. I’ve done some really strong roles of someone who empowers and inspires through her story, and is strong enough to fight her own battles. All this gives me a lot of work satisfaction,” she adds.
On how she made peace with being typecast, Kamya says, “I was happy that I didn’t get lost in the crowd by doing any other regular role. I’m an actor and I can do everything. I have the capability to do justice [to my roles] and I want to play challenging roles, as well.”
ACTOR KAMYA PUNJABI FEELS SHE GOT A CHANCE TO DO SOME STRONG ROLES AS A VAMP, WHICH GAVE HER A LOT OF WORK SATISFACTION