Teen Times

They may be poles apart on Zee’s new show Sapnay Suhane Ladakpan Ke,but once the reel switches to real,there are more things common between “screen sisters” Rupal Tyagi and Mahima Makwana. For starters,they want to be 18 forever. Second,they are dancers first,and then small screen’s teenage drama queens. In Chandigarh to talk about their show,the two share their love for dance,acting and their journey in Mumbai. “Honestly speaking,I wanted to take up acting,but dance took precedence,” says Tyagi,who plays the vivacious “rule-breaking rebel” Gunjan on the show. And yes,Tyagi’s little liplock with Ankit Gera (who plays Mayank on the show),has been the latest buzz on the small screen. “I was so nervous when they asked me to do an onscreen kiss. I almost broke down and felt uncomfortable but then the cast and crew made it so easy and I just went ahead with it,” tells Tyagi. She had her apprehensions,and was expecting hate calls and moral police banging on her door. “But thankfully,all I got was compliments. Even my facebook page had likes and thumbs up,” adds Tyagi.

The show is a teenage family drama,and according to her,teenagers have relationships and know about “birds and bees,so a kiss on screen is okay”. While Tyagi has choreographed for filmmaker Priyadarshan’s films along with choreographer Pony Verma,Makwana who plays the shy and coy Rachna on the show,has been dancing since childhood and was encouraged to pursue acting by her mother. “My mother always wanted to be an actor,but could not. She is living her dream through me,” she admits. With issues like teen angst and rebellion,peer pressure,family rules,acid attacks,obsessive stalkers,the show’s storyline has woven the teenage life and times in it. Both Tyagi and Makwana strongly feel that more programming with teenagers and their issues should be conceptualised and aired. “India is a young country and more youngsters are watching television,and younger shows are needed,” say the two.