While she didn’t believe that television had become regressive, Shweta Gulati was consciously avoiding doing daily soaps until something worthwhile came her way. The search ended after one year and nine months when she was offered the role of the antagonist in Main Hoon Aparajita. “The moment they offered me the role, I was on board. If this role hadn’t come my way, I would have been away from television for much longer,” says the actor, who has been playing the goodie-two-shoes or the ideal daughter or bahu in daily soaps since 2003.

Gulati was brought on board to play the second wife to Manav Gohil’s character Akshay. “The fact that they considered me for the role was a happy moment. If they believed that I have the range to play a negative character, then why should I [stop them]? I have done a variety of roles, but they’ve all been positive. This was my chance [to do something] different, and I am loving every bit of it.”