Priya Ahuja Rajda: I never had the privilege to choose what I want to do, had to manage my household

When Priya Ahuja Rajda set foot in the showbiz in 2008 with TV show, Hamari Betiyoon Ka Vivaah, the actor was grappling with financial instability, and thus, took up everything that came her way to make ends meet.

“I never had the privilege to choose or decide that I only want to do films, or TV or ads, which most actors do. Because I had to run my house and I had responsibilities. Jab tak maine apne aapko Mumbai mein settle kara, tab tak maine chaaro taraf haath pair maar liye the. Financial stability nahi thi. I was doing everything that was coming my way and which I felt was decent enough to do,” shares the actor.

When she did try her hands at films, she met with something unpleasant. “My experience with films has been really weird yet funny. I auditioned for a film named Joker, which had Akshay Kumar in the lead role,” shares Ahuja, who at that time was playing the character of Rita reporter in the show Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma.

She goes on, “I was given a two page script for the film and was informed that I have to shoot with Akshay sir, which obviously made me pretty happy and excited”.

But it did not end there. When she went to the set, she realised there were three more girls rehearsing the same dialogues. “They gave us one line each, which left most of us disheartened because that’s not what we were told prior to the shoot. I called up the casting director immediately told him the scenario. But he requested me ki ‘is baar kar lo warna mera bahut naam kharaab hoga agar aap set se chale jaaoge’. I did not like the idea of doing that one line scene but ended up doing it for that casting director. Sometime later, I got to hear that the same person told everyone that ‘ye toh bahut rude hai, set se jaane ki baat karti hai’ and then nobody called me ever again,” she says, adding, “They created my image of a very rude actor, who throws tantrums”.

Ask her if she wishes to go back and try hands at films, without any hesitation Ahuja says “No”.

Reason? “It’s a blend of several factors. Moreover, I am happy doing television now. In fact, I do not understand why people look down upon TV actors. TV actors do 3-5 page long scene in one take. They work as hard as any other actor,” she says.

Ahuja further explains that even If she decides to go to the film industry now, she will have to start from scratch. “Only those who have reached a certain position in TV gets respect and good roles in films. Main shayad abhi TV mein utna bada naam nahi hui hu jaise Mona Singh, Ram Kapoor and Ronit Roy. Toh agar main waha pahuch gai aur phir kuch accha aaya, then I might do it.”

Ahuja states that though she is not very happy and satisfied with the way her career has panned out, she would never abuse television, as it has made her who she is today.

“Things could have been better in my career. I did two-three big shows including Baalika Vadhu, Dil Se Di Dua… Saubhagyavati Bhava? but usme mera track aaya aur chala gaya. That was disheartening for me. But that’s what happens with television. I don’t blame them for it. I will never abuse TV like most people do,” wraps up the actor.