One of the most talked about debuts in television this season could be the firang looking girl in Aisa Des Hai Mera which went on air recently on Sony TV. Well, the girl does look firang, but is actually very much an Indian. Saumya Tandon, a Delhi girl, fits the role of a Britain-bred girl who comes to India in search of her roots like a glove.

“I am an MBA from Delhi and I have also been modelling for a while now. I have done ad films and have been the first runner-up at a Femina Cover Girl contest. I auditioned for this role some six months back and got a call just last month. And here I am, back from shooting in London and am gearing up to shoot in Mumbai and Chandigarh now. I am really excited about this new show,” the fair-skinned stunner says.

“I play the role of Rusty who is a London girl but deep within, has got Indian values. She makes her way to India searching for her roots. It’s the clash of two different cultures and you see what happens from then on. It’s a very beautiful story. I was simply bowled over by the concept,” an excited Saumya chirps.

The serial has been directed by TV veteran Lekh Tandon. “What can I say about him! He is got such a respected body of work, which speaks for itself. It was an amazing learning experience,” she says. Tandon and Tandon! Is she by any chance, related to the director? “No, not at all! We just share a common surname,” she giggles.

Apart from an experienced director, Saumya has also got a chance to work with a whole lot of veteran co-artistes. “Working with experienced and respected people like Kanwaljeet, Bina, Ranjeet and Dolly Minhas was obviously amazing. There was so much to grasp. The atmosphere on the sets was lovely,’’ she says.

“And the production company ? Siddhant Cinevision ? has an impressive track record, too. They have done serials like Daraar, Ashirvaad, Milaan, Kitty Party, Sarrkkar.... The producer Manish Goswami was the one who took my audition. I am happy that this kind of faith was shown in me,” she adds.

How was the experience of shooting in London? “It’s actually the onset of summer there. But it was so cold; it was like the Indian winter. It was completely unpredictable. It would be windy one moment, then suddenly sunny and at times it would rain. But at the end of the day, it was a lot of fun.”

What about her look in the show? “The idea is to show a half-Brit girl, one who has been born and brought up in London. My look and getup were done to suit that need. I also had this incredible experience. When I would be shooting on the streets of London, nobody would believe I was an Indian girl. People would interact with me as if I were actually an English girl! And interestingly, in the show, I look so different that even my relatives have not been able to recognise me,” she laughs.

TV is big money and fame today. So is she ready for stardom? “I haven’t thought about all that as yet. I have just moved to Mumbai and getting used to the life here.” And finally, what are her future plans? “At the moment I am absorbing a lot of things. It’s so much of work, I must be sleeping for about five hours only. A daily soap is a huge commitment. You are almost married to it for around two years. And can think of looking around only much later,” Saumya smiles. (Sampurn)