Right from the days of Doordarshan to the present day, when there are a plethora of channels, Seema Deshmukh has been around and witnessed the changes that have swept the small screen.

She tells NT why she feels Marathi serials can do better and why she loves being a perfectionist.

Maiden visit to Nagpur: The actress who hails from Pune says that she has never visited Nagpur before but describes her first visit to the city as ‘memorable’. “The wide roads and cleanliness have left me impressed. However, what I do regret is that I could not eat Saoji delicacies.” The lady who has a taste for the spicy stuff says, “I am a great fan of non-vegetarian food and I've heard that Saoji food is really spicy. Next time I come I surely will try it out.”

‘Marathi serials don’t pay enough’: Seema is a familiar face on the small screen and with so many Marathi channels these days, she is now a household name. Talking of the work she has been doing she says, “I am happy with the content of Marathi serials, as they give vent to artists to show their creativity and acting talent.” So what is the one thing that she rues? “The economics are not so good. We work just as hard as those who work in Hindi serials, but get paid less. I guess that’s why many of our artists prefer working for the Hindi serials,” she says.

My favourite roles: From playing a vamp to being a heroine, this actress has done it all. But there must be one role, which she wants to play. She agrees saying, “I have done a variety of roles, but I still want to play a part that encompasses the life span of an individual. I think I can then manage to show my acting skills playing different ages. I wish I get a role, where I play a young bride, a mother, a grandmother etc..”

Tryst with music: Music has always been very close to Seema’s heart and the music show on TV only gave her an opportunity to pursue what she always loved. Ask her about her musical tryst and she says, “I sing and do it pretty well. So when the show happened, I was quite interested. As the rounds progressed and I came to the top three, I was all the more inspired to do well.” And what was the kind of rapport she shared with her co-contestants? “I shared a great rapport with both the finalists Prasad Oak and Sunil Barve and I think they were deserving finalists,” she says. So is she taking her music seriously again? “Oh yes”, says Seema adding, “I am continuing my riyaaz with Milind Ingle. It relaxes me a great deal.”

Perfectionist to the core: Seema Deshmukh may be a TV star, but she knows how complacency can ruin an artist. “My learning music keeps me on my toes. The urge to learn ensures that I do not allow any kind of complacency to set in. I know people are constantly watching your work, so I keep pushing myself to do better and better and thus do better as an artist.” Aparna Phadke

Courtesy:Times of India