I am a quick learner: Prachi Tehlan

New Delhi, Nov 6: She has made a transition from being a sportswoman to a full-time actor in the television shows 'Diya Aur Baati Hum' and the upcoming show 'Ikyawann'. Prachi Tehlan, the lead actress of the show, which will be soon aired on Star Plus, says she is a quick learner and her transition from a netball player to an actor wasn't so difficult. Talking to UNI, Prachi who was in the capital recently to promote her upcoming show said, "Transition from Netball to industry was not at all difficult. Of course the industry was new to me. So It took me around two months to learn the technicalities. I was shooting continuously for 'Diya Aur Baati Hum' so it helped me a lot. I am a quick learner. So transition wasn't so difficult and it was a wonderful journey." Talking about her character 'Susheel' in 'Ikyawann', Prachi said, "The name is feminine but the personality is not. So 'Susheel' is both a guy and a girl. But my character is not that particular 'sundar, susheel, sanskari' types. She has a different personality, with more of masculine characteristics in her, like walking, wearing clothes like men etc. So that's about Susheel. She doesn't know how to do household chores, or makeup like girls, no dressing sense like women. She plays basketball. Susheel is very brash. Telling about her preparations before entering into the television industry, Prachi said,"I did nothing at all. No theatre course. The first time I faced the camera was for 'Diya Aur Baati Hum'."The actress said the industry reached out to her on a Facebook fan page which was apparently of a sportsperson and they approached her for the role."At that time I was working in 'Accenture' with no plans in mind to enter into the entertainment industry but then this was an opportunity I took and thought it would be worth it because it was something new I would get to learn. So it had to happen, it happened," the actress said. When asked whether facing the camera is more difficult than representing India in a big final of a sporting event, Prachi said, "Representing country is something real and it's an incomparable feeling. Both are difficult in their own ways. Acting is very tough, because no matter how many times you learn your dialogues, or prepare yourself in front of the mirror but the time you come in front of the camera and the director says action, you can sense that fast flowing blood in your nerves and that feeling of nervousness. But sports is real because what you have prepared, you have to perform in an one hour of match. "When asked whether she thinks her quitting Netball was a big blow to women's sports in India, the actress, who had quit the captaincy of Netball at an early age of 23, says,"Not really. When I left, I realised there was nothing much left for me to do and I wanted to focus more on studies and then this opportunity came up. Of course there is always somebody to fill in your place so there were other faces, fresh talents to play for the country." 'I had my own share of representing India, and I did what all I could. I won my country a medal which is an aspiration for most of the athletes," she said.

Prachi who was listed among the 10 most glamorous sportswomen in the country says, "I don't know who did it.I was a kid at that time.But it really makes me feel happy."When asked whether we have got stuck searching for the 'glamour quotient' in the women sports, Prachi said,"I don't think sports has anything to do with glamour.What matters is how you present yourself on the court, how you play and if you win for your team, that's the most important thing.And yeah, if you have the glamour with being the best sportsperson in the country, then nothing like it -- it's an add-on. "But it is not important for a sportsperson to be glamorous. If people thought about me as 'glamorous' at that point of time, then it was great, because I didn't put any extra initiative to make myself look glamorous, because I represented myself that way I was. Telling about how she feels in the entertainment industry which has no 'security' or 'surity' attached to it, Prachi said, "This applies for every field, until you perform. But film industry is more demanding as compared to other industries because here, demand is more and supply is less. So to fit into the right thing, you have to be a good actor, have a good personality, a lot of pressure is there which you have to cope up with. So indeed it's a very challenging industry."Prachi who was recently compared to Sushmita Sen says,"I would not want to be categorised and compared with anybody, because everybody is unique in their own way. But yeah it feels good if I am compared to leading Bollywood ladies and I hope to reach that position soon someday."On her other projects, Prachi says that she is currently a brand ambassador of NGO Netball Development Trust of the UK. Prachi said in future, when she establishes herself in this industry, she would give back more to the society, specifically in sports. The show 'Ikyawann' revolves around Susheel, a member of the Parekh family based in Gujarat. She is the 51st (an auspicious number in the Hindu culture) child of the khandan and a prophecy that the child will bring back their lost glory. About the show, she said, 'The show will unveil how the girl child will bring back the lost glory. I find the character interesting as Susheel is mothered by four men in the family (as her mother dies in a car accident).'The show will premier on Star Plus on November 13. UNI