When willpower pays

She’s easily the queen bee of the Hindi television industry today. Drashti Dhami has won hearts for her performance in Madhubala — Ek Ishq Ek Junoon and has had an eventful 2013, what with winning top honours in the sixth edition of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa.

Talk to her about being one of the most successful TV stars of the year and the actress, who is in her late 20s, shrugs off the compliment. “The fact that I toiled like a workaholic paid off, I think. It’s got to do with willpower. Once I decided that I’d have to juggle Madhubala and Jhalak, I channelised all my attention to these shows.” So, from May to September, Drashti did her best to balance the schedules of both shows and in the process, lost quite a bit of sleep. But what kept her going was the unflinching support of her family, friends and fans.

“When I’d go home at 4 am, my mother would, without fail, open the door and my mausi would ensure that I got homemade food. I remember those days very fondly,” she says.

While the adulation she’s received for her roles has been heartwarming, Drashti has had to deal with her fair share of gossip in the media — among it all, her supposed upcoming nuptials with rumoured boyfriend Neeraj Khemka. “A lot of things have been printed about my so-called personal life and I haven’t a clue what actually triggered them. Much of it has been negative but through it all, my fans have been very supportive,” she says.

The actress confirms that she doesn’t have anything new on her plate for 2014. Ask her about the reports of being approached for Singham 2, and she says, “It’s just a rumour. My chances of doing anything in Bollywood seem far off. I’m very content doing Madhubala and I will not give that up.”