‘I know taking over Tulsi is a huge scary responsibility. I'm aware Kyunkii… is watched not  just in India but the world-over. But this was just the challenge I was looking for at  this stage of my life. I know I’m under pressure. But I know my responsibilities as an actress. And  I love my  job”.
Gautami confesses she hasn’t been ambitious all these years. “So far I took on whatever came my way. But now I had reached a  stage where I had got a little stagnant playing wife and mother at home. I took a break to look after my daughter Siya who turned 1 recently. If nothing else, this break helped me realise how  I enjoy my work. Tulsi is as big as it gets, if I  can say so myself.”
For the last six months, Gautami had been meeting various TV producers. “Honestly, I was so keen to get back  to work I wouldn’t have minded doing even a parallel role.”
Gautami's last serial was Lipstick on Zee. “And even there I had replaced Shveta Salve. Can you believe it? I'm quite replacement girl.
“But replacing Smriti Irani as ‘Tulsi’ is a huge responsibility. My mother who's an avid Kyunkii fan  hasn’t missed  a single episode. She’s is very excited for me. But sadly for her, as I’m sure for women across the world, Tulsi  is Smriti.”
 Gautami realises there’s an uphill task ahead. “Smriti created this whole graph  for  the  character. I won't even dare to go there.
I'll play Tulsi my own way. I’m a spontaneous actress. Fortunately, the creative team at Balajee has given me the liberty  to play Tulsi  my way. They don't want me to ape anybody. In fact if I had been told to follow Smriti I’d have refused the role.”
 Gautami started paying attention to the show when she heard she might be coming on as Tulsi. “When Ekta met me the first time she didn’t tell me I was being considered to play Tulsi.”
Her only pre-condition while taking on the role was …flexible  hours. “With  a baby at home I need that flexibility. Once Ekta agreed to that, there was no hitch. My mother and  mother-in-law will take care of my daughter… I wanted this challenge to happen. It’s scary.
“But I'm ecstatic that this has happened to me. So is my husband Ram. He has been egging me on to take on a good show. Trust me,   he won’t be playing ‘Mihir’ opposite my ‘Tulsi’. He has no time,” she jokes.
 Is she fretting about her entry into India no.1 soap on Thursday? “I’ll take it one day a time. I’ll carry no baggage forward. But yes, the look is the same for me as Smriti. I’ll have the grey hair, the saris…Tulsi can't come back with a different get-up. As it is audiences will have to get used to a new face and body. I'm prepared to take the criticism.
“If the love and adulation follows, fabulous! And if people on the streets start referring to me,   instead of Smriti, as Tulsi then that would be a great achievement for me.”
If there’s any trepidation it's about  leaving her daughter at  home. “It'd require more adjustment on my part than hers. She has so many people doting on her.  I've  been completely at home for a year looking after Siya.
“And like a first-time mother I'm paranoid. But bringing her on the sets is a no-no. If Siya is around I won't be able to concentrate on my work. But according to my contract I get to spend morning and evenings with her.”