JOIN USKarishma Tanna — the name itself evokes a reaction amongst the vast television audience in India. You may love or hate this tall, lanky and uber-sexy actor, but there is no way you can ignore her. Over and above the serials that made her a popular actor that she is today, Karishma has also made her mark in various reality shows.
Recently, she participated in the popular dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. Before this, she was a part of Nach Baliye, where she danced with her then partner-actor Upen Patel. Are the two shows different? Karishma says, “In Nach Baliye, you are dancing with your partner, who is also a non-professional dancer. The judging happens at a different level. In Jhalak..., you are dancing with a professional choreographer, so the expectations are higher, and the level of judgement is also at a different level.”
It’s been close to a decade for Karishma in the industry and she has been doing well for herself. But it obviously has not been a joyride for her, she says. “God has been kind to me because I have always got some work. Five or six years ago, there was a trend that if you are seen too much on television, then people won’t cast you in films. So, I consciously made an effort to withdraw myself from television for 2.5 years. I wanted to come in films as a heroine, but it didn’t happen. During that time, I missed out on really good work on television. But I took it as a challenge to do good films. However, I soon realised that if films had to happen, they would have, two years back. At the same time, I was getting a lot of television offers. Both the concept and money of these offers were tempting and finally, I chose Comedy Circus to make a comeback.”
Karishma’s film career did not pick up the way she wanted. She says, “When people compliment me on my skills, I do feel that I have all the qualities of a film star. Then I wonder why I didn’t make it big. I blame it on my destiny. I was not there at the right place at the right time although I auditioned for all big banner productions, from Yashraj to Dharma. I don’t regret being on television, but I do regret not being in films.”
Surprisingly, Karishma, apart from many other reasons, also got rejected because of her height. She adds, “I was either rejected for my height or for simply being a popular face on television. Television actors are such talented actors. I don’t know why they are looked down upon. I recently read an article by Rajeev Khandelwal where he has beautifully stated that a film actor can only entertain the crowd for five days, but a TV star entertains people for seven days. But I hope the scenario changes soon.”
On the personal front, Karishma was romantically involved with actor Upen Patel, but sadly, they have parted ways now. Karishma says, “ Sometimes, two wonderful people are not meant be together. We connected very strongly, but things didn’t move the way we wanted it to. We both wanted to settle down, but if we don’t see our future together, then it’s better to part ways.”
Talking about her family, she says, “Generally, in Gujarati families, people get married early. But my parents have never pressurised me to get married. My late father had told me that if I don’t find the right partner, I shouldn’t get married. These days, everybody is breaking up. Marriage is like a big gamble. I know for sure I will never compromise in my marriage. ”
Karishma is also known for her sense of style and attitude in life. She says, “I have just matured with time. Initially, you don’t have that kind of money and exposure, so you can’t afford high-end brands. Even when I was young with limited amount of money and exposure, I tried to look my best. I loved following trends. With time, age, money and experience, I have made a conscious effort to stand out.”