'I was nervous to leave my kids'

TV ACTRESS

Actress Gautami Kapoor, who is making a comeback on TV after six years with new show Khelti Hai Zindagi Aankh Micholi, says she was nervous to leave her two children back home.Gautami, who raises two children - Sia, seven, and Aks, four, - with actor husband Ram Kapoor, will play the role of a mother to a teenage daughter on the Zee TV show.

“I really wanted to get back to work for the last two years but nothing had fallen into place. But everything materialised with Khelti Hai... I jumped at it and I wasn’t nervous to face the camera. Rather, I was nervous for my two children, who are looked after by my staff, thinking whether they are safe at home or not,” says Gautami.
Khelti Hai Zindagi Aankh Micholi explores the journey of a 12-year-old girl, who has lost her father.The show might see Gautami and Ram teaming up together on screen as he is likely to make a guest appearance.

“Ram has agreed to be a part of the show as a cameo but he still has to confirm the dates to the channel. He is currently busy with his other works but if that really happens then it would be great as we will be seen on screen together after Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi,” she says.

Gautami's work has been appreciated right from her first TV stint Balaji Prouduction’s Ghar Ek Mandir. After the show, she was flooded with many offers and went on to be a part of serials like Kehta Hai Dil, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi among others.She tied the knot with her Ghar Ek Mandir co-star Ram in 2003 and after couple of years she quit showbiz to concentrate on family.

Gautami says she was never interested in becoming a full time homemaker. “Having started my career in showbiz at a very young age, I feel I was never interested in becoming a full time mother. I enjoyed watching my kids grow but many a times I ended up being alone at home when my children started going to school,” she says.

The actress feels in these years the shelf life of TV serials and actors have become small. “There is a stiff competition as many shows are queued for primetime slots. I have seen many good shows going off air in just two to three years if they are not able to pick up the TRPs. It's is really astonishing to see these as an actor,” she says. Apart from her small screen stints, Gautami would be seen in two films - Shaadi Ke Side Effects and actress Raveena Tandon’s children's film