When actor Mallika Dua signed up to play Shalishka, the sassy but glamorous princess from TLC’s new show Midnight Misadventures, she knew she had to play a confident yet misinformed and graceful but unapologetic character. Well into a few episodes of the show, Mallika says, she is loving every trait of her character because it has helped her discover new facets about herself. Mallika lets Nina C George in on the show, her role and how it all began.
Could you relate to your character Shalishka on the show?
Shalishka is everything that I am not. She livens up any environment. I am not on a talk show or interview people. I am supposed to just interact with people which I do very well.
What did you like most about Shalishka?
She loves herself and doesn’t look beyond herself and she’s happy in her own skin. She’s ignorant and stupid yet lovable.
Was it easy to sport an exaggerated style about yourself on the show?
Shalishka is neatly dressed. Even if she is having a meltdown, she makes sure her makeup is in place. She loves her sweaters, broaches, bows and lipsticks.
What did the midnight conversations with the actors on the show entail?
There was nothing emotional about the conversations. If you are eating junk, you are talking junk. I do it for a living.
What it easy to keep the real you out of your character?
I am a shy person and usually not as crazy as my character. This is where writers come to your rescue. You know what to do on a show because you have people who write the script and make your life easy. Just before the show, I leave my state of mind behind and get into the character.
The show involves cooking, do you cook?
I am an average cook but my mother is a brilliant cook. I am interested in food and I like cooking but I lack the finesse.
What kind of food conversations do you have with the celebrities on your show?
We ask them about their weird food stories, things they end up eating, their food fetishes and what they like and dislike. Food is the central focus.
How has your life changed after you started hosting the show?
I realised that when you meet people whose work you admire from a distance, you realise that they are just as human as you are and share the same problems as you do. This changed my perspectives towards a lot of things.
How do you handle setbacks?
My life is riddled with trolling but I have to keep going. Your ambition has to be stronger than the things that bog you down.
Your advise to aspiring comedians...
Don’t copy someone else but come up with your own thing. Make sure you do your homework before a show and keep the hard work going no matter what.
