Rubina Dilaik has gained a lot of appreciation for her role in Zee TV's Choti Bahu. Her character Radhika is so vulnerable that she can cries very easily. Quite surprisingly, the lovely 'pahadan' from Himachal Pradesh is the total opposite off screen.

During the shoot, she plays the helpless Radhika standing amidst her 'oppressors', but as soon as the camera is turned off, the perky Rubina takes over. Padmini Prabhu finds out more about Rubina and life before she stepped into Radhika's shoes.

How did you come to play Radhika's character in Choti Bahu?

I participated in the Miss North India beauty pageant last year. I have won similar local beauty pageants before. In April, my sister heard of auditions being held in Chandigarh for a role in a television soap. She and her friend were keen on going for the auditions. I went along.

My sister was inside the audition room for about an hour. I was getting bored outside, so I picked up a copy of the script and gave an impromptu audition, without even registering my name.

Two hours later, the list of the selected candidates was announced and to everybody's surprise, my name was first on the list. I turned it down at first, as I had no plans of taking up acting as a career. But my mother cajoled me into taking it up.

How did your family react to your decision?

I wanted to become an IAS officer and was preparing for the competitive examinations. But after I got selected for Choti Bahu, I had to give up my career plans.

My father disapproved of this initially. But with every step, my mother intervened, and eventually, my father agreed to let me take up acting. As for my sister, she still casts envious looks at me [laughs].

But your father didn't seem to have a problem with your sister choosing acting as a career.

Back in Shimla, we lived in a joint family of 17 members. Being the eldest of my siblings, I had many responsibilities. I was expected to set a good example for my younger siblings. Besides, I used to think that acting did not click for everyone. It was different with my sister because she's not the eldest.

How would you differentiate between Rubina and Radhika?

The most important difference is that Radhika is very calm and composed whereas Rubina is not. I like to talk. There's a childlike innocence inside every human being, irrespective of age. I don't want the child to die inside me.

However, Radhika's character is entirely different. She is bound by a lot of responsibilities and social taboos. She's an introvert and so has kept the child inside her locked up forever. Rubina is flamboyant, extroverted and has a bad temper!

What we have in common is that we're not fickle-minded, we take decisions only after thinking it through and we have faith in God. And we both love cooking!

Radhika is always seen in traditional wear. What do you personally like to dress up in? How long does it take for you to dress up in Radhika s costume?

I like both western and traditional wear. I often wear outfits innovatively, by adding accessories like scarves and stoles. I design all my traditional and ethnic outfits, be it salwar-kurtas, saris or ghagras. I just love dressing up! I have a different look every time I dress up.

It doesn't take me too long to dress up in Radhika's costumes as it's not complicated. But draping a sari takes time. My hair is long enough to suit my role but sometimes, I need to attach extensions.

How do you prepare yourself to be like Radhika?

When Radhika's character was explained to me, I had an image of a distressed woman struggling to make space for herself in a society filled with odds -- a woman, who is denied her own identity. In order to understand her life and how she was treated, I did a thorough character analysis. I put myself in her shoes and looked at the situation through her eyes. I recreated Radhika's character in my mind before enacting it.

But I am a fun-loving person. I like to keep smiling and hardly feel low. That's why I feel my character is challenging and demands constant hard work.

Is there a big difference between your ages?

No. We are both 21-years-old.

How is life in Mumbai?

When I came to Mumbai eight months ago, I found life very difficult. I come from a place where everything is peaceful and tranquil. So it was very tough for me to get adjusted to the chaos, pollution and population of Mumbai. I would cry and ask myself why I agreed to come to a place like this. Had it not been for my mother, I'd have packed my bags and run back to my hometown! She was there for me throughout. Gradually, I got accustomed to the lifestyle here and convinced myself that I could handle it. Now, I feel I belong to this place [smiles].

I stay in Malad with my sister. She accompanies me to the studio; we travel by autorickshaws.

Was it difficult to staying away from your family?

Not anymore. There's so much work here that I hardly find time to sit back and brood. Also, I like the people I work with and I'm close to them. We're like a family. Even though I miss my family, I don't get time to feel low. There's always something new to keep me occupied.

Any Bollywood plans?

Not yet. I'm under contract. Besides, I am still an amateur at acting and don't want to jump into anything big. I like it here, I like the people I work with. I like my work so I'm content.