<p>After a long journey to the Maharashtra-Gujarat border, we catch up with Shivya Pathania on the set of Sidharth Kumar Tewary&rsquo;s Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush. Taking a break from her shoot, she sits down for a quick chat about playing Sita, moving base from Mumbai and playing a deity she has admired since childhood.</p>
<p>Edited excerpts from the interview.</p>
<h2>The show had a grand launch in Ayodhya. How was the experience?</h2>
<p>It was my first visit to Ayodhya. Since I am religious, playing the role of Sita [is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity]. I had only had a fleeting glance at Sarayu river. So, before leaving Ayodhya, I went there and prayed on the banks of the holy river.</p>
<h2>Are you a Ram-Sita bhakt?</h2>
<p>Not really. As a kid, I shared my grievances with my father and he would tell me, &lsquo;The world didn&rsquo;t even spare Sita, you are only human. So, don&rsquo;t worry about things.&rsquo; That&rsquo;s where my connect with Sita began. This is not mythology, it&rsquo;s our history. Ram and Sita are considered gods not only because they were the reincarnation of Lakshmi and Vishnu, but also because their qualities cannot be replicated.</p>
<h2>How do you play a goddess, especially when you are a believer?</h2>
<p>When Sidharth Tewary [producer] offered me the role, I immediately said yes. It was much later that I sat down to figure out how to play Sita and understand the responsibility that comes with the role. Playing Sita has taught me a lot in life. She had so much empathy and was a mother figure to everyone in her kingdom. I wish I can imbibe that quality.</p>
<h2>Was it difficult to shift base to Umbergaon?</h2>
<p>When you get to do what you love, nothing else matters. In Mumbai, there would be so many distractions, but living here keeps me away from them. After the day&rsquo;s shoot, I go home and unwind by reading or pampering myself. I also prepare for the next day&rsquo;s shoot. The shift has disciplined me; I get to concentrate only on my work and character. It&rsquo;s up to me whether I view the situation as freedom or loneliness. So, I am enjoying my freedom here.</p>
<h2>Do you go back to Mumbai when you get a break?</h2>
<p>I do. I leave at night after wrapping up my shoot and come back [a day later]. So, those small desires of catching up with friends and chilling are fulfilled.</p>
<h2>Most actors refuse to play a mother at such a young age. Wasn&rsquo;t it a risk to essay one so early on in your career?</h2>
<p>I never had second thoughts about playing mother to Luv and Kush because I was getting the opportunity to play Sita. This is the first time I am playing a mother on screen. I was being offered roles where I would play my age, but playing a goddess was not an opportunity to let go. I think I look prettier now. There have been so many young actors who did mythological shows and didn&rsquo;t get typecast. Stereotypes don&rsquo;t last long, and the change can only be brought from within.</p>
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Happy to shift to Umbergaon for Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush shoot, Shivya Pathania on bringing Sita's story to TV

Shivya Pathania: Enjoying my freedom here

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Shivya Pathania: Enjoying my freedom here

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