Dipshhikha will be seen playing a model, Zoya, in Rohit Roy’s film Lot More Can Happen Over Coffee. The actress plays the role of a successful model who eventually gives up on her career to become a full- time homemaker. Says Dipshhikha, “I had gone to Sanjay Gupta’s house for Mata Ki Chowki, and I met
Rohit. I didn’t even think twice when Rohit offered me this role in his film, and pronto gave a nod.” Besides acting, the actress is planning to get behind the camera and direct.

Innocent love
NDTV Imagine is starting a new soap Baali Umar Ko Salaam from November 3 at 8 pm. It is about a young girl who matures into a young woman when she falls in love. A small-town girl, Naina falls for her classmate Sameer the moment she sees him. Naina is played by newcomer Ankita Lokhande and Jay Soni plays her love interest Sameer.

Mrinal plays Jijabai
Mrinal Kulkarni is all set to essay the role of Jijabai in Nitin Chandrakant Desai’s Raja Shiv Chhatrapati, which will be aired on the new Marathi channel Star Pravah. Mrinal who made her debut with a historical serial Swami is excited about playing Shivaji’s mother. “Jijabai was an ideal woman. She single-handedly reared her son and fought for her dream,” says the pretty actress who considers it to be the best role of her career. And yet, when she was approached for the role, Mrinal was hesitant to take it up. “I am already doing a Hindi daily Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat and felt it would be difficult to accommodate another daily soap. But I realised this was a once-in-a-lifetime role and agreed,” smiles Mrinal who has been a student of history. To prepare for her role, the actress has read as many books as she could on the subject. “My grandfather was a historian, so that also helped,” she informs. Incidentally, this is the fifth time in her career that she is essaying a historical character. Her other such serials include Swami and The Great Maratha besides Meerabai and Draupadi. “I am glad that I have maintained a balance between historical and social serials like Teacher, Solah Shingarr etc,” she says. In fact, in Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat the actress, for the first time, portrays a negative character. “It was difficult to get the vampish look and gestures, initially,” she says but now Mrinal is “enjoying it”.