Gul Panag, whose Tata Sky TV ad with Aamir Khan is getting a fabulous response, talks to Nishi Tiwari about working with the actor and how she intends to have a long career in films

Not long ago, actors R Madhvan and Vidya Balan appeared on our television sets in a series of Airtel commercials and won our hearts as a much-in-love couple. The ads were well-scripted and their chemistry sizzled. Little surprise then that the commercials became hugely popular across the country. Now you have that Tata Sky commercial featuring Aamir Khan and Gul Panag as a married couple dying to get their hands on the TV remote. The earlier commercial with Aamir dressed in drag received mixed reactions but this particular one has already become the talk of the town.

Gul Panag, of Dor and Manorama Six Feet Under fame, is naturally thrilled to do a commercial with Aamir Khan no less and was more than willing to speak about the experience. “The commercial has been directed by Vinil Mathew who has also worked on the Madhavan-Vidya Balan ad. But this one is different. Here, the couple is not very lovey-dovey with each other. Their life together is about getting to watch their choice of shows,” she says, adding, “There are a lot of moments between us in the ad which is making it work.”

Gul is all praise for Aamir — the actor with whom she has struck a great chemistry on screen. “You only realise why he is such a great actor and why he has reached where he is today after you’ve worked with him. He is really focused on his work and is an exceptional actor.”

Shedding some light on the product she endorses, Gul says, “You can watch your favourite serial while another programme is being recorded for later viewing. So that takes care of disagreements in a house hold”, she laughs. Talking about her career, Gul’s biggest claim to fame was the moment when she won the Miss India title and was raved about for her cute dimples. But that proved to be a temporary phase as she was quickly forgotten, until she took a plunge into acting. Gul denies she was ever striving to be a successful model. “This is a common misconception. After you win a beauty pageant, people assume that you are a model. I never did any modeling. In fact my first assignment was as an anchor on TV.” She started her career from the small screen and has gracefully made inroads in Bollywood too. Talking about her journey so far, she says, “I’m really grateful because Miss India happened to me and for the way things have shaped up so far. Most of my films have been appreciated, be it Dor or Manorama Six Feet Under.”

She also reveals that unlike other actresses, she is not here for another five-ten years. She states, “I’m a marathon runner. And plan to be here for as long as possible. It’s very important to keep the long-term picture in your mind while taking decisions. Where I want to be in ten years will determine if I’ll do a certain film. If you identify your goal, it makes it easier to accomplish things. I’d like to do films, which can be watched even after ten years without losing their relevance.” The actress’ upcoming projects include Trade with Vinay Pathak, Hello Darling with Mukta Arts and Ram Gopal Varma’s next.