It's been nearly a month and Megha Malik has only just taken a day off from shooting for the popular Colors TV show, Na Aana Is Des Laado.
Most people will recognise Megna as the over zealous lady of the house, Amma in the programme which deals with the controversial issues of female feticide and infanticide.
The show aims to address these issues in a sensitive yet appealing manner and has made Amma a household name.
Said Megha who decided to take a day off for Holi following 25-day shoot: "When I have my makeup done and put on my outfit on, I feel completely transformed. For the rest of the day as long as I'm in costume I'm Ammaji.
"She's such a powerful and challenging character to play and I love being her."
Na Aana Is Des Laado centres around 50-year-old widow - Amma - the zamindaar, prime moneylender and chief contractor of the village.
A formidable lady, Amma runs her house and the village with an iron fist. Nothing happens in the village without her consent. She can go to any extent to protect the village’s traditions and her own power and enjoys an absolute control over the villagers and her family.
Amma pretends to be liberal and progressive, but in reality she is deeply rooted in tradition and is actually orthodox. Like the men of her village, Amma strongly believes that girls bring shame to families and therefore she prohibits the birth of a girl child in her village.
Although Amma dotes on her sons, she mistreats her daughter-in-laws. She has inculcated her beliefs into her sons that men are supposed to rule and that women should be ruled over. As a consequence of this, the women in her house have no rights.
"Amma's a complete paradox," said Megha.
"On one hand Amma has these very traditional views that having girls is bad for the family and that women should stay indoors but yet she is the complete opposite of that because she is the head of the household and she makes the decisions not the men.
"It was important to do a show like this so we can educate the masses about the problems of feticide and as TV serials are the main source of entertainment, what better way to raise these issues.
"A lot of people know about feticide and infanticide but are sometimes in denial that it does happen in India andthe issues are sometime easily swept under the carpet.
"But this show brings it to the forefront and people are beginning to talk about it."
The shooting for Na Aana Is Des Laado is very intense and filming is often done the day before an episode is due to air.
Said Megha: "In a month we sometimes shoot between 24-29 days non stop, filming 13 hours a day, I breath and live Ammaji for most of the month which is why I've been able to really feel her character.
"The show has been number one in India.
"The audiences have been amazing and my character has been received beautifully."
- The show is produced by Shakuntalam Films and airs between Monday- Friday at 10.30 pm
