Exclusive: Priyamvada Kant on reprising her role as Sharda in Tenali Rama; says ‘There a lot of myself in that character, it brings me happiness’

In an exclusive interview with Times of India TV, actress Priyamvada Kant expressed her excitement about reprising her beloved role as Sharda in the returning TV show Tenali Rama. The show, which originally aired seven years ago, is making a comeback with the same cast, an unprecedented move in the Indian television industry. Priyamvada shared her thoughts on this rare opportunity and what it means to her.
"I am really ecstatic that it's happening again. It's rare that a TV show returns with the same cast after seven years of its original telecast. This is the first of its kind. It's never happened before," she said. "We're all very, very lucky, and it's a great show that the audience wanted it again, and it happened for them all over again. I'm really happy, and the fact that the makers and the channel wanted me to do it again is really nice."
Priyamvada explained why she couldn’t say no to the opportunity to play Sharda again. "Obviously, I wouldn't have said no this time because, in the last seven years, people have told me, ‘Utha lo’, which is Sharda’s takiya kalam."

She described Sharda as a complex yet fun character, especially challenging due to the show's unique blend of historical comedy. "Sharda is actually a really fun but very complex character execution-wise. We're doing historical comedy, which is tough, a new genre. That’s why it clicked with the audiences so well. We’ve seen historical and comedy separately, but bringing both together has never happened."
The role demands both verbal and physical comedy, which Priyamvada finds challenging yet rewarding. "The comedy is very physical, not just in your lines but also in your body. Being a trained classical dancer helped me shape Sharda’s character," she noted.

Priyamvada highlighted the uniqueness of her role, especially in interpreting gestures. "Her uniqueness is she interprets amma’s gestures, which is very different and challenging. I don’t think anyone on TV has done something like that."
The actress revealed that she has infused much of her personality into Sharda. "I have put a lot of my personality in Sharda’s character, her gestures, expressions, and fun elements. There’s a lot of Priyamvada in Sharda."

Reflecting on the impact of the role on her life, Priyamvada shared, "When I played Sharda last time, it was such a positive, bubbly, full-of-life character that I imbibed a lot of good qualities from her. I take back a lot of happiness from the character."
Priyamvada Kant's heartfelt connection to Sharda and her enthusiasm for the show’s return promise an exciting and memorable experience for fans eagerly awaiting Tenali Rama's comeback.