It is double joy for Meghana Lokesh who plays a dual role in ‘Kalyana Vaibhogam’

The serial on Zee Telugu with its 12-year-leap brings new characters, twists and turns

Actor Meghana Lokesh is excited with her dual roles in Kalyana Vaibhogam. When the serial premièred on Zee Telugu in 2017 she played the roles of Manga and Nitya in it. Now, after four years and a 12-year leap, the actor’s joy has doubled as she gets to play the roles of Divya (a youngster) and Nitya (a middle-aged woman). It was an author-backed role that made Meghana, a Kannadiga jump at the opportunity. “Playing multiple roles is a challenge; each role comes with a responsibility,” says Meghana who dons a different look for each of her characters. Her Manga remains a much-loved character on the small screen. “She’s a positive, kind-hearted girl whereas Nitya is self-centred. Divya is full of energy and raring to go,” she adds.

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Post leap, the audience can look forward to new characters, twists and turns in the daily serial that has completed 1,055 episodes and currently focusses on Divya, an NRI in search of her brother. Her parents Jai and Manga have died and Nitya, released from jail, is waiting to harm Divya. Meghana considers it a huge achievement to have played a dual role. “It is exhausting at the end of the day but it’s thrilling to know that playing dual roles for so many years is no major feat.”

Growing up in Mysore, Meghana honed her acting skills at Natana School of Theatre Arts. The 18-year-old got an opportunity to act in the Kannada serial Devi, in 2011. She followed it up with a lead role in Pavitra Bandana and Purushotmaa. Despite not knowing Telugu, she took up the role of Sashirekha in Maa TV’s Telugu serial Sasirekha Parinayam. “I wanted to move out of the comfort zone and essay different characters,” she elaborates.

Although she had acted in a Telugu movie Idi Maa Prema Katha, Meghana is more comfortable doing television projects. The reason: “I was not familiar with the Telugu film industry. Hence, instead of waiting for opportunities, I grabbed the TV roles coming my way. I felt at home doing TV.” The versatility also keeps her on her toes. “Portraying distinct characters adds a new dimension to the storytelling. It is not just my make-up or costumes, I have to constantly work on the character’s persona too, which makes it exciting.”

Over the last four years, she has picked up Telugu and constantly shuttles between Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Since the lockdown in 2020, she continued to stay in Hyderabad and her husband working in Chennai travels to meet her.

Kalyana Vaibhogam airs on Zee Telugu every day at 9.30 pm

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