Pyaar Ka Pehla Adhyaya ShivShakti actress Nikki Sharma on her bond with co-actor Arjun Bijlani: “We have developed a great rapport and understanding”

Actress Nikki Sharma is back with yet another intriguing show – Pyaar Ka Pehla Adhyaya ShivShakti which premiered on 3rd July 2023 and airs every Monday to Sunday at 7:30 pm. While she has surprised everyone with a never-seen-before avatar as she plays the role of Shakti, the actor talks about her character, why she decided to take up the role, and her preparations for the show.

What is the USP of this show? What makes it different from the other shows?

Nikki Sharma: The story presents a modern-day interpretation of the dynamics between Lord Shiv and Goddess Shakti – two forces that are known to complete each other. The setting is contemporary, and the backdrop is the spiritual capital of India – Varanasi and introduces you to a young lady called Shakti who lives with a motto that broken things can be mended and shouldn’t be discarded. Staying true to her mantra, this love story will see her helping a broken Shiv, devastated by a tragic turn of events in his life, heal gradually through the power of love. We’re very hopeful that the audience will relate to our show and give us all their blessings and support!

Tell us about the concept and the storyline of ‘Pyaar Ka Pehla Adhyaya ShivShakti’

Nikki Sharma: Pyaar Ka Pehla Adhyaya Shiv Shakti is a beautiful tale of love set against the backdrop of Varanasi, which showcases a modern-day interpretation of the Shiv-Shakti dynamic. I play the role of Shakti, a young woman who lost her parents at a tender age and yearns for a sense of belonging while chasing her parents’ dream of her becoming a doctor. She was raised with the fundamental principle of embracing one’s flaws and imperfections as the building blocks to creating a stronger version of yourself. She firmly believes, as a result, in mending the broken through love and care.

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On the other hand, Shiv is played by Arjun Bijlani, a 30-year-old neurosurgeon, who is broken due to a major event in his past. While Shiv’s family is eager to get him married, their biggest worry is who will marry a broken man like Shiv? After a chance meeting in Varanasi, Shiv and Shakti’s lives change forever and what follows will surely keep everyone at the edge of their seats. It will be interesting to see whether Shakti will be able to be the support system that can heal a broken Shiv through the power of love or not!

We have heard it is a spin-off of ‘Pyaar Ka Pehla Naam Radha Mohan’, we have also seen the promo. What is the connection between the two shows?

Nikki Sharma: Pyaar Ka Pehla Adhyaya ShivShakti is not a spin-off of any show. It is an independent story with its own unique narrative. Having said that, because Pyaar Ka Pehla Naam Radha Mohan is a much-loved show on Zee TV and has been produced by our very own Studio LSD Productions as well, we thought what better way to introduce Shiv and Shakti on the channel than through a special, exclusive first glimpse on Radha Mohan. Both these shows will air on the channel one after the other. We hope viewers will appreciate our show as well and fall in love with our beautiful and heart-warming tale of love and healing.

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What convinced you to essay the role of Shakti? Tell us something about your character.

Nikki Sharma: Honestly, when I heard the show narration and about Shakti’s character, I knew that this role was meant for me. Shakti is a very strong-minded girl, who lost her parents at a young age and was raised with the fundamental principle of embracing one’s flaws and looking at these imperfections as the building blocks to create a stronger version of yourself. She believes that everyone and everything can be healed through some extra love and care. And, in real life, too, I believe in the same thought. Showcasing our love, affection, and care for people can always make things better and I have learned this from my mom. She is my Shakti in real life and the relatability will make this role special. I have had a tattoo that says Adhi Shakti even before I auditioned for this role, so I guess this role was just destined to come to me.

You visited Varanasi for the first time to shoot for the show, tell us about your experience of shooting in the city

Nikki Sharma: It was a surreal experience, I was really looking forward to shooting in Varanasi. Visiting the city has always been on my bucket list, and I was actually planning to visit it soon and I think God had his own plans of making it all happen. I must add that when we were shooting at the Ganga Ghat, it was really hot, but the excitement of starting something new and wonderful made it relatively easy for all of us. I am so happy I got to explore the city, visit the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple, eat the local delicacies, and meet local people who told us stories about the different historic places. In fact, the people are so warm and loving there that I can’t wait to visit again!

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What kind of preparation have you done to get into the skin of the character?

Nikki Sharma: I can relate to Shakti a lot, so it was easy for me to get into the character. We both are very similar in terms of the way we talk and express things. So, it was a trouble-free experience for me to get into the skin of the character. Having said that, I must add that I discussed the script in detail with my creative team to understand every bit of Shakti, so that I can portray the best version of her. I even did a few workshops so that the portrayal looks natural on-screen. In fact, the simple brief given to me was ‘be yourself’ and that’s what I am doing.

Tell us about your bond with your co-star Arjun Bijlani

Nikki Sharma: Working with Arjun has been an absolute delight. We share a wonderful bond, both on and off-screen. He is an immensely talented actor, and his dedication and commitment to his craft is truly wonderful to work with. We have developed a great rapport and understanding, which makes work very easy. We support and encourage each other, and our camaraderie reflects in our performances. It’s fun to work alongside Arjun, as he keeps the mood on set very lively.