Mayuri Kango: Actresses should complete education before coming to Bollywood

ember light-eyed beauty Mayoori Kango from the film 'Papa Kahte Hain'? Well, most Gurgaonwallahs can say 'Ghar Se Nikalte Hi, Kuch Door Chalte Hi, Raste Mein Hai Uska Ghar' about her, as the former actress is now based in the Millennium City.

She made her debut with Naseem, for which director Saeed Akhtar Mirza bagged a National Award. She was awaiting her Board exam results when she was offered 'Papa Kahte Hain' by Mahesh Bhatt. What was supposed to be a telefilm initially was later made into a movie, with Mayoori starring opposite Jugal Hansraj. The film made both of them household names. "I was supposed to act in that telefilm in the summer vacations and go back to college. I find it amazing that even after two decades, people remember me for that one film," she says.

About Gurgaon, the Sector 56 resident says, "All the three cities I lived in- Aurangabad, Mumbai and Gurgaon - have had their names changed, so I am used to it. Changing the name doesn't change the character. In college, I never thought I would stay in Delhi. As a woman, you can travel in Mumbai's local train at night, but in Delhi, you are not safe even in a cab in the evening. But overall, life in Gurgaon is peaceful, although they never stop digging that Golf Course Road! I go to Cyber Hub with colleagues sometimes or to the Biodiversity Park with my son. That park is the best thing about this city with all its rapid urbanization."

The Aurangabad girl shifted to Mumbai to pursue her acting career and higher studies. "I got through IIT Kanpur, but opted for arts in college, as my parents felt that pursing engineering along with an acting career would be difficult. But the film was so popular that leading a regular life in college became difficult. So I studied from home for my bachelors and masters," she says. About her acting career, she says,

"I did about 16 films, and half of them never released. The 1990s weren't a great time for actresses. All they had to do was dance around trees. So, I took up other jobs like writing scripts and making documentaries. In 2000, I entered the TV industry. In a few years, I got married and shifted to the US."