Dill Mill Gayye Completes 12 Years: Ohanna Shivanand Aka Dr Ridhima Finally Breaks Her Silence On Why She Quit The Show- EXCLUSIVE

Karan Singh Grover and Shilpa Anand starrer Dill Mill Gayye is still fresh in the hearts of the audience. The Indian medical romance drama had a beautiful star-cast and an amazing plot which made the show a hit. The chemistry between Karan (Armaan) and Shilpa (Ridhima) was loved by the audience. However, after a year, Shilpa (Ohanna) quit the show mid-way and then actresses like Sukirti Kandpal and Jennifer Winget stepped into her shoes. Now, as the show completes 12 years, we decided to speak to the original Dr. Ridhima i.e. Ohanna and believe us, she made some really interesting revelations which you definitely don’t want to miss out:

Dill Mill Gayye has completed 12 years. How does it feel?
It feels very good and the fact that even after 12 years people still talk so much about the show amazes me. It's very rare that after so many years of any show going off air, people still remember and discuss about it. When I was signing for Dr Ridhima's character which was a very cute kind of a role, I seriously had no expectations that it will become so popular and it would turn as the second name for me during those days. Today also, me and my family talk about it.

How did this offer come to you?
Well, I was doing some other show with Star One channel at that point of time and Dill Mill Gayye was not even in the picture. But, due to some approval issues that show apparently got scrapped. Then, they approached me for this one. So when they asked me to do this show, I was in two minds as to should I take it up or not.


Why so?
That time, I was doing a lot of South movies and advertisements which were going extremely smooth and favouring me in all senses. This was a totally different medium for me. Also, doing TV is like a big commitment. Not only me, but all the other actors involved in the show that time didn't think much about it. It was like, yeah they are coming with a decent story-line in an average budget. It was not like a very high budget show with grand sets and all. But the kind of success it received after it was aired, I think everyone was pleasantly surprised.

So before saying a yes to the show, did you know that Karan Singh Grover would be starring opposite you?
No, not at all. In fact, before Karan Singh Grover, there was this other guy named Haroon Qazi who was signed for the role. I even shot for the first episode with him. He was an extremely talented and good-looking boy and he had done Salman Khan's film Jai Ho as well, where he was appreciated a lot for a fight scene with the star. But some creative differences happened and they took Karan Singh Grover on board after that. As we say, a few things are pre-written. Since the makers knew it better as to what do they want to do with their show, I didn't intervene much. I was just going with the flow.


Can you recall your first shot for the show?
Yes it’s very much fresh in my mind. It was a promo shoot where they were showing differences in natures of me and my onscreen sister Dr. Anjali (Sunaina Gulia); so the elder one is strong-headed, blunt and the younger one is calm, sober with our father which was played by Mohnish Bahl.

The show was doing extremely well and even your character was being loved by the audience. Then, what made you quit the show in between (2008)? 

Basically, I had a fight with the executive producer on set. We were shooting a dance sequence and I was performing on the song ‘Zara Zara Touch Touch Me’ that time. I was drenched in wet clothes; there were not many ACs on sets but there were too many people. The executive producer suddenly came to me and said, ‘You need to vacate your room immediately because other rooms are very small and we are planning to accommodate someone else here'. It was a total shock for an artiste like me. They wanted to throw me out of my room which I definitely didn't want to happen. It was a very irritating moment for me as that time we used to shoot for 13-14 long hours. That day, I had come in the morning and at that time I was shooting the whole sequence around 11 in the night. I got really pissed off and I seriously didn't want to work with that man. Since the makers refused to get rid of him, I decided to walk out.


What kept you quiet for so long as no one knows the real reason of you quitting?

I didn't speak much to the media at that time because in case after me quitting the show, the serial gets flopped then they would catch hold of me as to ‘why did you disclose all of these things which has gone negatively for us’. But today, the show is off-air and whatever happened that time is history, so I don't mind talking about it. Also, even after me leaving the show, I wanted it to do well. I am a true believer of destiny and there are some things you can't change.

Did you continue watching the show when Sukirti followed by Jennifer stepped into your shoes? 

Honestly, after quitting the show, I got very busy travelling. There were other great things which came my way and I got busy with those. So when you are not at home, you definitely don't get time to watch a show, similar was my case. But I had no hard feelings as I am and I was always beyond that.


Are you in touch with any of your co-stars? 

Not really, as I am not a very social person. My kind of thinking is very different and I am not very comfortable with chit-chatting, gossiping and all. I feel very few are like this in the industry. See, you want to discuss something which you are interested in and my kind of interesting things don't interest others. But yes, I would also accept that all my co-stars were really very nice and I still remember I had a great time with them. Especially with Sunaina Gulia (Dr.Anjali) and Drashti Dhami ( Dr.Muskaan), both were very sweet to me; also Ayaz Khan was a great guy. I knew him from before the show, so I had a tuning with him as well.

What is keeping you away from the screens? Since 2015, you are missing in action…

I deliberately didn't take up any work after that, but I have not quit acting and definitely will make a comeback soon. I am 100% looking for some brilliant work which will be of my liking. I was going through a different phase in my life but now I have made up my mind to be back on the screen.


Why did you change your name?
I always wanted to have a unique name and Shilpa is a very common name. Also, my original surname is Shivanand only. So 'Ohanna' which means God's precious gift or family is also as per my astrological star and this name suits me. Astrology is not the main reason, but yes it is one of the reasons.

Sanjivani 2 is being aired currently. Are you watching the show?
I know they have come up with another edition. My mother is a big TV buff so I am updated. I haven't managed to watch the show yet, but I saw the promos. And it is somewhat similar to how me and Karan were shown in Dill Mill Gaye; cold vibes among main leads initially. My mother who has seen the show has also given me the same response. And the whistle definitely takes us back to those days.


Did you like the pairing of Surbhi Chandna and Namit Khanna?
I don't know much about them as they are completely new to me. Only Mohnish Bahl and Gurdeep Kohli I know and they look amazing is what I would say.