Sameer Dharmadhikari learns Hindi for `Jhansi Ki Rani`

Jaipur: Actor Sameer Dharmadhikari who is playing Gangadhar Rao, the husband of legendary warrior Rani Lakshmi Bai in the TV drama `Jhansi Ki Rani`, had to do plenty of homework for the role, including lessons In Hindi. But the popular TV actor, who has earlier worked in soaps like `Main Teri Parchhain Hoon` and in films like `Satta` and `Raincoat` said that the role was worth all the work. "As an actor I was looking for something different after playing fictional persons in soaps and films. I am enjoying the experience, though it is not easy playing a historical figure like Gangadhar Rao," said Dharmadhikari who is shooting for the show here. "I had to strengthen my Hindi to deliver the dialogues and get the tone of the character right. One of my friends researched Gangadhar Rao and made my work easy," he said. The actor says that he is now finding it difficult to get out of the character. "Rao was an angry man but loves arts and culture. Now it happens that I speak like him even at home," he said. The show which airs on Zee TV, traces the life of Rani Lakshmi Bai, from a young girl to a freedom fighter who lead her armies against the British. PTI