Kajal walks down another lane

CANDICE SOOBRAMONEY

THERE is a new addition to the Afrikaans soap 7de Laan.

She is none other than popular Durban dancer and television presenter Kajal Bagwandeen.

Kajal joined the SABC 2 soap in January and this month made her debut as the vivacious and strong willed Asha Sharma.

Her onscreen character has already caught the eye of The Times head journalist Sanjay Ramdin (Strini Pillai).

But whether a budding romance will spring between the two is anyone’s guess.

Viewers will also get to see whether Asha gels with her new travel agency boss Gita McGregor (Jo Da Silva), known for her sly business tactics. This month Asha makes an important decision without Gita’s consent. Will she regret it?

Viewers will have to stay glued to their TV sets to catch the drama.

Speaking about her character Kajal said: “Asha is a bubbly individual who is well travelled and highly qualified in the travel and tourism field but has little practical experience. She managed to convince her protective father to allow her to move to Johannesburg to take up a position as Gita’s assistant at Hillside Travels.

“In the process she learns and grows through her experiences by living in a modern fast-paced city.

“Her time in Johannesburg is also about her developing relationships with many of the characters and that includes Sanjay.”

She said her days were hectic with filming in Jozi five days a week.

But she looked forward to returning to her Morningside home in Durban at weekends to spend quality time with her husband, family and dogs.

Kajal started her television career anchoring the spiritual programme Dharma Moments in 2007 and was a finalist on Top Billing’s presenter search in 2008.

She is now a field television presenter for Eastern Mosaic. Kajal is a graduate of the Nateshwar Dance Academy and was the principal dancer in the Chalo Cinema dance production series and the musical Bombay Crush.