APARA MEHTA is back on a comedy show, this time playing the heroine’s mother. She talks to PRAKRITI ROY about her new role, her long career and the state of the TV industry today
You are back to doing comedy on TV again.
I absolutely love comedy and love performing in comedies. When Optimistic Productions called me for this role, I knew they had certain kinds of expectations from me.
Tell us something about your role in Woh Teri Bhabhi Hai Pagle.
I am playing a typical Punjabi mother who sees every guy as a potential dulha for her daughter. Her only wish in life is to see her daughter get married. At the same time she knows that her daughter doesn’t like certain kinds of men, like the tapori kinds or the too nice ones.
Do you prefer doing comedy or dramaIJ
I am a fun person and being an actor, I can do all kinds of roles. Right now, I am doing Jamai Raja, a full-on drama, and Woh Teri Bhabhi..., an out-an-out comedy. Even the Gujrati play I am currently a part of is a comedy. Personally, if I had this option, I would always do comedy. I feel it is easy for me as I have a natural sense of humour. Having said that, I don’t really have any qualms about negativity also. There is lots of it on TV these days, and it is even raking in TRPs.
Theatre or TV, which is closer to your heartIJ
I started my TV career as an anchor a very long time back. I used to host kids’ shows on Mumbai Doordarshan (DD) and I did that for a very long time. Gujarati theatre is very professional, I get to perform every day. I can safely say that theatre is my training ground and it has empowered me to play any character. But after doing so many years of TV, I can’t even bear to stay away from the camera anymore. Basically, it is acting that I love. It is a way of life for me because my entire family has a background of acting.
You've been around for quite a while and actually witnessed the entire journey of TV...
I am proud to say that I have actually been witness to and part of the whole journey of TV in India. And I have seen so many changes. First I was on Mumbai DD which was on only for three-four hours a day. Then came the metro channels which were 24 hours. When satellite cable came, Star was the only name and I was associated with it. I am really happy that I have some iconic work behind me.
Where is the TV industry is goingIJ
Today’s state of television is quite alarming for me actually. I feel an artist should not take society behind and bring back things we have eradicated from society. It is the moral responsibility of art to take society forward. In terms of viewership, I often wonder which viewer is being catered to, especially when you think of a pan-India audience. There has to be some sanity, some sensibility.
And the depiction of womenIJ
Women in the 21st century are very different from what is projected on television today. The emancipated real woman today is very different from the typical one on TV. The thing with small screen is that we are still stuck in the black/white distinctions of human beings, there are no greys.
What are your thoughts on the daily soaps being on air for so many yearsIJ
For metropolitan people, it is very difficult to digest some of the things being shown on television. As an actor too, I need to connect with my role to do it justice. A lot of shows are being dragged so much, there are supernatural elements in them! Jamai Raja first began as a fun show, with good-natured, light-hearted banter between the characters. But over the years, that has changed a lot. Any show can go haywire after running for so long continuously. But the TRP is still there, that means people are still watching it, rightIJ
Do you feel there is need for a change in formatIJ
I am eagerly waiting for the season-based format to kick in in a big way. A television show should be interesting for as long as it runs; it should be finite and have a definite ending.