'If not Divyanka it would have been Vidya Balan' - Ujjwal Rana

Ujjwal Rana the talented actor who is still popularly known as the original Samman in Sahara One's Ghar Ek Sapnaa, is very confident with the goodwill that he has been bestowed with, on turning Producer with the serial on SAB TV, Mrs. & Mr. Sharma Allahabad wale.

Here is the first time Producer in an exclusive conversation with TellyBuzz..

After producing theatres and stage shows, what was the idea behind debuting as Producer on television with a comedy show?
Yes, I had started doing theatres professionally in Delhi, and along with it was also acting on television. I have even directed some theatre acts and short films. The dream of becoming a producer was always at the back of my mind and finally it has come alive with Mrs. & Mr. Sharma Allahabad wale.

I opted for a comedy serial because till date audience has seen a lot of family conspiracy, female bitching serials on TV and personally I'm a very happy-go-lucky man and aspire to see people around me happy. So I decided to start off as a Producer with a light hearted show, a complete family entertainer.

Why is the serial titled with the female domain name first and not the other way around?
Keeping the basic notion of ladies first in mind, we have titled it Mrs. & Mr. Sharma and not the other way.

Will you be seen acting in the show too?
No, I don't think so. In my earlier minor projects of direction and production, I have never performed myself because I believe in concentrating on one thing at a time. Basically, I don't want to lose focus from the core work.

You have been applauded enough for your acting, so what are your expectations as a Producer?
I'm trying my best to live up to the expectations of all my fans as a Producer also. And every producer expects his audience to love and appreciate his/her work and for that to happen, the producer himself has to be satisfied with his work, which I am. We have put in lot of hard work I hope it pays off.

Tell us about the strengths of the show?
I think this is a very different show, though the situations and problems portrayed are very known and common in daily life. But the way the two characters Mrs. & Mr. Sharma handle it is what makes it unique. Seeing the society through their viewpoint is going to be very interesting for the audience.

What was the central idea while deciding the cast for the show?
While finalizing the cast the sweetness to be depicted through the character was our first priority. In case of Rajesh Kumar, he is phenomenal when it comes to comedy. He had earlier suggested us many other options due to some date issues, but since day one I couldn't visualize anyone else except him in this character.

And we chose Divyanka Tripathi because she has a very sweet face with an Indian look. She was apprehensive in taking such a show as she is new to this genre, but I am glad things fell in place.

If not Divyanka Tripathi and Rajesh Kumar, then who would be the second option?
This is a very difficult question you have asked (smiles). Basically from the day of inception we had never thought of an option for the character of Mr. Sharma (Rajesh Kumar). But if not Divyanka then I would have tried for Vidya Balan (smiles).

Did the frequent change in cast create any problems in shooting?
See change in actors in the initial stages of casting is a very normal scenario; so I feel all's well that ends well.

What would you like to say about India-Forums website?
India-Forums website has always rendered a strong support; I promise that all the members of the forum will enjoy the show a lot.

Reporter: Ashima Mishra & Pooja Shenoy
Author: Pooja Shenoy