By: Shaheen Parkar
May 4, 2007
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| Doli Sajake from May 7 |
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Real life is stranger than fiction they say. And well, it's quite true! Aroona Irani, the actress who's mesmerised Bollywood viewers for over a decade with her acting histrionics and dancing skills, recently confessed, that she wanted to becomeS a director and not an actress. Aroona admitted, "I never thought I would be an actress, but I acted and was well-accepted by the audience. I always dreamt of being a director, and I'm happy my dreams have finally come true. I'm very happy with the way things have been shaping up."
Talking about the switchover, Barkha says, "While I did enjoy being a glamorous anchor, I'm a simple girl at heart. Also, this role cannot really be slotted as non-glam. It's just that it is poles apart from what I was doing as an anchor.
Though a daily show can get very stressful, I'm here to stay and am will ing to work hard for it." In 'Doli…', she will be playing the protagonist Anupama who is termed as 'manhoos' (jinxed) by her father (Anuj Saxena), since her mother dies while giving birth to her.
Barkha says that she found it challenging to play the character because in real life, she is her fa ther's darling. "I'm my father's jaan; his laadli. He has brought me up like a princess. So I find it very difficult to digest that girls are actually treated this way!" Barkha is all praises for co-star Anuj. She says, "I'm so fond of Anuj. Despite being a senior actor and a producer, he has no airs. He is a downright charmer. We had barely shot for a few days when Anuj sent me a huge orchid bouquet and a box of exotic chocolates on my birthday. I was so touched !" On the personal side, Barkha is dating actor Indraneil Sengupta (he costarred with her in 'Pyaar Ke Do Naam…') by her side.
"Although I won't deny that I'm seeing Indraneil, I did get a bit miffed by recent reports that hinted that I was all set to walk down the aisle with him," she says. Barkha explains, "We have just started our careers. We don't want to get tied down into marriage so soon. Also, we will take the plunge when we get fully convinced about our compatibility." Barkha has no ambitions of becoming a Bollywood star. "TV is a great medium; it has the potential of making you a household name," says Barkha, adding that she is not entirely closed to the idea of films if approached with a good role.
The story inspired by the Sharmila Tagore-Dharmendra starrer Anupama, directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, delves into a father-daughter relationship. Doli Saja Ke is a story of Anupama (Barkha Bisht) whose birth coincides with her mother's death.
The loss of his wife leads Vikramjeet Kapoor (Anuj Saxena) to label her as manhoos (unlucky).
Anupama's life is further tormented by the presence of her stepmother Maya (Jaya Mathur).
Though Anupama finds a good friend in Chaitanya (Amit Sareen) who gives her a reason to smile.
But all that Anupama longs for is her father's affection and love and will she ever find it forms the crux of the story.
Emphasising on the fact that the serial is not based on the film Anupama, Aruna said, "As a child I was very fascinated with stories like Cinderella where the girl is poorly treated by her family and in the end she finds a prince charming who rescues her. This thought stayed with me. The idea may appear similar to the father-daughter relationship, but there are many more nuances to the story. It is not same." Speaking about her role, Barkha said, "I haven't come across anyone in my life who was called unlucky. I come from a very loving and supportive family and the character of Anupama is in total contrast to who I am in real life." When asked if the show will make a mark? Aruna said, "I do every show with conviction. If it fails to click with the masses, there is nothing I can do, but try harder next time. But through this serial I do want to say that calling people unlucky is not at all fair. If we don't get certain things in life, we can't blame people close to us for it." And when do we get to see her in films again? Aruna says, "Acting is my passion. I would love to do films as well as theatre if I can manage my time well. And to tell you honestly, I haven't seen a single film for the past five years." The serial starts on May 7, Monday-Friday at 10 pm
63 AND STILL GOING STRONG Friday, May 04, 2007 11:22:7 IST AROONA IRANI tells JYOTHI VENKATESH that it is beautiful to be an actress and she is happy with her growth over the last 53 years of being an actress.
How did you feel when you were awarded the Phalke Ratna recently?
I had tears in my eyes because I was indeed happy and thrilled that Dilip Kumar, the person who had brought me to films five decades ago with his film Ganga Jamuna handed over to me the Phalke Ratna award in front of my colleagues and peers from the industry.
What is Doli Saja Ke all about?
Doli Saja Ke sets out to trace the struggle of a daughter to gain the love of her father. It is the story of young and beautiful Anupama, whose birth coincides with the death of her mother. The loss of his beloved wife leads Vikramjeet Kapoor to blame Anupama for the tragedy and she grows up with the kalank of being a manhoos, which is further fanned by her stepmother Maya. As she grows up, she too starts believing in the myth.
Why are you just producing and not directing your serial?
I have absolutely no time for direction. As it is, I am committed to act at least for five days a month for Ekta Kapoor's Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki. I am also in talks with Zee to make a serial for them. As a director, it is very essential to remain awake right from 6 am to 2 am. I get tired very fast since I am 62 now. I feel I should not do injustice to my health at this stage or else all of a sudden one fine morning, I will be gone!
Is Doli Saja Ke inspired by any real life incident?
To tell you the truth, I was inspired to make Doli Saja Ke after I watched Nutan in Sujata 8 or 9 times as a child. I was also inspired by Sharmila Tagore in Anupama. I decided to strike a balance between both the characters and created the story of the protagonist- Anupama of Doli Saja Ke. Though Sujata dealt with the subject of apartheid, Doli Saja Ke has a story line, which is similar to Anupama in which the father does not like his daughter.
Why did you choose Sahara One as the platform to air Doli Saja Ke?
It is not for the first time that I have made a serial for Sahara One. Earlier I had produced the serial Zameen Se Aasmaan Tak for them. The idea was in my mind soon after my earlier serial Vaidehi was off air on Sony TV.
Were you upset that Sony pulled your serial Vaidehi off air at the peak of its popularity?
No comments.
Why have you cast Dr Anuj Saxena who is in his 30's now to play the role of the 55-year-old father of Anupama in your serial?
It is the channels, which decide on the actors. Today whether you like it or not, the channels want actors who are in their 30's to play the father. To make them look older, we make it a point to make them wear spectacles and apply whiteners.
Is it true that you are planning to rope in Akshay Anand in place of Anuj as the father?
Anuj has not left the show. He has told me that he is trying his level best to adjust his commitments and dole out dates for our show. Even if Anuj dos leave the show, what is the big deal? Does not a show like Kyonki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi still run in spite of the fact that you have seen different Mihirs at different points of time?
Didn't Jas Arora walk out of the serial earlier before you zeroed in on Anuj?
Jas was cast in the role of the father of Anupama in the serial when it was launched. However, Jas developed cold feet when he came on the sets and told me that he did not want to play an elderly character though he had agreed initially. I told Jas that if he is not comfortable, I did not want him to do the role and make me uncomfortable.
Why did you cast new comer Barkha Bisht and not your favorite Sangeeta Ghosh in the role of Anupama?
I cast Barkha Bisht as Anupama after she did two look tests and auditioned for the role. I felt Barkha was the right choice because Sangeeta has a dominating personality, unlike Barkha, which does not suit the character of the meek and docile Anupama. Sangeeta has the image of a sex symbol and has always played strong characters in my serials. Even when she played a handicapped girl in my serial Mehendi Tere Naam Ki she projected a strong character. I would die to cast Sangeeta if I get a good role for her. She in turn would also die to do a role in my serial. I would love to cast her in my serials if she suits the role because let's facts, she knows my hang ups and I know hers.
Will you also act in Doli Saja Ke?
I plan to act after a few episodes of Doli Saja Ke go on air. I have always liked doing different kinds of roles. Though I would love to lay my hands on a negative character, I am keener on playing a positive character, because as a vamp, all that you have to do is to give the 'right' look to the camera. I feel that it is tougher to do a comedy role. The 'itch' that an actress has is something which cannot be wiped away with any lotion. Though I had initially said no to the powerful role in Vaidehi, I secretly hoped that some one would goad me to do the role. I grabbed it when the channel and my co-actors suggested that I do the role I did in Vaidehi.
Besides Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, are you acting in any film now?
For the last seven years, I have not been acting in films. The last film in which I had acted was David Dhawan's Haseena Maan Jayegi. I had played the role of the buwaji, which is being appreciated even today. I do not feel inclined because the people with whom I could gel while working are no longer there.
What is the difference between acting in films and TV serials?
Itis 53 years since I had started acting. It is beautiful to be an actress. With every film and serial, I grow in life. Acting, whether for films or television is the same. It is only the camera, which is smaller in the case of television. A TV star gets more popularity than a film star because while the TV stars get a daily audience glued to the television which come for free, films tend to flop and the popularity of the film stars tends to wane.
| Sahara One launches 'Doli Saja Ke' on father-daughter relationship | ||
| Indiantelevision.com Team | ||
| (5 May 2007 2:10 pm) | ||
NEW DELHI: Sahara One TV has announced the launch of its new serial Doli Saja Ke, to start from Monday, a soap on how a girl child - Anupama became her father's eyesore because her mother died the day she was born, and how she grows up in hatred and how Prince Charming comes along and takes her to the happily-ever-after dreamland.
In a press conference that started one and half hours beyond schedule, the Sahara One Programme Head Kalyan Sundaram started off by saying: "This only seems to be a regressive story, but it is only the beginning is regressive and the story is actually extremely progressive." Sundaram said that this was Sagara One's fifth offering in the first phase, and in the second phase they would go into non-fiction, adding that over the past few months, "the channel's TRP ratings have shot up dramatically".
In the freewheeling dialogue between - mostly - producer Aroona Irani and the media, she was asked repeatedly whether this is not a stereotype that women are always portrayed as the mnhoos, the accursed, the ruinor of families, etc., but she said that this is what really happens in many cases. Asked how much she has borrowed from the old Hindi classic "Anupama", she said the basic theme could have certain similarities but "it is entirely different," One major challenge came when a rather pushy scribe alleged that the actor playing the role Vikramjeet Kapoor, Anupama's father, Anuj Saxena has left the project even before the show has gone on air, and another ator has replaced him, Iranu said that Saxena has not really left but is having other offers and the channel, Irani herself and he are tyring to work out how to still manage his assignments for Doli… The scribe then sprang another surprise, alleging that even the second actor who had 'replaced' Saxena had also left after some scenes being shot. Irani, who was taking this barrage with cool, suddenly said whoever was saying this is a "lier", and clarified that Saxena's "possible replacement" has been chosen and screen tested, but not a singles shot for the serial with him as Anupama's father has been taken so far. "If for some reason Anuj cannot manage both assignments and has to leave, then we shall replace him, but so far, no one has actually left," Irani asserted. She explained that in serials this is common and "no one force an actor to stay on and do a serial, because then his heart is elsewhere and he is doing the shoot merely for the sake of is." Irani parried another tricky question about her previous serials, "Mehndi tere naam ki", and "Desh main nikla hoga chaand" doing good business, and yet the productions after them (Vadehi) not quite creating ripples, stating that even the best of super hit film directors cannot guarantee success all the time. "This show (Doli…) is fantastic and it should do well, but god forbid, if it does not, well then we shall pack up our bags… after all, everyone is here to make money, not to lose it," she said. She was also asked why she quits serials in between and starts acting in films and then takes up other serials, especially this being her second coming in Sahara One. So was she half-hearted, mercurial and not really professional? Irani said that acting was her first love, a bee that once it gets into the bonnet stays put there for life. "So when I get a chance to act, I can rarely resist. But having said that, yes, I have left serials when I could not manage to give my best due to excessive pressure of many assignments together. But that is part of the game, it happens all the time." So far, the serial has been planned for one year or 208 episodes. "But this may be extended if you people love the programme and the story would be extended, as it happens in all soaps," Irani said. The issue of the women being portrayed as evils of society cropped up repeatedly, and Irani joked and said: "Why is it that you say nothing when in the big screen all the evils shown are always men?" She held, however, on a more theoretical note: "Soaps are mostly about families and the family is basically women, who stay at home. Outsider men cannot enter that in any manner, so it is all about them and their intrigues." She denied that all these 'evil women in serials' are being imitated and increasing social and familial crises. "If you are Hema Malini, and on seeing you, I want to become Hema Malini… does it work that way? A person has his or her own basic characters, and they are not changed because you watch someone being bad. Unlike announcements in most serials, where producers are tight lipped about the likely ending, Irani let slip her storyline. The teaser ad for the serial poses the question that given that Anupama's father always hated her, would he give her a blessed send off when she gets married. Though this would be the 'anxiety' which would purportedly keep the audience glued to the series, Irani said suddenly, "Yes he will… which is why this is such a different story!" The cast: Anupama: Barkha Bisht Vikramjeet Kapoor (her father) Anuj Saxena Maya Kapoor (her step mother) Jaya Mathur Director: Pawan Sahu | ||
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~ The story of a girl living under the shadow of being "MANHOOS"~
The bond between a father and daughter usually transcends the boundaries of love. But what happens when a father blames his innocent daughter, from the very day of her birth, for the loss of his better half? What happens when a daughter has to grow up under the stigma of being manhoos?
This May SaharaOne Television brings to your house a girl who, inspite of born to an affluent family, is considered a manhoos and has to live a life of hardships, craving for her father's affection. Meet Anupama on SaharaOne Television's new offering Doli Saja Ke, starting May 7, Monday to Friday at 10 p.m.
Doli Saja Ke is the story of the young and beautiful Anupama whose birth unfortunately coincides with the death of her mother Kiran. The loss of his beloved wife leads Vikramjeet Kapoor to blame the newborn for the tragedy. Anupama grows up with the kalank of being a manhoos which is further fanned by her stepmother Maya and slowly, as she grows up, she too starts believing in the myth. While Anupama's step-brother Veer loves and respects her immensely, her step-sister Riddhima treats her like a lesser mortal. Another person who supports Anupama throughout is her father's old servant Badri Kaka. But Veer and Badri Kaka's love could never fill the gap left by the death of her mother and the indifference of her father.
Will Anupama ever get her father's aashirwaad?
Will she be able to wipe out the kalank of being a manhoos and be her father's loving daughter?
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Veer Hanuman
