Posted:
Back with a paanch
Chaya Unnikrishnan
Posted online: Friday, November 04, 2005 at 0000 hours IST
She made her telly debut with Hum Paanch five years ago and is revisiting the role in its second avatar on Zee. Vandana Pathak, who had the audience in splits in the wacky comedy Khichdi and played the role of a sensitive, elderly woman to perfection in Ye Meri Life Hai, is all set to tickle the funny bone as one of the five sisters How do you feel coming back to your debut serial after five years?
Oh, I feel great. When the entire team met for the first time on the day, a pooja was performed, it was a homecoming of sorts. None of us felt we had been away for so long, though each one of us had charted a different career path. There are new additions but we have clicked with each other very well. There are two new entrants, one is Pushtie and the other is Sudha Chandran who will play Priya Tendulkar's role. Did you remember her whilst shooting?
We missed her. Priya Tendulkar was a wonderful actress.Woh to serial ki jaan thi. Has everyone changed or have they remained as they were?
Nobody has changed, though everyone commented 'Vandu you have lost weight'. So, what has happened to Meenakshi in the intervening five years?
Quite a few things but her basic character has remained the same. She is the eldest daughter, the sanest of the lot. She continues to be a mahila muktivadi and makes the smallest of husband-wife arguments into an example of domestic violence, degradation and disrespect of the woman kind. Although she is married now, she doesn't think too highly of men. The husband, played by Ali Asgar, is completely henpecked. Meenakshi stays with her mother and the husband is a ghar-jamai. You see, usne chun chunke pati dhoonda hai (Laughs). Weren't you reluctant to take up the role initially?
When it was offered to me a few months ago, I was busy with two serials Instant Khichdi and Ye Meri Life Hai. I thought I won't be able to concentrate on Hum Paanch. Now, Instant Khichdi is off the air and Ye Meri ... will culminate by the end of this month. That leaves me ample time for Hum Paanch.
There wasn't any problem. After doing so much work, one does expect a higher remuneration and the producers agreed immediately. I don't know who spread these rumours. Do you miss Instant Khichdi?
Yes, very much. I had a great time doing the serial. You know, it was interesting how I got the role. I had just delivered my daughter and JD Majethia, the producer of Khichdi alongwith his wife, had dropped by to see me. I know Aatish, the director and JD since a long time. I had done Aatish's Ek Mahal Ho Sapnon Ka which ran for six years. He had called to congratulate me on the birth of my baby and mentioned that he was doing a serial. Apparently, he was interested in casting me as Jayashree but JD was hesitant to ask me because my daughter was very young and the shooting had to be commenced within two months. When JD hesitantly broached the topic, I immediately gave my consent. He was taken aback but overjoyed. Didn't you feel apprenshive playing somebody older than what you are?
Initially I was, but the role was so good that it didn't matter. What worried me more was whether I would be able to do justice to the wierd character. The first day I went on the sets keeping my mind completely blank. I decided to do what Aatish told me. In the first episode, I have aped Aatish to the 'T'. He is such a good actor, I think he is one of the best comedy actors around. It was only after a few episodes that I understood how Jayashree acted and reacted to situations. It is difficult to do comedies and something like Khichdi, even more so. Gradually, I got into the skin of the character. Once the make-up and get-up was on I became Jayashree. I even started contributing and brought my own nuances to the role. How did you land up with another mature role in Ye Meri Life Hai?
Vipul Shah, the director of the show, is known to me since my Ahmedabad days when I was doing theatre. When Neeraj (my husband) and I came to Mumbai, we took a flat close to Vipul's house. Vipul, his wife Pooja, Neeraj and I used to hang out together. To save on money, we would cook the dinner only in one house. On Sundays, lunch would be prepared at either houses. We were all strugglers then. Vipul called me one day and mentioned that he was doing Ye Meri ... and that he wanted me to play an important role. I was quite excited. That's when he told me that I would be playing a mother to three children. That set me thinking but he convinced me saying that the role was great. Only when I went on the sets, did I realise I would be playing mother to two grown-up daughters and a son! I was really in a fix but since I had committed, I decided to stick to it. How did you manage to get the expression and the gait of an elderly woman perfect?
It wasn't easy at all. At times I would play my age, be articulate and react fast but Gursheel Walia, the creative head controlled me at every point. The role required me to be calm and serene. There was a certain gravity to the character. Though Sudha (the character) was submissive to her husband, she was upfront when it came to her daughters' desires and ambitions. She always managed to convince her husband and get her way. I remember, once when I had gone to Nagpur for a press conference, a small girl came up to me and said that I was the best mom on television and her mother is just like me. It was the best compliment I'd received and I cherish it. You must be feeling happy that finally you are getting to play your age in Hum Paanch?
Yes and I am having a blast. Do you think the serial will be accepted in its new avatar?
The first time round, there weren't many channels and Zee was the numero uno. Also, there weren't any good comedies around. Five years down the line, the scene has completely transformed. The concept of comedy has changed and there are great comedies like Saarabhai Vs Saarabhai and Instant Khichdi. Having said that, let me clarify that Hum Paanch too has been packaged nicely. It's more funny and topical. The original song has been retained, albeit, in a remixed version. I am really looking forward to it.
Chaya Unnikrishnan
Posted online: Friday, November 04, 2005 at 0000 hours IST
She made her telly debut with Hum Paanch five years ago and is revisiting the role in its second avatar on Zee. Vandana Pathak, who had the audience in splits in the wacky comedy Khichdi and played the role of a sensitive, elderly woman to perfection in Ye Meri Life Hai, is all set to tickle the funny bone as one of the five sisters How do you feel coming back to your debut serial after five years?
Oh, I feel great. When the entire team met for the first time on the day, a pooja was performed, it was a homecoming of sorts. None of us felt we had been away for so long, though each one of us had charted a different career path. There are new additions but we have clicked with each other very well. There are two new entrants, one is Pushtie and the other is Sudha Chandran who will play Priya Tendulkar's role. Did you remember her whilst shooting?
We missed her. Priya Tendulkar was a wonderful actress.Woh to serial ki jaan thi. Has everyone changed or have they remained as they were?
Nobody has changed, though everyone commented 'Vandu you have lost weight'. So, what has happened to Meenakshi in the intervening five years?
Quite a few things but her basic character has remained the same. She is the eldest daughter, the sanest of the lot. She continues to be a mahila muktivadi and makes the smallest of husband-wife arguments into an example of domestic violence, degradation and disrespect of the woman kind. Although she is married now, she doesn't think too highly of men. The husband, played by Ali Asgar, is completely henpecked. Meenakshi stays with her mother and the husband is a ghar-jamai. You see, usne chun chunke pati dhoonda hai (Laughs). Weren't you reluctant to take up the role initially?
When it was offered to me a few months ago, I was busy with two serials Instant Khichdi and Ye Meri Life Hai. I thought I won't be able to concentrate on Hum Paanch. Now, Instant Khichdi is off the air and Ye Meri ... will culminate by the end of this month. That leaves me ample time for Hum Paanch.
There wasn't any problem. After doing so much work, one does expect a higher remuneration and the producers agreed immediately. I don't know who spread these rumours. Do you miss Instant Khichdi?
Yes, very much. I had a great time doing the serial. You know, it was interesting how I got the role. I had just delivered my daughter and JD Majethia, the producer of Khichdi alongwith his wife, had dropped by to see me. I know Aatish, the director and JD since a long time. I had done Aatish's Ek Mahal Ho Sapnon Ka which ran for six years. He had called to congratulate me on the birth of my baby and mentioned that he was doing a serial. Apparently, he was interested in casting me as Jayashree but JD was hesitant to ask me because my daughter was very young and the shooting had to be commenced within two months. When JD hesitantly broached the topic, I immediately gave my consent. He was taken aback but overjoyed. Didn't you feel apprenshive playing somebody older than what you are?
Initially I was, but the role was so good that it didn't matter. What worried me more was whether I would be able to do justice to the wierd character. The first day I went on the sets keeping my mind completely blank. I decided to do what Aatish told me. In the first episode, I have aped Aatish to the 'T'. He is such a good actor, I think he is one of the best comedy actors around. It was only after a few episodes that I understood how Jayashree acted and reacted to situations. It is difficult to do comedies and something like Khichdi, even more so. Gradually, I got into the skin of the character. Once the make-up and get-up was on I became Jayashree. I even started contributing and brought my own nuances to the role. How did you land up with another mature role in Ye Meri Life Hai?
Vipul Shah, the director of the show, is known to me since my Ahmedabad days when I was doing theatre. When Neeraj (my husband) and I came to Mumbai, we took a flat close to Vipul's house. Vipul, his wife Pooja, Neeraj and I used to hang out together. To save on money, we would cook the dinner only in one house. On Sundays, lunch would be prepared at either houses. We were all strugglers then. Vipul called me one day and mentioned that he was doing Ye Meri ... and that he wanted me to play an important role. I was quite excited. That's when he told me that I would be playing a mother to three children. That set me thinking but he convinced me saying that the role was great. Only when I went on the sets, did I realise I would be playing mother to two grown-up daughters and a son! I was really in a fix but since I had committed, I decided to stick to it. How did you manage to get the expression and the gait of an elderly woman perfect?
It wasn't easy at all. At times I would play my age, be articulate and react fast but Gursheel Walia, the creative head controlled me at every point. The role required me to be calm and serene. There was a certain gravity to the character. Though Sudha (the character) was submissive to her husband, she was upfront when it came to her daughters' desires and ambitions. She always managed to convince her husband and get her way. I remember, once when I had gone to Nagpur for a press conference, a small girl came up to me and said that I was the best mom on television and her mother is just like me. It was the best compliment I'd received and I cherish it. You must be feeling happy that finally you are getting to play your age in Hum Paanch?
Yes and I am having a blast. Do you think the serial will be accepted in its new avatar?
The first time round, there weren't many channels and Zee was the numero uno. Also, there weren't any good comedies around. Five years down the line, the scene has completely transformed. The concept of comedy has changed and there are great comedies like Saarabhai Vs Saarabhai and Instant Khichdi. Having said that, let me clarify that Hum Paanch too has been packaged nicely. It's more funny and topical. The original song has been retained, albeit, in a remixed version. I am really looking forward to it.
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