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It was a mental torture to be 'Jassi'



'Jassi' Mona Singh speaks to Subhash K Jha on the trauma of being Jassi 24/7, and rumours of a romance



Jassi…
No, don't call me that any more. I'm Mona. I have to find my own identity now. It has been three years since I;ve been Jassi! It has drained me mentally. Imagine telling people all the time that I wasn't Mona, that I was this character named Jassi. Initially, I enjoyed the anonymity. But after a while it became a mental torture to be 'Jassi' even at award functions. I would plead with my channel (Sony) to let me be myself as it was Mona Singh and not Jassi who received the awards. But they insisted.

So how did you cope?
My family kept me clued in to reality. I had become like Clark Kent, waiting to be Superman. I used to keep repeating to myself, 'Jassi isn't me and I'm not Jassi.' In the morning when I'd wake up, my hands would automatically go to my face to look for the wig, the glasses… When Jassi's make-over happened in Mauritius I couldn't act! I needed the props (braces, wig, etc) to emote. I forgot my dialogues!

Are you now comfortable with your own natural looks?
Yes, I am. It took me a while. After the make-over, I would get startled by my own image. Even today, when I look like my normal self I hide behind the nearest flower-pot…and then tell myself, 'Mona, you don't have to hide.'

What are your plans for the future?

I never plan anything. Whenever I do, it all goes for a toss. I just believe in going with the flow. I am going to take a breather immediately after Jassi. I've no plans to do another serial. But I'm doing a film with Bobby Pushkarna.

Do you play an ordinary middleclass girl?

I play a middleclass girl who is not ordinary in any way.

A lot of criticism has been leveled at your serial for dragging its feet?

How come no one talks about Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi dragging on?

Are you fearful of the future?

I'm not sure of what else I can do besides Jassi… But I'm not going to burst into an item number just to prove I'm not Jassi in real life. I hope there're some good roles written for me. After going through so many personality transformations in Jassi…I can play a psycho very well (laughs).

What about your romance with Karan Oberoi?

What romance? I'm too ambitious to get into a relationship.

But the two of you sing songs to each other! Each other?

I sang to the whole crew of Jassi and he happened to be a part of it. Karan is definitely a good pal, just like Nandu is. They can't link me with Nandu. So they link me with Karan.

Who's Nandu?

My other co-star Gaurav in Jassi… Sorry, I shouldn't call him Nandu.

Finally, how much money have you accumulated in your bank account?

Not even a crore. I've become a very rich woman in terms of experience. There is no point in doing your work if you don't enjoy it. There were times when I wasn't convinced of what Jassi had to do and didn't want to shoot. Then I'd get a call from the channel saying, 'Listen this is a daily. Don't ask questions. Just convince people even if you aren't convinced.'


* When Jassi's make-over happened in Mauritius I couldn't act! I needed the props (braces, wig, etc) to emote
— Mona Singh

'We met over coffee': Apoorva Agnihotri
A girl had a crush on me in school. She said she wanted to borrow my notebooks. That's how we started talking. Then we began taking the same bus though we stayed in two different corners of the city - just to talk to each other. At that time, all that matters is that you get to spend time with the person you like. We were getting closer and continued to take advantage of every single opportunity to meet or see more of each other. That was really fun.
Once, we even bunked school and headed straight to a nearby coffee shop - my first date ever. A couple of friends learned of this and began passing letters full of shayiri to her on my behalf (they were very naughty, you see), which she got very upset about. I still wonder what they had written in those letters that upset her to the extent that she stopped talking to me. I tried to explain things to her but she just wouldn't budge and refused to listen to me. And that was it - her father got transferred and she left the school, never to come back to me.
I think of her every time I think of my school days. I remember that not only was she intelligent, she also had a lovely smile. And she was of course, my first date and love.

Javed and Gaurav to team up


All and sundry know about Anuj's Maverick production producing curtain raisers for "The Fair One Filmfare Awards 2005". It will also produce "The Fair One-Face of the year" award in association with Sony

All and sundry know about Anuj's Maverick production producing curtain raisers for "The Fair One Filmfare Awards 2005". It will also produce "The Fair One-Face of the year" award in association with Sony.

The buzz is that Javed Jaffery and Gaurav Gera will be the hosts for the evening of the curtain raiser. Javed, the outright host, will portray his character from Salaam Namaste while Gaurav Gera, the geek guy from Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin will depict his assistant, who is a wanna be music director.



On contacting Gera, he says, "Yes I am going to be anchoring the curtain raiser, but I don't want to talk about it now." As of now, only the promos have been shot and the episodes are still to go. In a special three-hour flash back episode to be aired on 19th Feb, the conception of the awards and cinema over the years will be shown

Maverick's first result was Khiladi No 1 is being aired on Zee TV. It has made more than 10 ad films and will be soon seen its foray on movies.




http://www.tellychakkar.com/y2k6/feb/6feb/news_anuj.php

Very nice articles. And Buffie thanks for the info

TV stars share their V-Day plans

http://tvguide.indiatimes.com/quickiearticleshow/msid-141218 0.cms


Mona Singh

I am not doing anything special as I am shooting. But for people who are in love I would like to say that it's a very special day, they should celebrate. But my funda for Valentine's Day is that every day is a special day, a Valentine's Day.

Parmeet Sethi


We haven't planned anything. We would like to go to a nice wine 'n' dine place. Maybe we'll go somewhere in town to a nice restaurant. Maybe I'll take her to Salt Water Grill (restaurant) as its supposed to be very romantic. Lets see, we haven't planned yet.

Being Jassi was like playing Superman'

http://tvguide.indiatimes.com/quickiearticleshow/msid-141574 7.cms


The girl who changed the face of Indian television forcing the saas-bahu sagas out of the prime time slots, Mona Singh is a lot like Jassi; the character she made famous or vice versa. Confident, ambitious, articulate; adjectives come freely to your mind when you interact with her. She endeared herself to the masses with just one brilliant stroke called Jassi. Aware of the fact that labels come fast and easy in her profession, Mona chooses to take hers in a positive stride. She talks to Rachna Kanwar about her take on playing Jassi and life after that.



You became a household name with 'Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin'almost instantly. Did you ever think that one serial could change your life forever?
Actually when I signed the contract I didn't know how big the show was. I was very scared, as what we were starting off was completely different. The show would either have been a big hit or it would have flopped miserably. I used to wonder; when the channel people would tell me that we'll try giving you a Sunday off, that why or how my life will be different than it is now. When we started shooting, I realized how big the show was.




When was it that you realized the mind-boggling popularity of the show?
When I started shooting for 'Jassi' I hardly used to get any time to go out to socialize. And people didn't know who I was as in who was the real person behind Jassi. My first episode came on air on September 1, 2003 and on September 5 when I was shooting in Jogeshwari, the entire traffic stopped. People were just looking at me! Just 4 days of being on air caused this! That day I realized that 'Oh my God, I have arrived!'.

How difficult was it to be someone else all the time? We read that your gums used to bleed.
For a person who used to look like this (as she is now) and to look like that (as Jassi) was a little difficult to digest. But the character is so beautifully written and it got so much love and affection from the people. But the tough part was the braces only because it was something that I didn't need in my mouth. As a result my gums used to bleed. It was a little difficult.



And you had to be in the get-up of Jassi all the time, even at parties!
That wasn't a problem at all. I always felt like 'Superman', hiding my identity. I was taking it in a very positive way. If right from the beginning I had started thinking negative then I wouldn't have lasted for two years. Not even once did I think that it was torture, I loved it

How did your family react to the 'Jassi garb'? Weren't they sick of seeing you in those braces all the time?
(Laughs) See, I was promised that there will be a makeover. So I knew that if not today, tomorrow there is a makeover. It was just that from the original story, our makeover was delayed, slightly. And it was delayed because of certain situations in the serial. But I feel the makeover happened at the right time. Had it happened too early we would not have the kind of masala that we have today. So I guess everything happened on time in 'Jassi'.


Your resemblance to the girl who played Betty in the original series 'Yo Soy Betty, la Fea' is uncanny.
Oh yes it is! I was completely shocked when Deeya (Producer) showed me that lady. And at that time I didn't know that I was supposed to look like her. I said "Eeoow! What is that?" And she said, "Well, you have to look like that." I said "Not possible, I can't look like that". She told me that she'll make me look like that.




Like Jassi, you too come from a Punjabi family. Do you identify with the character?
See, I am from a middle class Punjabi family. My dad was in the army. He is retired now. And we are from the service class and which is why I could relate to the character so well. I am very ambitious in life, the way Jassi is. Not even once did I feel that I had to put in an extra effort to act. I felt that things came to me very naturally because in person I am very close to my dad and that is what the serial was all about; the relationship of Jassi and her father. I never felt I was acting. It was like delivering what I felt.


You've said in a daily that you are sick of playing Jassi and that you want to move on. Your comment.
It was very wrongly written in a paper. I was really upset and the journalist later apologized to me. As you know Jassi is a youth icon that people look up to. I can't make a statement like this; that I am fed up of 'Jassi'. I love the show, I love the character. If it was in my hand, I would never end it. But I also know for a fact that what starts must come to an end.

'Jassi' has lost out on the prime time slot of 9.30. Is it coming to an end soon?
I don't think that it'll end too soon as all the old characters are coming back. Maddy is coming back, Pari too; so its coming back in a big way. They'll all be back together as a team and we are trying to get it back to what it was. And I feel a non-prime time slot would be 8-8.30 and according to me 10pm is still a prime time slot.


Will it be a challenge to break free from the image of Jassi?
I don't want to take it like that. I don't need to prove a point. The fact is that people have seen me in the get-up of Jassi for the past 3 years. It'll take them a while to accept me as something else, but the point is that I don't want to do something to prove a point. If there is any role that excites me which is as big as Jassi, then I'll accept it. But I am also aware of the fact that all my life I'll be called Jassi, (laughs). I remember when Navneet (Nishan) was shooting with us for 'Jassi', I used to call her Tara (a popular character she played). It is a kind of an achievement because you leave a mark on people.


You are Bollywood bound. Tell us about the film that you've signed.
At this time I don't have much to talk about as far as my film is concerned. It's at a very early stage right now. I have signed the contract that I will do a film with Bobby Pushkarna, the producer of 'Page 3'.

According to the grapevine, Abhishek Bachchan is your hero in it. Is it true?
Those were just rumours. I myself don't know who the hero is going to be. I am busy with 'Jassi' almost 27-28 days a month. I hardly have time to meet my producer and ask him about the film. But I'll do that soon as I am assuming that we'll shoot for it this year.



You also did a Coke ad recently. How did you feel getting such a prestigious campaign?
I was very happy to be a part of the Coke family. I'm the first TV actor who has done Coke.

You've been winning a lot of awards of late. How do you feel?
I feel like a rock star, (laughs)! I have won almost 16 awards in the past 2 years. It really feels great. Especially when your work is appreciated and you get rewarded at the end of the day; it just makes you feel complete.

With stardom your privacy goes for a toss, how big a price is that for all this fame?
This is how it is. People do want to know what is happening in the lives of celebrities. When I am not working I am not conscious of the fact that 'Oh I am Jassi and I need to be careful'. I love to break free when I am not working. If I am out partying with my friends I will just party and not think that there are people around me and I shouldn't dance. It's my profession and being in the eye of the public is a part of it.



How do you deal with the rumours linking you with Karan Oberoi? I thought that I should come up with a write-up saying that there is nothing of that sort but suddenly I felt that who all will I keep explaining to every time. Being a celebrity, there is a certain amount of leeway that you have to give to the people; to speculate, to think that if you are seen with a guy you are dating him. But that is not how it is. If Karan was playing my brother on the show, there wouldn't have been any rumours. That is how I take it. So I don't let it bother me. I read the rumours and I think that ok tomorrow the story would be forgotten.

Gaurav ka Ghar!
Gaurav Gera, the nerdy Nandu in Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi is readying to buy himself
a house in Oshiwara (suburban Mumbai) which will be a one bedroom-hall-kitchen flat.

"I have seen and liked the apartment and will buy the place in the next two weeks.I'll move into the new house in one and a half months time by which time I will be getting the interiors done. I have some furniture already and may also consult somebody for the same. The apartment is pretty spacious and faces the park. It has two balconies also. It will be a cute little affordable pad perfect for one or two people as my parents keep coming from Delhi," says Gaurav who is staying in Seven Bunglows (Andheri, West) presently.
Gaurav's parents come down from Delhi once in a while while his brother is working in the US.
Here's wishing Gaurav all the best for all his future possessions.

http://www.tellychakkar.com/y2k6/feb/18feb/news_gaurav.php

Maddy and Pari to return



Kunal M Shah

Rajeev Khera a.k.a Maddy

Manini De a.k.a Pari

If you were wondering where Pari, Maddy and the entire Gulmohar House team of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin were, the good news is that they are all going to be back in a couple of weeks.

Manini De who plays the popular Pari says, "It has been finalised and I am definitely coming back. In fact, my entry has already been planned although I am unaware when the shoot starts." While De's character will stay the same, her look has undergone a change. De adds, "I only hope that I now get an opportunity to perform, since I am really not interested in looking beautiful. But yes, I am excited about returning to Jassi...as it was this role that took me to another level."

Rakesh Khera a.k.a Maddy is also going to be back. In fact, his episodes will be aired soon. "It has been five days since I started shooting," he says. Even Khera's look has been revamped and he will now be seen sporting a different wig. "There is a hair stylist present on the sets all the time to take care of my new look," he adds. "Maddy was a very popular character. I think the audience wanted the entire Gulmohar team to be back."