JASSI --Iconic character--Article

T HE EXTORTION calls were perhaps a measure of how popular Mona Singh, who played Jassi in the hit TV serial Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, had become. From just another model-actress, Mona had become someone who needed police protection. Of course, the calls scared her to bits especially since she didn't know if they were made by pranksters or by real dons sitting in Dubai. "I can never forget those days… They thought I had become this huge star and had loads of cash. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was scary," says Mona. By then Mona knew she was popu- lar. She was mobbed by people of all ages wherever she went. The media that had taken upon itself the task to unmask the actress behind Jassi fol- lowed her. She was a brand. You could buy Jassi rakhis, Jassi stamps and Jas- si umbrellas. When Mona attended ceremonies and interviews dressed as Jassi, peo- ple flocked to see her. "If I were Sride- vi, it would be different. But imagine people falling over each other just to see an ugly, spectacled girl who wore braces," says Mona, reacting to the furore that her character created. But why did a diffident girl, who wore spectacles of the kind your great- grandfather wore, who sported a fringe that went out of fashion in the last century, and who dressed like a nun, become so popular? How did she hold her own against the saas bahus and their sagas? All Jassi had was intelligence, and the ability to laugh at herself. "I guess that's what made her so dear to the au- dience. She wasn't just what every- body was or wanted to be. She was a mix of both. She was regular and yet knew how to live life. Jassi made mis- takes and failed but overcame them too. She knew she didn't look great but wasn't apologetic about it. She also knew she had better brains than the rest," says Mona. Diya Singh, producer of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, agrees. "People could relate to Jassi very well. She was one of them. It was the story of an underdog. The entire mid- dle class understood her and identified with her. Jassi was clumsy, stupid, God-fearing and simple-hearted. Such attributes perhaps exist in most of us. We all are underdogs in one way or the other. There is a Jassi in each of us. That is why the serial was close to everybody's heart, she says. Mona says Jassi was perhaps the only character on TV who did not face any criticism despite her weaknesses and shortcomings. "It was amazing how people refused to see my (Jassi's) faults," says Mona. But why choose Mona, a pretty sar- darni from Pune, for the role? "I didn't see her looks. It was just her attitude that made a difference. Mona is bindaas, fresh, carefree and laughs out loud. The serial also had this whole Punjabi middle class set up. We wanted someone with a Punjabi ac- cent and a great voice. Mona had it all," says Diya. Mona signed up for the role because of the promised makeover. "I was okay with looking ugly after they assured me that I would soon be back to look- ing my 'swan' self," she laughs. But because of the secrecy sur- rounding the character – the channel wanted the audience to believe that Jassi was Jassi, and not an actress playing a part – Mona had to guard her identity completely. "It was fun. I felt like Spiderman, hiding my identity." In the end, ugly Jassi did turn into a swan and moved on. But has Mona managed to shrug off her Jassi tag completely? Not really. Though she won the celebrity dance show Jhalak Dikhla Ja after her Jassi role ended, she hasn't done much TV since. But she doesn't mind that. "People still call me Jassi. And hon- estly, I love it. Jassi made me a star and got me noticed. I am enjoying my place under the sun."