Look no further
In a candid conversation, Shweta Tiwari (Prerna of Kasautii Zindagii Kay) talks of her definition of love and playing grandmother to seven girls in the serial
By: Kshama Rao
THE print and the electronic media descended at a suburban studio (at the back of beyond in Saki Naka Andheri) on a sweltering Wednesday afternoon on the sets of Ekta Kapoor's Kasautii Zindagii Kay.
Prime time prima donna Prerna was expected to meet them. The protagonist of the six year old show has just won yet another long jump television race (the show has leaped by 20 years once again) and Prerna is now grandmom.
Alas, even as the journalists waited patiently munching cold samosas and cups of tea, Madame T (that's Shweta Tiwari) showed no signs of coming. After over an hour, the channel PROs (now visibly embarrassed) informed that the star is incommunicado. But no sweat, the seven grand daughters of Prerna and old guard Hiten Tejwani who's just walked in, in bleached hair and golden brown lens, were available for interviews.
Not wanting to give up, we messaged Tiwari later in the evening. We tell her about how everyone waited to meet her and could she at least do a telephonic interview? And surprise, surprise, five minutes later, she calls up and chats right away.
Tiwari's character post the gen-leap will that be of a tough disciplinarian. Having gone through a lot of heartache and betrayal, Prerna will now be "anti love. She's not against men. She only wants her girls to be cautious. She doesn't want them to interact with boys at all. Because if they do, then they will fall in love and love will only get them pain."
What does Shweta think of love? "Love is selfless. Love is not sex. When attraction comes into play between a man and a woman, then it becomes lust," she simply says.
The actress, who is married to her childhood sweetheart Raja Chaudhary, says she is in a permanent "state of in love. I keep falling in love all the time." Before you rub your hands in glee expecting some masala, she says, "I love my unit, I love my friends, my daughter, my dog."
Er, how about falling in love with a co-actor? "You mean, getting attracted to them? Then that's not love, that's lust. I told you in my definition — love is selfless, it's caring for, getting concerned about the person you care for. It's much more than being attracted to someone. And for attraction, I am attracted enough to Raja at home," she chuckles.
But what about childhood crushes? "Yes, I have had those." Is she demonstrative in love? "You tell me, from the way I am talking to you, what do you think? Yes, I am the demonstrative kind, the huggy-kissy type. I can be very loud in showing my love for my people. But I don't mwah mwah just anyone. I can't fake my feelings."
Serendipity, Notting Hill and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge are her all time favourite romantic/love films. In the new scheme of things, Anurag Basu (Cezanne Khan) and Mr Bajaj (Rohit Roy) will not figure in Prerna's life. Won't she miss them? One could sense her facial muscles tighten as she says, "The only thing I would miss in Prerna is the excitement in her role, in her character and Ekta has assured me of that so there is no question of missing anyone else."
Playing mom to children of her age was alright but a grandmom to seven girls? "I know. I kept asking Ekta how will I pull it off... I didn't want anyone to call me dadi or nani on screen so she said, 'Don't worry, they will simply call you P.' That's better, no?"
She signs off on that note. And by the way she neither told us why she didn't show up at the press conference nor offered an apology. Is that what you call a star?
| | | The many looks that Shweta Tiwari has sported over the years, as her character takes giant leaps in time | |
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