Urmila's television debut with Chetan Has

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Posted: 20 years ago

Urmila's television debut
By: Shaheen Parkar
April 28, 2005

shaheen@mid-day.com

Urmila Matondkar, on the sets of Aahat 2
Pic: Ashish Raje

Bollywood star Urmila Matondkar makes her television debut in the Sony show Aahat 2.

This Friday night thriller will have the actress do a cameo playing her character from debutant director Shripal Morakhia's film Naina.

Both have a common thread —suspense, supernatural experiences and thrill — making for a cinema meets TV experience.

Featuring along with Matondkar in the show is telly star Chetan Hansraj (see box). These two special episodes will be telecast on May 20 and 27— to coincide with the film's release.

Says Matondkar while shooting for the weekly at a studio in Andheri yesterday, "I'm doing this because of my film Naina.

This is just those one-off TV assignments. I play my screen character who is being interviewed in a chat show in which I relate my supernatural experiences."

When asked if she had watched Aahat 2 she replies, "Not really, but I believe that this show is watched in its genre."

Aahat 2 is produced by B P Singh, the small screen's suspense thriller specialist. He feels the presence of the actress in the show "will further grip the viewers and keep them on the edge of their seats."

Matondkar, who has earlier featured in another horror thriller Bhoot, points out that shooting for these supernatural subjects is a singularly unique experience.

"I am not those types who thinks there is something lurking behind the curtains or someone is trailing me. But when the viewer believes this after watching it, then it is the ultimate compliment to the actress and filmmaker."

Would she do another horror film to complete her trilogy of horror films? "For that I will wait till Naina releases. Audience perceptions are so juvenile. Just because I have done two films does not make me a horror film specialist," she says.

The film, produced by iDream, is about Naina (Matondkar) who regains her lost eyesight post a mishap only to see visions which other humans can't see.

Earlier, Sony had another Bollywood star playing his film character in one of their shows. Saif Ali Khan had essayed his role of cartoonist Karan Kapoor from his film Hum Tum in Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin in May last year.

He had visited Gulmohar House after Jassi invites him over to the fashion house to debate his viewpoints as illustrated in his comic strips — that men are from Mars and women are from Venus.

shaheen@mid-day.com

Chetan turns TV anchor in Aahat 2

Chetan Hansraj (Garv of Kkusum, Sasha of Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii) will feature along with Urmila Matondkar in Aahat 2.

He plays a TV host called Nikhil. "My guest on the show is Urmila Matondkar, who appears as Naina.

As she narrates her supernatural experiences, I realise that my wife, who has been behaving strangely, is undergoing similar experiences. I try to seek answers from Naina's interview," says Hansraj who features in two episodes of the thriller.

"I am shooting with a film star," he says and thinks it's "a cool affair." Hansraj is also slated to do a cameo of a "stylish" beggar in Instant Khichdi on Star One.

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