TOI: Visibility of actor matters - Barkha

Television's yummy mummy Barkha Bisht Sengupta talks on being a replacement star, balancing motherhood and hectic work hours

You've just stepped in as a replacement forRupali Ganguly. Are you comfortable with the idea?
I don't feel any pressure of replacing Rupali (Ganguly), because we are actors and at the end of the day we are enacting a character. The only issue is — relatability for the audience — but if as an actor, you can pull off the character, then there is no problem. And I am confident about myself. If I take the pressure seriously, then I will never be able to perform.I have gelled really well with the child actors in Nayi Umr Nayi Chunauti - Parvarrish - Agla Padav.

Would you ever watch a show if your favourite actor got replaced overnight?
I really don't know how I'd react as an audience! See actors have limitations and they've got to work around them. Audiences have also changed and they now accept a new face easily. They relate to the character, not the actor.

You have been in the industry since 2005, but one doesn't see you often on television.
I have never stopped working since I entered this industry, I've done fiction shows, reality shows, you name it! I took a four month break from TV to have a baby, otherwise I've been working round the clock. I've done shows that were not on prominent GECs, so may be I didn't get noticed. Today the visibility of an actor depends on the show's TRPs. Some of my shows have also not done well, which is why one feels that they haven't seen me enough on TV.

You are done films down south.
I am also doing a Bengali film called Villain at the moment. I have some offers, but I am only concentrating on TV.

Even after motherhood, you've been getting lead roles on TV shows, something that wasn't possible earlier. Do you think mindsets are changing?
There was a time when actress' marital status didn't matter. When I started my career most TV actresses were married and some even had children. Now most lead actresses of a show are teenagers! I'm glad that even though I have a child, I am playing the lead in a TV show.

You have done item songs in Bollywood films, are you aiming at doing some more?
My last item song happened by chance. I'd gone to meet Prakash Jha and he offered me a song inRajneeti. I am not looking at doing item songs, but I am also not saying that I won't do them. I am doing a character role in Ram Leela at the moment, but I'm not consciously aiming at Bollywood.

How is it being a new mom?
I can say that my life is now complete. I have a sense of satisfaction and that's helping me shape my career. If I wasn't happy back home, I wouldn't be able to perform at work. People often ask me how do I manage to work in a daily soap with such a young baby — it's all because ofIndraneil. He is very understanding and supportive.

nice article!
Hmm so we relate to the character and not actor? I dont really agree :)

nice interview 😳
barkha is doing really well as pinky 😛
if an actor is playing a negative character onscreen audience will hate him her ie onscreen and off screen too
the main problem is that audience relate the actor who plays bad charcater onscreen and offscreen as bad 😲 that is they cant differentiate the actor n the character in real and reel life 🥱
i ve have see many positive characters🤢 being rude in real life almost read some articles abt it 😆
😆

I think it is all character we relate to. Actors portray the character. If Barkha had played Pinky first..we may not have found any difference as she would have done it her own way. Now we feel it as another actor has played before. Barkha is gradually becoming Pinky now...and I seriously don't miss Rupali. Yes..if Barkha was not good in acting...then there might have been a problem

Originally posted by: Shwets1502

I think it is all character we relate to. Actors portray the character. If Barkha had played Pinky first..we may not have found any difference as she would have done it her own way. Now we feel it as another actor has played before. Barkha is gradually becoming Pinky now...and I seriously don't miss Rupali. Yes..if Barkha was not good in acting...then there might have been a problem

barkha is doing pinkys role very nicely 😳 eeven better than rupali i must say 😛
i dont have any complains against the replacement or barkha😃 but these youtube walle people ufff 😡

I would not say better than Rupali Lizzie. Both are different. Barkha has brought in her own style to this character. Pinky as character itself has changed..earlier PInky used to be simple...now she is different now. I can't imagine Rupali wearing a sari and sporting a look that Barkha is doing.

i would say better than rupali. Pinky's character was monotonous before (won't say because of rupali) but i don't feel the monotony any longer. So for me, barkha is somewhere "better" :)

@Pritam That is because the character of Pinky itself has changed. It is not because of the actor. One thing I miss is Rupali's Sunny Rajkumar😊 I loved Rupali/Pinky and Sunny's scenes..it used to be very cute. But yes Sunny has grown up now...by one year😆 So he is not interested in all that😆

yes pinky-sunny scenes were too good at times. And ya true, the character itself changed. So maybe the monotony would have gone anyway even if rupali wasn't replaced.