Deeya Singh 's Article!

Tell us about your new show Jhoomein Jiya Re. It revolves around Jia and how she overcomes her prob- lems through dance. It's a sto- ry of hope.. about how nice guys don't always finish last. You mean another underdog sto- ry like Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi? How can you generalise? All our shows have been an extension of our lives. I'm a mother now and Jhoomein.. comes from my daughter whose name is Jia too. She falters at times but never stops trying. Did you cast Gauri Tonnk as the dance teacher because she was one of the finalists of Nach Baliye 2? No. She's a good dancer any- way. Also, she hasn't been seen on TV of late. So she doesn't have a particular image. You rarely repeat your actors.. why? We have never gone in for big names and like to experiment with newcomers because they're more open to learning. I think actors run out of emotions after some time. Why did Jeete Hain Jiske Liye fail despite a heavy-weight cast? Jeete.. was basically a tele-novella.. we started off with a prequel. I think that's where we lost it. We should- n't have changed the original concept. We've learnt from our mistake. Talk is that Shefali Shah was approached for the lead role. Do you think she would have made a difference? Yes, she was approached but there were date problems. I don't think an artiste can make a difference to how a show fares. Renuka Shahane is a very good actress too. Any plans to revive your cult show Banegi Apni Baat? (Smiles) I can give you the CDs if you want. If I had a choice I'd have carried it on for the next 10-15 years. Sutapa Sikdar wrote Banegi.. but you haven't worked with her since. She's writing Radha Ki Betiyaan Kuch Kar Dikhayengi for NDTV Imagine. These days, few shows stick to their original plot. Tracks are changed depending on TRPs.. is that healthy? I don't see anything wrong in that. If the viewers give you feedback, it should be taken into consideration. It's only on television that you get a second chance. In films that doesn't happen. Any plans to make a movie? Not right now. We have been toying with the idea for some time. But first we want to get our TV shows on track. Irrfan Khan was your discovery. He's now an international star. Did you see that coming when you worked with him in Banegi..? Absolutely! Not many people know this but he's even directed a few episodes of Banegi.. Who's been your favourite character? Armaan (Apurva Agnihotri) in Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin. He was the first negative hero on Indian television. Also, Radha (Surekha Sikhri) from Banegi.. She's what every mother is or would like to be. What's it like working with your husband, 24x7? I think our jodi is made in heaven. Touchwood! It's a symbiotic connection. bidisha.singha@hindustantimes.com