‘Being Jassi got claustrophobic’

You have won the ITA (Indian Television Awards) for two consecutive years. How does it feel?

Last year I was delighted to win my first award as an actor. But I was sad that I had to receive the award as Jassi and not as Mona Singh. I wanted the world to recognize that it was Mona who had successfully created Jassi and made her so believable and endearing. People were also expecting to see the real person behind Jassi but that did not happen. Nevertheless the thrill and exhilaration of being super successful made up for that.This year I was very happy to appear as myself and make my parents feel proud of me.

Don't you miss the old Jassi with braces and glasses?

I don't miss her. I feel relieved for finally being able to appear as myself. In the initial days as Jassi, it felt great. I thought of myself as a super person, who made the entire country crazy about her. But after a while it started getting claustrophobic; living somebody else's life, day in and day out. Anyone else would have simply gone mad.
Nobody else has gone through such an experience in India. I had to constantly be someone I was not.

But didn't it give you so much adulation?

As a character Jassi was a dream debut. The kind of love and adulation that Jassi got was unthinkable. But personally it was suffocating for Mona.

So you missed out doing normal things during that period?

You bet I did! I could not go out to eat at a restaurant or see a film or step out on the street. The schedules were so hectic that I hardly got time for anything else. I could only go for a late night show. But then, all through, I had to keep my mouth shut since my voice is a total give away. I sneaked out to visit close friends and was careful about even stepping into a lift.

How did you cope with the media?

The media went berserk and tried to hound me like the paparazzi. Photographers used to wait in alleys just to click me sans my Jassi get up.

Now that Jassi is being pushed off its original slot, do you feel sad?

Not really! We had a good innings for two years and it's high time for a new vibrant show to occupy prime time space. I have got an indication that Jassi will wind up soon. In fact, the original show whose format we were inspired by, ended immediately after the makeover, where the girl gets married to her boss.

How do you feel when you see so many Jassi-inspired soaps?

It feels great that the show has generated such a response and that producers are moving away from saas-bahu soaps and showing women in a more positive light. It reinforces the belief that you don't necessarily have to be glamorous to be successful or sought after.