Being Jassi was like playing Superman'
http://tvguide.indiatimes.com/quickiearticleshow/msid-141574 7.cms
The girl who changed the face of Indian television forcing the saas-bahu sagas out of the prime time slots, Mona Singh is a lot like Jassi; the character she made famous or vice versa. Confident, ambitious, articulate; adjectives come freely to your mind when you interact with her. She endeared herself to the masses with just one brilliant stroke called Jassi. Aware of the fact that labels come fast and easy in her profession, Mona chooses to take hers in a positive stride. She talks to Rachna Kanwar about her take on playing Jassi and life after that.
You became a household name with 'Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin'almost instantly. Did you ever think that one serial could change your life forever?
Actually when I signed the contract I didn't know how big the show was. I was very scared, as what we were starting off was completely different. The show would either have been a big hit or it would have flopped miserably. I used to wonder; when the channel people would tell me that we'll try giving you a Sunday off, that why or how my life will be different than it is now. When we started shooting, I realized how big the show was.
When was it that you realized the mind-boggling popularity of the show?
When I started shooting for 'Jassi' I hardly used to get any time to go out to socialize. And people didn't know who I was as in who was the real person behind Jassi. My first episode came on air on September 1, 2003 and on September 5 when I was shooting in Jogeshwari, the entire traffic stopped. People were just looking at me! Just 4 days of being on air caused this! That day I realized that 'Oh my God, I have arrived!'.
How difficult was it to be someone else all the time? We read that your gums used to bleed.
For a person who used to look like this (as she is now) and to look like that (as Jassi) was a little difficult to digest. But the character is so beautifully written and it got so much love and affection from the people. But the tough part was the braces only because it was something that I didn't need in my mouth. As a result my gums used to bleed. It was a little difficult.
And you had to be in the get-up of Jassi all the time, even at parties!
That wasn't a problem at all. I always felt like 'Superman', hiding my identity. I was taking it in a very positive way. If right from the beginning I had started thinking negative then I wouldn't have lasted for two years. Not even once did I think that it was torture, I loved it
How did your family react to the 'Jassi garb'? Weren't they sick of seeing you in those braces all the time?
(Laughs) See, I was promised that there will be a makeover. So I knew that if not today, tomorrow there is a makeover. It was just that from the original story, our makeover was delayed, slightly. And it was delayed because of certain situations in the serial. But I feel the makeover happened at the right time. Had it happened too early we would not have the kind of masala that we have today. So I guess everything happened on time in 'Jassi'.
Your resemblance to the girl who played Betty in the original series 'Yo Soy Betty, la Fea' is uncanny.
Oh yes it is! I was completely shocked when Deeya (Producer) showed me that lady. And at that time I didn't know that I was supposed to look like her. I said "Eeoow! What is that?" And she said, "Well, you have to look like that." I said "Not possible, I can't look like that". She told me that she'll make me look like that.
Like Jassi, you too come from a Punjabi family. Do you identify with the character?
See, I am from a middle class Punjabi family. My dad was in the army. He is retired now. And we are from the service class and which is why I could relate to the character so well. I am very ambitious in life, the way Jassi is. Not even once did I feel that I had to put in an extra effort to act. I felt that things came to me very naturally because in person I am very close to my dad and that is what the serial was all about; the relationship of Jassi and her father. I never felt I was acting. It was like delivering what I felt.
You've said in a daily that you are sick of playing Jassi and that you want to move on. Your comment.
It was very wrongly written in a paper. I was really upset and the journalist later apologized to me. As you know Jassi is a youth icon that people look up to. I can't make a statement like this; that I am fed up of 'Jassi'. I love the show, I love the character. If it was in my hand, I would never end it. But I also know for a fact that what starts must come to an end.
'Jassi' has lost out on the prime time slot of 9.30. Is it coming to an end soon?
I don't think that it'll end too soon as all the old characters are coming back. Maddy is coming back, Pari too; so its coming back in a big way. They'll all be back together as a team and we are trying to get it back to what it was. And I feel a non-prime time slot would be 8-8.30 and according to me 10pm is still a prime time slot.
Will it be a challenge to break free from the image of Jassi?
I don't want to take it like that. I don't need to prove a point. The fact is that people have seen me in the get-up of Jassi for the past 3 years. It'll take them a while to accept me as something else, but the point is that I don't want to do something to prove a point. If there is any role that excites me which is as big as Jassi, then I'll accept it. But I am also aware of the fact that all my life I'll be called Jassi, (laughs). I remember when Navneet (Nishan) was shooting with us for 'Jassi', I used to call her Tara (a popular character she played). It is a kind of an achievement because you leave a mark on people.
You are Bollywood bound. Tell us about the film that you've signed.
At this time I don't have much to talk about as far as my film is concerned. It's at a very early stage right now. I have signed the contract that I will do a film with Bobby Pushkarna, the producer of 'Page 3'.
According to the grapevine, Abhishek Bachchan is your hero in it. Is it true?
Those were just rumours. I myself don't know who the hero is going to be. I am busy with 'Jassi' almost 27-28 days a month. I hardly have time to meet my producer and ask him about the film. But I'll do that soon as I am assuming that we'll shoot for it this year.
You also did a Coke ad recently. How did you feel getting such a prestigious campaign?
I was very happy to be a part of the Coke family. I'm the first TV actor who has done Coke.
You've been winning a lot of awards of late. How do you feel?
I feel like a rock star, (laughs)! I have won almost 16 awards in the past 2 years. It really feels great. Especially when your work is appreciated and you get rewarded at the end of the day; it just makes you feel complete.
With stardom your privacy goes for a toss, how big a price is that for all this fame?
This is how it is. People do want to know what is happening in the lives of celebrities. When I am not working I am not conscious of the fact that 'Oh I am Jassi and I need to be careful'. I love to break free when I am not working. If I am out partying with my friends I will just party and not think that there are people around me and I shouldn't dance. It's my profession and being in the eye of the public is a part of it.
How do you deal with the rumours linking you with Karan Oberoi? I thought that I should come up with a write-up saying that there is nothing of that sort but suddenly I felt that who all will I keep explaining to every time. Being a celebrity, there is a certain amount of leeway that you have to give to the people; to speculate, to think that if you are seen with a guy you are dating him. But that is not how it is. If Karan was playing my brother on the show, there wouldn't have been any rumours. That is how I take it. So I don't let it bother me. I read the rumours and I think that ok tomorrow the story would be forgotten.
Rules & Announcements
Cricket
