From Jassi To Jessica

The lead player: The offbeat turned iconic, plain Jane, Jasmeet Walia, whose every misgiving and heartbeat is followed with untiring enthusiasm, four days a week.

Her zany creators: Tele-producers, Deeya and Tony Singh, masters of casting coups and technical finesse on the idiot box. ALPANA CHOWDHURY catches up with the audacious couple on a rain-drenched morning in Mumbai

I don't know what is better. Our marriage or our business," jokes Deeya Singh, one half of the very successful DJ's team that produces the iconoclastic Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, the daily fix of millions of viewers, Monday to Thursday. Television buffs would also remember Deeya and her husband, Tony Singh, as producers of other much-watched soaps like Banegi Apni Baat and Just Mohabbat, both of which broke new ground like Jassi Jaisi…is currently doing on Sony. "Two people set out to dream together and were passionate about the same thing…" is how Deeya describes their journey so far. A journey they've thoroughly enjoyed.

Complementing each other perfectly at home and at work, they've put together a vast repertoire of programmes. Some very successful, others not quite so. "Timing plays a very important role," reasons Deeya. "Love Mein Kabhi Kabhi was a very good show we produced but it didn't work. Whereas when Kamlesh Pandey told us to make a serial for Zee TV revolving around p***les and pre-marital sex, it was a stupendous success. Banegi Apni Baat ran for six years because there was a large audience waiting for a good, identifiable programme. With Jassi Jaisi… too, it's been like that. People were just waiting for something different to happen on TV."

The duo's USP, all along, has been not just conceiving characters but finding apt actors to play them. Irrfan (Khan) today has international acclaim, but, years ago, he appeared in Banegi Apni Baat as a very convincing, crusty grump.. And, of course, Mona Singh as Jassi has been the ultimate discovery.

"The starting point for us is intelligence," she explains. "The actors must have the ability to understand what we want. Only then will they be able to communicate our ideas. Jassi's role is not easy. She is plain looking but confident. She is intelligent but not brash. Portraying her is a tightrope walk, but even after so many months Jassi never takes it easy. She works as hard as the rest of the team."