TOI&indya:Plane Jane rules small screen-Yashashree

They have established the fact that you don't need drop-dead gorgeous looks to make it big.

While their Bollywood counterparts leave no stone unturned to doll themselves, the heroines on the small screen are a far cry from the size zero, perfect 10 looks. In fact, their girl-next-door looks and non-glam appeal has worked for them.

Be it Neha Sargam, who plays Nivedita in Chand Chupa Badal Mein or Yashashri Masurkar as Khanak in Rang Badalti... Odhani, Sukriti Khandpal in Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani, Tina Dutta in Uttaran, Natasha Sharma as Sia in Naa Aana Iss Des... Laado or Binny Sharma in Sangoj Se Bani... Sangini ? the girls have shown that you need not be the quintessential diva.

Makers agree that the archetype of a leading lady on screen has gone through a sea change. "The change has come from people getting bored with faces they don't identify with. I guess Jassi also contributed to it in a large way. Suddenly, people have started looking for 'real faces'," explains producer Sudhir Sharma.

Producer-director Rajan Shahi, who introduced Sara Khan and Parul Chauhan in their plain Jane glory in Sapna Babul Ka... Bidaai is a firm believer of the girl-next-door factor. "Audiences today look for realistic characters and stories. Their taste has gone beyond superficial jewellery and clothes. The masses now connect to the overall personality of the characters." So hot is the demand for plain Janes that newbies like Jiaa Maanek and Srishty Rode have bagged the lead roles in Saath Nibhana... Saathiya and Yeh Ishq Haai.

Many attribute this change to the stories churned out these days. "It's a simple case of creative people realizing the power of being 'identifiable'. If my show is about a plump girl or a small town girl who wears glasses, I get to reach a larger number of people who may know someone like that because in real life not everyone is perfect," says Sharma.

Neha Sargam is of the view that the 'regular looking faces' are easy to relate to. "It doesn't matter how one looks as long as she is doing a good job in portraying the character she plays. When people see a simple-looking girl, it strikes a chord somewhere," says Neha.

With an overdose of glam via movies, TV shows have lent a touch of commonality through their leading ladies. "These days movies sport over-the-top glam ladies. TV shows give them the opportunity to see a reflection of themselves. Indian men love to have a girl next door as their partners, so the connection works," says Yashashri.


Read more: Plain Janes rule small screen - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv-/Plain-Janes-rule-small-screen/articleshow/6924650.cms#ixzz15HhFaZjo

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