Synopsis,Character Details & Articles - Page 23

Things have changed a lot for the veteran actress since her last super hit show Saans. Neena essentially belongs to the intelligent brigade of actress, with an intensive background of serious cinema and sensitive television series; however it's been a decade since TV changed its face and became soap-a-holic. Neena and many like her have either found different avenues to emote or have returned hapless, turning into professionals leaving passion for the genre aside.

Currently, the actress is being seen as Manno Bhabhi in Zee's TRP raker Saat Phere after a hiatus. Talking about her role she says,"There's only one kind of thing happening on TV and you have to do what is happening on TV!"

That may not be the voice of a fiery, intelligent Neena that one has gotten accustomed to. This is a more matured, grounded Neena who "will wait till things change for TV change. Across the globe when a country has experienced TV boom, they have had similar situations but things have changed eventually. So logically speaking there's a change awaiting us too!" In fact it is true with the focus shifting from Bahus to Betiyaans and certain ancillary channels devoting themselves to young and fun loving shows, we are in a transition phase!

Neena adds that "one can't often engineer change and when that happens it's better to be the best at what you are given to do. I can't change scripts and shows when they are doing well with the public, all I can do is be the best in my roles."

Talking about roles, she returns as Manno Bhabhi in Saat Phere after months of hiatus. "Yes, in fact I was introduced in the show for a purpose, to help Saloni (Rajshri Thakur) with her problems. Then she had to go as Saloni's track gained momentum. There was a lot of drama around Manno Bhabhi's character. And now it's just the opposite, the drama has reduced and a softer side of Manno Bhabhi as a mother has come into play. The dramatic responses and counselling has now been taken over by Saloni."

So does she like her character? "As I said before I will do the best of what I am given, Manno Bhabhi has new shades to emote, and it's interesting as an actor to do different things. People have already liked the character and are going to be emotionally involved in her now. It's a different side to her character as a mother son tryst has not been not explored in this way before."

We strike a conversation on the decadence of television generally and how intelligent actresses like Pallavi Joshi, Mita Vashist, Supriya Pathak have shaped themselves into the TV's framework. Neena adds wistfully "It's not about intelligent actors anymore, on the whole actors have nothing much to do in terms of sharpening their acting skills. It's not their fault either, it's just a phase. But I do foresee a positive change, there is a strong feeling that we will soon be looking at a new face of TV across the country."

It sounds like Hegelian dialectics: we wonder how the new face will be like: say a wiser version of Gharonda and Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki? Telly Chakkar.com, like its fans awaits that time!