Neena Gupta locked out

Neena Gupta locked out

Clears the air about Ek Chaabi Pados Mein slated to air on Star Plus; the show is not produced by her

Shaheen Parkar
shaheen@mid-day.com

Neena Gupta has been receiving some strange calls lately. There are messages from actors, technicians and other unit hands asking her if she is interested in making them a part of her telly serial Ek Chaabi Pados Mein, slated to air on Star Plus. But what's so strange about that? Has Gupta turned producer once more?
Sorry, it's not me!
A while back, the actress had declared that she only wanted to act as she was "not cut out to be a producer." Gupta, who has made several shows (Saans, Siski, Saanjhi, Kyon Hota Hai Pyarr) for the small screen, is best remembered for the popular drama Saans on Star Plus. So is she doing a rethink now?
"Not at all," shoots back Gupta, who is currently seen as Manno in the Zee daily Saat Phere. "I was taken by surprise when I began getting such calls. The fact is that Anupam Kalidhar is producing Ek Chaabi Pados Mein. He was the executive producer for all my serials. When I decided to pull down the shutters of my production house, I told him to move on. His production house is called Taurus (that's his wife's zodiac sign), while my banner was called NG Productions. So people are assuming that I am also associated with Ek Chaabi Pados Mein. In fact, when I began getting the calls, I checked with Anupam to see if he was using my name. But thanks to the fact that Anupam was associated with my production unit, everyone assumes that I am also a part of the show!"
Playing mom
Incidentally, Ek Chaabi Pados Mein, starring Varun Badola, has been in the making for a while now. Inspired by the Doordashan show Nukkad, it was initially being produced by Tigmanshu Dhulia. After Dhulia's exit, several changes were made to the project. Adds Gupta, "I have nothing to do with the project in any capacity. I hope once and for all this clears the air."
Though Gupta has dabbled in films, television and theatre, she's been missing from the scene for quite a while. "There is more emphasis on youthcentric projects nowadays, so what is left for the others?" she asks. "But this does not mean that I have nothing to do. Apart from shooting for Saat Phere, I go to Kolkata often to do Bangla telefilms. I also read, write and travel a lot. In fact, I've recently returned from a safari in Kenya. I had a wonderful time there. I'm also spending more time with my daughter Masaba now. She is now in class 12, doing her International Baccalaureate from Jamnabai Narsee. So there's lots on my plate."
Staged!
Gupta, who also featured in Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, had earlier anchored the Sony show Kamzor Kadi Kaun, the desi version of the BBC show, The Weakest Link.
Away from TV, Gupta had also returned to theatre with her Sahaj troupe, staging Surendra Verma's Surya Ki Antim Kiran Se Surya Ki Pehli Kiran Tak and later, the comic caper Dikhti Khoob Hai, based on French dramatist Moliere's The School for Wives.
"I don't want to producer plays either. I would rather just act on stage. A while back I had an offer to act in a play. But the producers could not find an actor to pair me with!"she laughs.
"I have had my days; I have been busy working round the clock. I want to take it easy now. But you never know what lies ahead," she says.

On being Manno

As the matter-of-fact Manno bhabhi in the Zee daily Saat Phere, Neena Gupta plays the protagonist Saloni's aunt. "Whenever I am missing from the show, it means that I am travelling or shooting for Bangla telefilms in Kolkata,"says Gupta.