Chaya Unnikrishnan
After playing a typical bhabhi in Saat Phere, Neena Gupta is all set to tickle your funny bone with a 'filmi' show Jigar Ma Badi Aag Hai
eena Gupta is revisiting comedy after a decade. The last time she played a comic role was in SAB TV's hit sitcom Shriman Shrimati. After anchoring a show on STAR Plus, she eventually settled into playing a bhabhi on Zee's Saat Phere. No wonder then that Neena, who has a flair for comedy, was gung-ho about tapping the humorous side in her . "The minute I heard the script, I decided to be a part of it, I found the first episode itself hilarious," smiles the actress. Jigar Ma... has Neena playing Sushmita/ Sush who believes that if she hadn't got married in 1981 to one Colonel, she and not Rekha would have been the Umrao Jaan. Her passion runs so deep, that even after two decades she walks, talks and behaves like Umrao. After the Colonel's demise, her only source of income is the rent she earns from the apartment where three boys are staying. Since the boys keep defaulting on rent, she keeps 'borrowing things' from them, or worse, punishes them with day-long sessions of her shayaari! "Everything in the show is related to a film. Either the character is named after a filmi character or the situation is based in a filmi context," elaborates Neena. Reminds you of Filmy Chakkar. For the uninitiated Filmy Chakkar starring Satish Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah is one of the most hilarious and truly filmi shows to be aired, so far on television. Neena tells you that even Jigar Ma... has that filmi jigar and promises it to be a laugh-riot. "The writers are doing a good job," she says appreciatively. As for her look, Neena has left her hair loose and sports long skirts and tops. "This is my everyday attire in real life too," she enthuses. After her outing as Mannobhabhi where she wore Rajasthani sarees, chunky jewellery and tight buns, this is a welcome relief for the actress. Neena, however, points out that she loved her character in Saat Phere. "The role had many dimensions to it. Mannobhabhi was simple, soft, understanding, smart but not shrewd," elaborates Neena. So, why is she out of the serial? "My track is over and since I am not part of the main family, the producers can bring back my character whenever they want," she shrugs. | | < = src="http://banners.expressindia.com/banner/screen/si_story300x250.js"> < = src="http://banners.expressindia.com/adsnew/adjs.php?para=no&n=226484243&what=zone:574&target=_blank&exclude=," =text/> < src="http://ads.ozonemedia.co.in/j/acc_random=50280422/SITE=EXPRESSINDIA/AAMSZ=300X250/pageid=41556899"> | There was a time when Neena was on top of the popularity charts for her sensitive take on an extra-marital affair in Dard and Saans. She followed it up with Siski and a youth show Kyun Pyar Hota Hai but they did not do as well as her earlier serials and after some problems with the channel she opted out of producing the show. Since then, Neena's been busy in front of the camera. Any plans of going back to production? "No. The channels don't want the shows I want to make. They are interested in those subjects that are already on air and I am not interested," she states. At least one of her grouses has been solved. "I used to tell the channels to air serials on weekends but they never agreed. According to them only films do well on the slot. But Filmy is airing my show at 8.30 pm on Sunday which I believe will liven up an otherwise depressing Sunday evening," she chuckles. Jigar Ma... brings the hit pair of Neena and Kanwaljeet together. "I hope we are a hit again," she concludes. |
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