J D Majethia :Who's the best bahu on telly?

Television's mint fresh bahus are ruling the prime time, and giving the old bahus a run for their money. PT reports

Aasiya Kazi

If you thought small screen's super bahus Parvati and Tulsi had left behind no heirs to their crowns, you are mistaken. The general entertainment channels have thrown up a whole new lot of bahus: Sara Khan and Parul Chauhan, Smita Bansal, Avika Gor, Neha Marda, Surili Gautam, Prabhleen Sandhu, Anjali Abrol, Heena Khan and Aasiya Kazi.

Smita Bansal, who plays a docile and obedient bahu in a serial on the evils of child marriage, also plays the good mother-in-law in the same show. She says, "Every actress wants to be in a saas-bahu drama, and I am glad I got to essay the roles of both in the same show: a saas and a bahu. It is very exciting and the reason why our serial is so popular is because every one has played their roles so well." She feels that Avika Gor is the best bahu on television serials, as she is the youngest one to don that role ever.

Actor Surili Gautam is very happy about the fact that her role is not stereotypical. "I am just 17 years old, but I am very comfortable playing this character as it has a lot of shades. I don't cry and crib all the time like the other bahus on television," says Surili. So, how comfortable is it to play a role that requires her to be someone much older than her real age? "Once you understand the character you can play any role. I was very excited and happy to play that role," says Surili.

The rebellious bahu Prabhleen Sandhu, from a show set in pre-Independence India, says, "My role started as a wife who would take revenge on her husband, but now, I am like the regular disciplined bahu and I am not liking it. I really enjoy the fame and attention that I am getting these days, but if I had the choice, I would definitely opt for a different show than a regular saas-bahu one. The role of a bahu needs to be sketched with care because today in every show we have so many actresses portraying the role of a daughter-in-law." Well-known producer-director J D Majethia feels, "Smita Bansal is the best bahu among the new lot. She is very pretty and she lights up the entire screen with her presence. The character she plays is very interesting and she has also put in a splendid performance."
Director Rajan Waghmare also claims to have the same choice, "Smita Bansal takes the crown of the best bahu. There is no doubt about it. She is so natural and perfect," he says.

Director Siddharth Malhotra opines, "I would vote for Smita Bansal because she is a wonderful actress. Parul Chauhan is surely my pick from all the new bahus on the small screen. She has an innocent face and the way she blends into the storyline is beautiful. And, my second pick would be Avika Gor. Though she is a child artiste, she has captured the nation's imagination. When she is on the screen, no one can actually take their eyes off her," says producer Dhiraj Kumar.