I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE PLAYING MOTHER TO A 16-YEAR-OLD
Rucha Gujarathi stepped into the shoes of Bhabhi and came to the forefront about two years ago when her previous counterpart Dolly Sohi took sanyaas, in the show, of course, and left her values and traditions to the heiress, her daughter Suhana, the new bhabhi. Six months ago, in September, Kanchi Kaul replaced Rucha, aka Suhana, under another valid pretence of a memory loss by the character. You may believe it or not, but now you have to erase off Kanchi from your memory slates, as Rucha is back on the show. If you were one of the many who rooted for her, then here is your favourite bhabhi Rucha Gujarathi, filling us in on all the drama, on screen and otherwise.
After delivering an emotionally charged scene with raised voices and tears streaming down, she consciously smiles and takes her seat for our chit-chat. It continues to surprise me how young our bhabhis and saas-es on screen are. Rucha, actually quite petite framed and almost girlish, portrays a heavily make-up-clad wife and sister-in-law in the serial. Among her reasons on quitting her show, the generation leap kicking in, was her version. Why the hullabaloo about appearing a few more decades older and willingly playing a mother to two teenage children?
ST: Why had she left the show last September?
RG: The quitting basically happened since there was a generation leap taking place at that point and I was being asked to play a mother to a 16-year-old and a 10-year-old kid; something I was not comfortable with.
ST: We had met with Rucha back in April 2007, where we had predicted a generation leap where she would eventually be asked to play a mother, and whether she would agree to it.
RG: I had strongly commented upon this that if there was to be a leap, I would like my production house to inform me; if I am fine with it and okay with the upcoming track, I would agree. Also, it should be sorted out in an amicable fashion. I didn't say I was basically okay with it. So, they called me and asked me and I finally told them that I really didn't want to get into the leap. If you are not going to be able to play out something with conviction then you may as well not say yes to it.
ST: How much of a leap is Rucha comfortable with?
RG: I was completely alright with being shown a mother to the three-year-old Mahek but later on, it became a 16-18-year-old daughter, which I was a little skeptical about taking on. We amicably sorted this out and my producers and channel understood my point of view and we mutually parted.
Later on, as I had taken a deserved one month break after a year, my movie Lottery happened, with me playing the lead opposite Abhijeet Sawant.
ST: So was it a planned movie from her end, to leave the show because she had a movie offer lurking in the background? Was she not hesitant to storm out of her show midway?
RG: Nothing is planned in my life; I live for today. As I was not comfortable with the show, I thought that I'd take this decision right now and take my break. I had been associated with Bhabhi for two-and-a-half years, so there was nothing to worry about. A big screen offer happened to come along and I believe that it was destined for me. It is my debut movie and I am quite excited about it.
ST: what's your role in the f ilm?
RG: There are some cute romantic scenes too between Soha and Rohit (Abhijeet Sawant). It is a proper commercial, mirch masala movie.
ST: This brings me to ask her if she has certain reservations or weariness towards accepting negative characters. Does she consciously choose only positive, sweet roles?
RG: No, I have done quite a decent bit of negatives roles. I began with a negative role as Kali in Kkusum. But yes, I think I have a very simple and innocent face and I can portray a positive character very well. There is always a good reason behind the behavior of the negative woman but I feel that I can justify a positive role better. Not to say that I am not okay with a gray character, but I am a little picky about my roles. With the help of a positive role you can even pass on a social message to the audience.
ST: And what if she were to be offered a dark, villainous role in a movie? Would the rules change then?
RG: It all depends on the script. If the script really demands it, then I am very comfortable with it. I have to be convinced in something to be able to convince my viewers about it.
ST: Having bagged her debut movie as the lead heroine, when most others often manage no more than a cameo, what roles does she plan on taking up hereafter? Would she be willing to share the screen with other actresses?
RG: After doing a main lead, I think you get the hang of it. While doing a main lead you're centrally there and the story revolves around you. You are the main protagonist but it is a team effort; with one character, your character also gets established and so does your career graph. It's give and take after all. So it is not that only the lead is important.
ST:. It was heard that Rucha wasn't too welcoming of the show's newest entrant – the ever-smiling Gurdip Kohli of Sanjeevani fame. Rucha had qualms of sharing screen space with her, and so she left, in order to avoid competition and battle her own insecurity issues.
RG: No, this is an absolutely false statement. I know Gurdip very well as I have worked with her earlier. She was never the reason for my leaving. It was my own individual choice to leave, as I did not want to do the show at that point of time due to the generation leap. Gurdip was supposed to enter at that point of time but I was never insecure about it.
She has been a friend to me; we belong to the same industry and after all we have a professional attitude towards each other. As I said, it is a complete team effort and if due to her entry into the show, the TRPs would increase, I would definitely not mind. As far as Bhabhi is concerned, I am the one playing the bhabhi, so why should I be insecure about anyone?
ST: Very generous indeed on Rucha's part, to not mind other ladies from entering the serial, all in the name of TRPs, of course. After more than seven years, it is remarkable that a show has retained its loyal viewership. Rucha proudly tells me that the icing on the cake was that she was brought back by popular demand.
RG: It is more than getting an award when you are told that the viewers loved Suhana and wanted me back on the show! This is my third or fourth year in the show and after my entering the show, we are gradually increasing in terms of TRPs; it is doing quite well now.
ST: Seems like Rucha would like to take complete credit for her show's recovery. Not only has her track been revived, but so has Bhanujeet Sudan re-entered the show. Is this a desperate attempt to sustain the show, a mere coincidence or something more? Earlier on, there was a raring rumour about Rucha and Bhanujeet being an item, doing the rounds.
RG: I'd rather not comment on that because I don't like to comment on such stuff. I think he too, like me, was brought back on popular demand by viewers. I have cleared this matter and clearly stated that I have nothing to do with Bhanujeet Sudan and that we share a completely professional relationship. We are here to work and give our 100 percent to our jobs. I would rather not comment further upon this. There is no truth to this.
ST: This is not the only name Rucha has been linked up with though. We have reason to believe that the name Puneet Singh, designer and stylist, will also mean much more to her. The two were heard to have hit it off well during a photo shoot and romance had bloomed.
RG: No comments. We share a professional relationship. He has designed some clothes for me and I shop from his boutique.
ST: Is Rucha seeing anyone otherwise, in her personal life?
RG: There is nobody; I am single and hunting for a good guy and the right man in my life. I'm doing another project called Arjun The Magician, a weekly, which is to be a prime time Sony show. It is on the lines of David Blaine, the magician and here I will be shown in a completely westernised look.
ST: I ask Rucha if she is the simpleton, traditional bhabhi that we know of or is she a completely different person off screen?
RG: I am Rucha Gujarathi when I am in westerns and when draped in a sari, I am Suhana; I am comfortable with both attires. But I would love to have a different kind of a role where I can play a young, bubbly, vivacious girl as I can enact that well. People tell me that I am a very chirpy, lively, sweet and cute looking girl. When I was portraying Kali, the teenage snobbish brat, many people could relate to my character. I would love to have such roles in my kitty.
ST: When asked if there is a role in the present television scenario that she would love to do herself?
RG: I hardly watch television. Can I name someone from Hollywood? Can you suggest some roles? ( I name the young girl Bani's character played by Prachi Desai and she immediately says) No, not Bani. From Remix, I could relate to Shweta Gulati's bubbly character.
ST: And how does she feel about being part of the never-ending stream of reality shows that are coming up?
RG: I would definitely love to be a part of a reality show as it is a completely different experience. It is a live performance in comparison to our serials where we have retakes, and sometimes, entire re-shoots. You learn so much on a reality show, be it a dancing show or a Big Boss as you are in the company of so many people. Dancing is something I have always been passionate about. I have learnt Bharatnatyam and I am currently also learning kathak.
My first love will always be television as it was here that I got fame and recognition. My movie producers also called me after they saw my serial, so I will never forget that. It is just the next step in life; a person at a job will look for a promotion and this is a promotion for an actress. Also, getting onto the big screen is a different thrill and excitement altogether.
Eyes, heart and mind set on the stars in the sky, Rucha has her goals in life chalked out clearly. Let's see where her luck takes her!
**BY FATEMA RAJKOTWALA
-- k k rai
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