The actors talk about their new show on Sony Pal, their characters in Hamari Sister Didi, how different it is from other doctor shows and the impending competition. Read excerpts from the interview...
Tell us about Hamari Sister Didi and your characters in the show.
Pariva Pranati: This show is for Sony Pal. The channel is coming up with a few shows which have no villain in it. Characters will only react according to the situations they are put in. Hamari Sister Didi is a hospital based show. I am playing the nurse and Bhanu Uday plays a doctor in the show.
Bhanu Uday: We've been shooting this for a week now but I just realised something today. In the frontier of medicine, they actually tell people how emotions help people to get better physically. In spite of not being a doctor, this girl has caught on to something which even doctors today are actually talking about. But my character has a metro mindset. He thinks the body is just a machine which can be treated like a robot - that's his approach towards medicine. The dynamic between these two characters is very beautiful they know that the opposite person is right sometimes. The characters in the show are very real and imperfect - so people can relate to them.
There have been a lot of doctor shows in the past. How is Humari Sister Didi going to be any different? Will the show concentrate on medicine or eventually move towards a love story?
Pariva: Frankly, it's not anything like a Sanjivani or Dill Mill Gayye. Yes, the show is based around a love story but that's not all. There are several plots linked to it. The concept will also touch upon two kinds of treatments. My character will emphasise that along with medicines love has an integral part in healing patients. And Bhanu's character believes that medicine is a science and emotions have no role in it. It has a lot of under layer; it's not just one person.
Bhanu: Actually, I signed on for a love story only. Look at it this way, in our hectic schedules and busy lives we spent most of our time at work. We are bound to fall for someone we are constantly in touch with or working with. This show also talks about the same thing.
So how important are the love stories in this show?
Pariva: See the story is going to be like an onion. You will see something new every time you peel a layer.
Bhanu: Both our characters have a past that we are still trying to overcome and deal with. Like she is a widow and I also have a back story. Our histories make the plot more than just a love story.
Pariva: Plus there will be other characters in the hospital too, who will have their own stories. It's not going to be just based around one person or couple.
Bhanu: The first time I heard the script I was so emotional and happy. There is such a wonderful interpersonal dynamic between all the characters. It's very real and genuine.
How many episodes have you'll shot for so far?
Pariva: We've not shot for a complete episode yet. We've done bits and pieces of a few episodes. The shoot does not happen episode-wise.
Bhanu: We've done a few outdoors so far. The shoot depends completely on the locations we choose for it.
Besides the doctor-nurse relationship, who else will we see on the show?
Pariva: There are young kids, who play a very pivotal part in the show. They are so talented and are truly amazing as actors. Every character in the show is etched very beautifully.
Bhanu: It's a great and entertaining ensemble piece. After our first outdoor shoot itself we became like one big family. There are lots of interesting characters on the show and they make some amazing actors.
There are nine other shows that's probably launching on the same day. Are you worried about competition?
Bhanu: I barely watch TV, so I am not bothered about competition. On a serious note, every show has their unique qualities, if it is done with sincerity and integrity - you will always find an audience. It's not a competition - there will always be an audience to watch shows like ours.
Pariva: I am not worried coz they are all so different from each other.
