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The great Indian 'K'hitpit

Ekta Kapoor talks about Smriti Irani quitting Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. No, thanks! Smriti Irani A mentor-protge relationship gone wrong, Ekta Kapoor and Smriti Irani's fallout is straight out of a K-serial. Smriti's stepping down as Tulsi and flying solo reads like the final blow to their relationship. Will Kyunkii… crumble with one of its strongest pillars knocked down? The grapevine is abuzz with Ekta's displeasure at Smriti's successful stint as a TV producer. Sources say that Smriti has three more shows lined up besides the two that are currently on air. Viruddh is also quite a rage with couch potatoes. In contrast, many K-shows are being reworked, etc. So is it the end of the great rapport between Smriti and Ekta? Ekta responds cautiously, "I've the highest regard for Smriti professionally. On a personal level, I wouldn't like to comment on where our friendship stands today. Will Kyunkii… survive without Smriti? All I can say God is on our side." Goodbye: Ekta Kapoor Cracks first began to show up in the Ekta-Smriti friendship when Kyunkii… took the second 20-year leap. The 31-year-old Smriti was obviously unhappy with playing almost thrice her age on screen. Later, Smriti shifted focus to her own show Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Aasman (co-produced by Ekta). After Ekta pulled out of Thodi… Smriti started work on Viruddh. Apparently, it was getting too monotonous for Smriti to play Tulsi for seven long years. Ekta Kapoor says, "Yes, Smriti is taking a break from playing Tulsi. The change is happening on air between May 21 and May 25. I've zeroed in on three names in Smriti's place. They are Padmini Kolhapure, Gautami Gadgil and Poonam Dhillon. While we're in advanced stages of discussion with the first two, Poonam has just been approached." By the end of next week, Ekta intends to finalise the new Tulsi. But she insists it's not a final goodbye to Smriti. "Smriti is busy with her production house. She's taking a break from Kyunkii… I am getting a new Tulsi now. But I can't comment on what will happen in the future," she says. www.mumbaimirror.com

In a brand new role

Abhilasha Ojha / New Delhi April 28, 2007



Abhilasha Ojha speaks to Smriti Zubin Irani and finds out that she is genuinely trying hard to make a difference on television with her brand of serials.

It's a fight, a test of patience and an achievement to finally get Smriti Zubin Irani on the phone for an interview. It's been two weeks since we have been trying to track her down. If it's not her two new serials that keep her busy, her political commitments have made sure she hits the dusty tracks of Lucknow.

And if it isn't that, her phone is engaged while she converses with her crew in Mumbai, finding out details of editing and scripting progress of the serials. And if this doesn't pack her in for the day, there are other minor but imperative details that need to be smoothened.

"Kids' lunch boxes for school, their text books, school bags, uniforms — if I don't make sure of these minute details, who else will?" she finally speaks on her way to the Lucknow airport, after hectic rounds of political rallying.

This is Smriti Zubin Irani's world. A world where 24 hours don't seem enough, and where, by her own admission, she packs in at least 30 hours of work in one day.

Some aspect of her life is bound to suffer the consequences and, unfortunately, it could be her health, something that she doesn't like discussing. The only time she briefly touches on this topic is when, during the course of our interview, we tell her that audiences, despite loving her performances, want to see her lose those extra kilos.

"I appreciate the response," she replies, "I know I need to shape up, but a lot of what one sees is the consequence of ill-health that I've battled for so many years now."

And though she knows she needs some time off, right now Smriti is upbeat about her two serials where she's not only an actor, but also the producer. What's exciting (even for audiences like us) is that these serials aren't run-of-the-mill saas-bahu tales. Quite an irony, especially as Smriti has been synonymous with kitchen sink dramas.

"I'm amazed at her courage. She was, from what I hear, single-handedly responsible for the excellent TRPs of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. From that successful journey, she is now moulding herself into a new avataar, and also presenting serials that a lot of us can relate to," says her Virrudh co-star, Sushant Singh, a critically acclaimed actor and a successful television personality.

Incidentally, Singh was approached by her previously for Smriti's other serial, Thodi Si Zameen, Thoda Sa Aasman.

Singh has a point. Smriti's serials are starkly different from Kyunki... where loud makeup, glycerine-soaked eyes, jarring music, tiring camera zooming techniques, generation leaps and convoluted, unrealistic storylines are the order of the day.

Thodi Si Zameen, Thoda Sa Aasman, a serial that appears every Sunday on the 10 pm slot on Star Plus, is about the struggles of a lower middle class girl from a Mumbai chawl. The dialogues and their delivery are suited to the way the language is spoken in such places. And though the characters portray emotions, they do so within realistic parametres.

For instance, you won't find characters crying copiously when there is a vidaai scene. Here they will playfully slap the bride's back, hold her cheeks, hug her tightly and say, "Chal ja. Apna khayal rakhna (Now go. Take care of yourself)."

Precisely the sort of behaviour one would expect from people living in a chawl. But the best part of this serial lies in the way Uma (the central character of the serial essayed by Smriti) behaves with her devilish mother-in-law. She fights for her rights, answers back with equal flourish and doesn't behave like a victim, something that most serials on telly thrive on.

"I'm not the sort of bahu who will take things lying down Ammaji," said her character in one of the episodes. A stark difference from the brand of serials which Smriti has represented till now, and where bahus invariably find themselves vulnerable.

Or look at Vasudha, the character Smriti essays in Virrudh, that runs on the prime-time slot at 9.30 pm every Monday-Thursday on Sony. She's the illegitimate child of a dubious newspaper owner who brings her home and whom she worships. She's in love with a selfless reporter (essayed by Singh) and as events unfold she will soon realise that her mother was raped by her own father, and she was the product of that one night of lust.

The episodes, for which she is working with Kamlesh Pandey, a veteran writer (he's been in the Indian entertainment industry for decades and also wrote the story of Rang De Basanti), are shot two weeks in advance and a bank of eight episodes is invariably maintained to avoid any last-minute confusion.

What's more, the script is given well in advance to actors — another difference from a majority of serials that we see today where actors twiddle their thumbs in anticipation that some script will be handed to them on the sets.

"I am a storyteller and I was certain to tell the story my way. Very often writers get dejected by the manner in which their vision is translated on screen. So it's best to have control over your story," says Smriti.

She turned producer two years ago when her production company Ugraya Entertainment forayed into theatre. "It's the best platform to interact directly with audiences, especially as television thrives on numbers and TRPs," she adds.

While in one of the plays she strutted in a business suit, the other Gujarati play had her mouthing full dialogues in Kathiawadi Gujarati, a language she had never spoken before.

And though she admits there were people who were sceptical with her move as a producer, she still decided to take the plunge. And while telling her brand of stories was important, what was equally crucial according to her was to present a newer dimension of her acting skills for the audiences.

"I have survived because of them (audiences) and they expect much more from me," she says. Her style of working on the sets is such that as far as possible she gives her actors full-fledged narrations of the characters that they essay on screen.

"I have the best actors in my serials and they take the respective characters to another level altogether," she says. She's involved with intricate details including the look of the sets (for Virrudh, set designer Omang Kumar has been roped in). "Daniel (the music director of Virrudh) and I have been interacting on the phone and though we haven't ever met, he knows exactly what the serial demands," she says.

And what about all the media speculation of the rift between Ekta Kapoor and Smriti? "What about it? I think enough has been said in the media and I don't want to respond to that," she says flatly.

And even as reports are rife that Padmini Kolhapure has been approached for the iconic role of Tulsi, Smriti says, "Only time will tell whether I'm quitting the serial." She adds, "Right now, the television industry is struggling to reach the next level. I want to create serials that give actors, writers and directors some hope of showcasing their genuine craft. "

And though she's just started her foray in this direction, her brand of serials might just pioneer Indian television to a newer, brighter direction.

In a conversation with BT, Aanjjan Srivastava dwells on his life after Wagle ki Duniya.

'Hamare paas bahot se artiste hein' would be the refrain if he were to ask for a decent enough sum. Life did move on sans the economic desperation. However, Aanjjan's was a typical tale of an actor who could not cash in on his past successes in a big way.

While viewers are appreciating Smriti Iraani's effort to dish out Virrudh, a serial that's refreshingly different from the usual on TV, here's a small complaint against her. That she's not offering much variety in her acting. Her acting as the 60-year old Tulsi in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi is not very different from the way she enacts the much younger characters in Virrudh and Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Aasman. "It's good to see her produce shows, but Smriti shouldn't get repetitive," a TV serial buff tells us.

'All's well between Smriti and me'
By: Vickey Lalwani
May 8, 2007

Ekta Kapoor finally breaks her silence on the cold war between her and Irani, saying the actor is taking a break from Tulsi. Does this mean Smriti will eventually return to the show? Still Standing: Ekta Kapoor Fifteen days from today, Smriti 'Tulsi' Irani will make her exit from the landmark Balaji show, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Apparently, this move didn't go down to well with Balaji honcho and Smriti's best friend Ekta Kapoor, and stories of a cold war turning into a full-blown war of words between them have been doing the rounds for quite a while now. Kapoor is finally ready to talk and put all speculation to rest. "Here are the facts," she tells HiTLIST, in an exclusive interview. Who is replacing Smriti? Believe it or not, I have still not finalised a replacement as a few issues have to be worked out. The decision will be taken this week. It will be either Gautami Kapoor or Padmini Kolhapure. Why is Smriti leaving the show? Still Standing: Smriti Irani Smriti is taking a break. But how long her break will be is an open-ended question. Does that mean she can return to the show? As I said, we have left it open. When will Smriti's last episode be aired? Either on May 21 or 22. I am involving my upcoming film Shoot Out At Lokhandwala in the drama of her last episode, which will subsequently give way for the entry of a new face for Tulsi. Were you disturbed when Smriti told you she wanted out? No. Doesn't that sound fake? But it's the truth. Aren't you annoyed with her for leaving? There is no problem between Smriti and me. We are on talking terms and constantly SMS each other. People will not believe this, but this is a fact. Did you go to the Kyunki set and yell at her? (Laughs) To have a fight, two people should meet. I have not gone to the Kyunki sets for the last nine months (pauses). Go on... I last met Smriti when I went to shoot for Koffee with Karan on April 16. Smriti and I caught up at the Sports Bar and had a drink together. That was the time she expressed a desire to take a break from Kyunki. After talking at length, we hugged each other and said bye. The story that we had a fight was the outcome of a personal vendetta. Has Smriti's pre-occupation with Virrudh reduced quality to Kyunki? Smriti is a very professional actor. I think that answers your question. Explain Smriti's 'break'? Those reasons are strictly between the two of us. I can't disclose them. Why did Balaji opt out of co-producing Smriti's Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasman? I believe that every show should have one boss only. Also, it was very important that our producer/actor equation was maintained. For that, both of us couldn't be producers on the same show. As it is, I was not creatively involved on the show at all. For the last few days, all characters on Kyunki have been ridiculing Tulsi. Is that out of vengence? That's a part of the story. The forthcoming episodes, where Tulsi will come back with a new face is linked to what is happening to her now. It would be sheer stupidity for Balaji to hit out. How do you see Kyunki without Smriti? As such, there has been very little of Smriti in Kyunki in the last eight months. I agree that it will be a huge loss not having her in the show. But a show is a show. I am not worried that people will stop watching Kyunki after Smriti's exit. On the contrary, I am very excited about the new step that I am taking in Kyunki. I have developed a very exciting new track. Have you seen Virrudh? It's an excellent show. Smriti is an excellent producer. It seems Smriti wants to follow in your footsteps. I take that as a compliment. And let me tell you, she has always taken my opinion whenever she does something important. Do you check actors' kundalis before signing them? No. But ever since this false story was printed, I've been flooded with actors' kundalis on my mobile phone! Every morning, I get at least four such messages. Balaji selects actors only if they suit the role and not on the basis of their kundalis! An actor spread this false story to the media. Who is that actor? Manoj Biddwai. He was doing one of my shows sometime back and was removed. You are all set to launch a religious product? I am launching graha dhoops, which will be available for all seven days of the week. The product is called Ekta's Karyasiddhi Graha Shanti Dhoop. The dhoop packet will have my face on it. Sunita is shooting an ad for it, which will be directed by Kabir Khan (director of Kabul Express). The ad will go on air from June 7, my birthday. http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/may/156910.htm

Me, not Tulsi? What!

Smriti Iraani is basking in the success of her newest baby 'Virrudh - Rishton Ka Kurukshetra'; a programme that has sparked off many train-conversations and a trend amidst college girls wearing bright red lipstick and polka-dotted dresses a la Achint Kaur in the serial - a fact that Smriti is on the moon about.

"Though I won't make any tall claims about wanting to do something hatke, I certainly wanted to make something that would stand out in the saas-bahu scenario that was getting thicker by the day. Also, 'Virrudh' reflects my ideals, my ideologies in some way. I'm not a weepy, timid bahu in real life. I'm a strong, thinking individual and had discovered that I enjoyed playing something like that on screen when I anchored 'Kuchh Dil Se…' Hence, I though why not produce a soap that would give me and also the other actors a chance to explore some other genres?" saya Smriti.

Ask her why the tremendous response to 'Virrudh' is not being reflected in the TRPs, she retorts, "One knows that these ratings are culled from many factors, so I don't worry much about TRPs - neither as an actor nor as a producer."

So what does Smriti have up her sleeve next, now that she is set to bid adieu to the mother of all soaps, 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi'? "Am I set to bid adieu to Kyunki..? Hmmm…that's news to me!" she says. When told that there indeed is a buzz going around strongly that she will be quitting Kyunki… in the last week of May, she says, "Well, as of now, there is a lot of buzz about me; not all of it very good. But if one may have noticed, I'm yet to give any official statement. How can people just assume what my future plans are going to be?"

While Smriti is not taking up any new acting assignment at the moment, she does have an interesting project coming up on Zee TV, the details of which she say she will reveal only when it's ready to go on air. "I'm superstitious about talking about things before they materialise fully," she ends.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1096261

A C H I N T K A U R

'I have no qualms in hindsight'
The journey as a single mother has been perfectly fine, in fact enjoyable. I don't think I've made wrong choices," says actress Achint Kaur, who lives with TV actor Mohan Kapoor. "Life has not been easy. After my first marriage broke up, I wanted a secure life for my son Preetanjan. I've always treated him like a grown-up. I have no qualms in hindsight." Achint took it upon herself to bring up her son. Her son apparently wants his mom to marry her livein partner Mohan. "He keeps asking me to settle down, but then he also understands that I'm an adult and I'll take a decision when the time is right," says Achint.

S U C H I T R A K R I S H N A M O O RT H I

'My daughter and I rock'
Being a single mother hasn't changed anything for singeractor-artist Suchitra Krishnamoorthi. "Physically I was a single mother as Shekhar (Kapur) was always away on work. Kaveri and I are going to rock in this life," says Suchitra. Has motherhood acquired a new meaning after divorce? "Emotionally, it gets a little difficult at times. But Kaveri helps me tide over my sorrows. If she senses I'm feeling low, she'll keep on kissing my face till I am doubling with laughter," she says and adds, "Every day spent with her brings along with it so much to discover. There are trying moments, times when she falls ill — they tend to drain me emotionally but when I see her growing, I feel hugely encouraged." Do Kaveri's questions throw Suchitra off balance? "No, I haven't let the downs permeate to her level. I have a cool daughter, who is exploring the world with me."

S U S H M I TA S E N

'Renee changed my life'
A lot has been said about Sushmita Sen's bundle of joy, her adopted daughter Renee. In her own words, "Being a single woman, it was not easy for me to adopt a child. I had a hard time convincing the authorities that I would give the child everything that a parent should give. After months of efforts, I succeeded." On how it changed her life, she says, "I became a real mother to her, and in the process, I turned around my own life too. I stayed away from controversies and became a serious actress." Renee is at ease with her mother's work. "We share quality time together. The good thing is that I don't make her claustrophobic — I believe you don't need to be hovering around your child round-theclock. There will soon come a time that your child will start hoping you were not around. I want my child to be happy when she sees me come back home, and Renee is thrilled to have me home," she explains.