Last year, most of us spent the lockdown being busy with household chores and catching up on family time. So did actor Mona Singh, and she also tried her hand at new things — including scriptwriting. “Other than cooking and reading, I took up gardening, which I enjoyed. Moreover, I tried my hand at writing. My husband and I are writing a script, and I hope that it gets made. We began thinking of concepts we’d want to watch as audience and doing something we hadn’t done before,” Singh, 39, shares.

Revealing that production is also on her mind, she adds, “Our concept has turned out well. I am hoping to create something on OTT... We are writing and will produce it as well.”

With the digital boom, there are new shows added every week on various platforms, giving the audience multiple options. But it also means there’s a lot of competition between the shows. That’s where word of mouth is important, feels Singh, who adds, “Some shows get lost on OTT, while many hits happen due to the buzz and reactions on social media. People talk about shows they liked or hated, and that leads to others watching them,” she states.

For the actor, 2020 was a good learning as it helped highlight the importance of health and quality time with family. “I shot during the Coronavirus pandemic, which I was grateful for... Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain season 3 released in June and Black Widows in December, so there was no career setback. But a beautiful thing that emerged from the pandemic is that we pray for everyone. People are positive and hopeful. Instead of wealth and work, we ask for good health from God,” she concludes.

Her career in films did not pan out the way she had imagined, but Shamita Shetty has no regrets. She is enjoying having shifted gears to digital entertainment. "Everything happens at the right time. At that time, I made the best of what came my way. It probably didn't do much [for my career], but I am happy with the digital wave because there is so much more for us to do," she begins.

Along with Mona Singh and Swastika Mukherjee, the actor headlines the latest Zee5 web series, Black Widows. The Birsa Dasgupta-directed show revolves around three women who kill their respective husbands after suffering years of abuse. "Initially, I didn't understand why Kavita [her character] was the way she was. I kept wondering how I will play the character when I am not convinced. But as the story progressed, I realised there were parts I could relate to. The director and I worked on her backstory to understand why Kavita was so insecure — she has never been accepted, and hence, seeks love and acceptance."

Through its three protagonists, the show delves into the subject of domestic violence. "A lot of people stay in abusive marriages for the wrong reasons. Here, the three women manage to claim power in their relationship. We are not advocating murder, but it symbolises something bigger. For all the people who are in abusive marriages, I would urge them to talk about it and reach out for help because that will give them strength."