Showing posts with label Itti Si Khushi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Itti Si Khushi. Show all posts
I’ve learned not to be greedy for money, but for good work-Neha SK Mehta
9:47 AM
Hasti Doshi (BOMBAY TIMES; October 17, 2025)
After a five-year break from television, Neha SK Mehta — best remembered for her role in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah — has returned to the small screen with Itti Si Khushi. “I was working on a web project, but that got postponed, and I suddenly found myself with time. That’s when I got a call for this role,” she says, adding, “When I heard the narration, it felt like the universe was giving me a platform to do my net practice before the next innings - my OTT debut.”
Ask her about her long gap and she says, “I did get offers, but I said yes only when something truly resonated with me. I’ve learned not to be greedy for money but good work.”
For years, audiences associated Neha with her portrayal of Anjali Mehta in Taarak Mehta..., a character she played for over a decade. Does she find it hard to break away from that image?
“Not really,” she says. “People still take autographs, calling me Anjali, even on the new set. And I take it as a compliment. That character gave me so much love. But as an actor, you have to keep evolving. Just like in life, you keep changing with time.”
If you are portraying someone from the lower middle class, it cannot be glamorous-Varun Badola
9:12 AM
The actor talks about why it has taken him five years to return to television post Mere Dad Ki Dulhan
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; July 22, 2025)
It is not uncommon for seasoned actors to find themselves in a lull between meaningful roles. This is something Varun Badola did not quite anticipate after his stint with Mere Dad Ki Dulhan (MDKD). Returning to television after almost five years with Itti Si Khushi, the actor reflects on the surprising silence that followed.
He admits, “Honestly, there hasn’t been a big role offer in the last five years. Every new show is a gamble. Everyone tries to make a good show, but sometimes you have to be lucky to get an MDKD. I really thought I would be flooded with offers afterward or at least get something meaningful. But no, it didn’t happen that way. And so, here we are, five years later.”
Varun’s reluctance to settle for anything less than substantial was key to his decision to take up Itti Si Khushi. He shares, “From an actor’s point of view, the biggest draw is the level of difficulty in the character. It is not straightforward. That’s what I always look for.”
Is it age, experience, or increased selectivity that makes roles harder to come by? He replies, “It is a combination of all the above, or maybe even more. MDKD was a risk. People usually avoid going salt and pepper on television. And to top that, they asked me to look as shabby as possible. I said, ‘Perfect, that’s how I want to do it’. This new character also requires me to go salt and pepper and look unkempt. I guess the start is fine (smiles).”
On the industry’s obsession with gloss, Varun has a clear perspective. He says, “There is a belief that everything we make should look glossy. But if you are portraying someone from the lower middle class, it cannot be glamorous. If you are playing one of those characters, you had better look the part.”
Though often seen in grounded, realistic roles, he does not feel boxed in. He says, “I don’t think I am getting stereotyped. The characters are different from each other. What binds them is honesty. Being real has always helped the character connect with the audience. Because these shows are not like stories where a family business is worth Rs. 500 crores and yet everyone is sitting at home. Not that I have anything against such shows. Some of them do work.”
And will he be comfortable being part of one of those glossy, grand shows? He replies, “No one has ever asked me about it. Let us leave it at that. Whether I would say yes or not is a different story, but no one has asked.”
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