When we watched the first episode of Hansika’s Love Shaadi Drama, we kept recalling Hansika Motwani as the child star we all knew through TV shows such as Shaka Laka Boom Boom or from the movie Koi Mil Gaya, with her cute fringe and adorable laugh.

Well, she is all grown up now. And is married!

The show—which traces the joys and trials and tribulations that came up as Motwani got married to entrepreneur Sohael Kathuriya—is smartly done, with the right amount of drama in a fun Sindhi household, candid moments and romantic overtones. And though the wedding’s in the forefront, the stars of the show are undoubtedly Hansika and her doctor mom, Mona.

“We never thought that ‘Oh, it’s on OTT, so, we will have to be a certain way,” says the mother of the bride. “It was the truth, and why be afraid of the truth? We are showing who we are!”

Hansika smiles naughtily when she says, “The reactions have been like ‘oh, this was a bold move’, and I am like ‘That’s me!’ I am very happy with the response. It’s called a reality show, and it’s really our ‘reality’. And I am very comfortable in front of the camera. When I see the episodes, I realized that no one has seen me like this. I am this child at home—pampered. I knew that I didn’t want to sanitize it—everything had to be honest.”

Hansika does have the fan following of a bona fide star—she is a big name in the Tamil and Telugu industries with movies such as Singam 3 and Villain; her 50th film, Maha, released last year. With the OTT show, the Bombay girl is now grabbing eyeballs in the Hindi movie industry too.

“But I have never felt that gap [in language]. Even though the South has accepted me so beautifully, I am a Mumbai girl. Thanks to social media, the gap [in stardom found in regional language movies] has been bridged years ago—they [fans] have seen me online, and they know what I have been up to.”

But the Hindi speaking, OTT-binging audience could be discovering her for the first time ever, and Hansika is glad. “Yes, I am glad so many more people will be watching me now. If I do a Malayalam film, there will be new fans. Any kind of new audience is welcome.”

Did  the bike-riding Mona ji (as she is fondly called), have any wise words to impart before the show began? Mona has been in charge of Hansika’s flourishing career for the past two decades. Hansika laughs. “Mom came to me and asked, ‘Do you want to do it?’ The whole idea came about because I have such a big, warm fan following in the South. I was happy I was getting married, and I wanted to share my wedding with my audience. I can’t call all of them over, so this was the next best thing. Mom agreed, and supported it.”

And what about her own participation? Though Mona’s swag rivals any actor’s, she says, “I am a little shy and not comfortable; but I can do anything for my family, and so I did.” Hansika recalls talking to her mother while she was on a trip to Ladakh, and was surprised to hear that Mona was on a motorbike. “I thought, ‘oh my god’,” says the daughter. “And that’s where the makers picked the idea to include in the show. Mom says, “I just want to enjoy life’.”

There have been a few controversies—such as Kathuriya being formerly married to Hansika’s friend—and the star has addressed the prickly issues on the show too. The mother and daughter argue that they have nothing to hide and that the truth was out there for everyone to see. “As mom said, ‘Hamne kuch galat nahin kiya. Toh hum kyun darein?” says the actress, who has seven more projects lined up for release in 2023.

“The show is going to be good for Hansika,” Mona ji signs off. “These days, it doesn’t matter whether you are married or not. What matters is your discipline, and how involved you are in work. Hansika has been doing this for years—she is going to continue doing a great job.”

Hansika Motwani with her mother Mona, and brother Prashant

After 20 years in the public eye, Hansika Motwani has accepted that flashbulbs will always follow her. So, instead of fighting them, the actor is embracing them. Her upcoming reality show, Love Shaadi Drama, which documents her wedding to beau Sohael Kathuriya, is an extension of the idea.

“My fans and well-wishers have been a part of my life for the past 20 years. So, when Disney+ Hotstar approached me with the idea, I thought it was perfect. I wanted [my fans] to experience my wedding,” she says.

The reality show will give admirers an inside view into her dreamy December 2022 shaadi. For Motwani, sharing her most private moments also stems from her desire to take charge of the story. Her nuptials were preceded by negativity as a section of the audience criticized her for marrying her best friend’s former husband.

“There were so many opinions, and people feeding in to fake news. If the fans want to know me, what’s better than me speaking about the truth of my life? I am not doing anything wrong. I am marrying someone I love.”

On the work front, the actor has seven projects in Tamil and Telugu, including My Name Is Shruthi, geared up for release. Motwani is happy to see south films getting their due. “It’s only the language that changes. At the end of the day, all we are doing is entertain. Now that the lines are getting blurred, it’s great. We are blessed that our reach has increased.”