Showing posts with label Sasural Simar Ka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sasural Simar Ka. Show all posts
Age becomes a concern when scenes start looking vulgar and start becoming unhealthy for the kid-Avika Gor
8:20 AM
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 7, 2022)
A recent video of actor Riva Arora (12), in which she was seen romancing 38-year-old actor Karan Kundrra, left social media users infuriated. They blasted Arora and her mother for the choice of her role. Amid all this, actor Avika Gor, who also began her career as a child actor, weighs in on the controversy.
Gor recalls, “When I did Sasural Simar Ka, I was paired with Manish Raisinghan, who was 18 years older than me. However, everyone in the team — including the writers — were clear that there wouldn’t be a romance [or any other scene] that seemed out of place. Everything was within limits. None of my scenes had any intimacy and they (makers of the show) respected the fact that I was a 14-year-old.”
Now 25, the actor talks about the time when she and the show’s creators faced criticism for casting her opposite a 30-year-old male. She continues, “Age becomes a concern when scenes start looking vulgar and start becoming unhealthy for the kid. All kinds of things about the pairing were said, but the only response the writers and I had was — there is no vulgarity or intimacy because of the fact that I was young.”
Citing the example of the film Paa (2009), in which Vidya Balan played Amitabh Bachchan’s mother, she adds, “Age shouldn’t matter if things are done respectfully,” she concludes.
Vaishali Takkar was planning to come to Mumbai for her wedding shopping soon-Vikas Sethi
8:10 AM
Sasural Simar Ka actress Vaishali Takkar died by suicide on Sunday at her home in Indore
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; October 18, 2022)
The news of Vaishali Takkar’s death by suicide has shocked the television industry. She was found hanging at her home in Indore on Sunday. The 29-year-old actress reportedly left a note, which was also recovered. A case has been registered at Tejaji Nagar Police Station, Indore.
Actor Vikas Sethi and his wife Jhanvi Sethi, who were extremely close to Vaishali, are yet to come to terms with the fact that she is no more. The couple had spoken to her two days ago, and Vaishali had promised to meet them soon. Vaishali was planning to come to Mumbai for her wedding shopping. She was set to tie the knot with Mitesh Singh, a software engineer based out of California.
Jhanvi says, “She told me that she was coming to Mumbai post-Diwali for her wedding shopping. She had planned to stay with us. She had said, ‘Hum ghoomenge aur bachhon (Jhanvi and Vikas’ twins) ko bhi lekar jaayenge.’ She told me about her fiancé around five months ago, following which, I even chatted with him and spoke to him on a video call. He is quite sorted and sweet.”
Vikas shares, “She was set to get married in December. The two families were looking forward to finalising the date soon. When I spoke with her on Friday, she said, ‘Sab mast chal raha hai.’ She told me that she would do the shopping with us and host a party. She had made elaborate plans for her trip to Mumbai before the wedding. So, the news of her death shocked me to the core. At first, I dismissed it as fake news. I asked Jhanvi to call up Vaishali, but her calls went unanswered. We called her father, who told us that he was in the crematorium. We froze and broke down eventually. Jhanvi was inconsolable.”
He adds, “Her father told us that she sat and chatted with him for hours and hugged him tightly before calling it a night at 12. We have been told that she died by suicide around 12.30 am and her brother was the first to discover the body. It’s devastating because Vaishali was like family.”
Jhanvi and Vaishali knew each other for almost a decade. The actress lived with Jhanvi at her residence for a few years after she moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in acting. Jhanvi says, “We were like sisters and would share everything with each other. In fact, she was instrumental in introducing me to Vikas, who was her co-actor in Sasural Simar Ka. Vaishali planned everything and took care of all the arrangements during our wedding.”
Vikas shares that Vaishali celebrated his birthday before leaving for Indore. “She has been a part of every celebration, big or small. She was the first one to hold our kids. She partied with us a week before May 12 to celebrate my birthday in advance, as she was leaving for her hometown, Indore. She was the life of every party. She was jovial and a lot of fun. There was never a dull moment with her,” he says.
The actress has left a suicide note. Talking about it, Jhanvi says, “I guess she was troubled because of her ex. She had spoken to me about it, and I told her that we would deal with it and sort it out. However, she told me not to worry and that she would handle the situation. I am at a loss for words. She was a loving girl and a beautiful soul.”
SUICIDE NOTE INDICATES HER NEIGHBOUR HARASSED HER: POLICE
As per the police, a suicide note that was recovered from the spot suggests that Vaishali was stressed and was being harassed by her ex boyfriend, businessman Rahul Navlani. “TV actress Vaishali Takkar committed suicide by hanging herself at her residence in Sai Bagh Colony, under Tejaji police station limits in Indore,” an official said on Sunday.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Moti ur Rehman said, “Rahul was Vaishali’s neighbour, and the suicide note indicates that he used to harass her because of which she took such an extreme step. She was about to get married to another man and Rahul troubled her for that. The police are investigating the case. Rahul is currently not at his residence and has fled after locking his house. Police are locating Rahul, after which he will be questioned. Rahul Navlani is already married. ” — ANI
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VAISHALI’S CO-ACTORS SHOCKED
”I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT A GIRL LIKE HER WHO WAS ALWAYS SMILING TOOK SUCH A DRASTIC STEP: JAYATI BHATIA
A shocked Jayati Bhatia, who has worked with Vaishali Takkar in Sasural Simar Ka, said, “I can’t believe that a girl like her who used to be full of life, had a great sense of humour and was always smiling took such a drastic step. If Vaishali had to come in front of me right now, I would have scolded her and then given her a lot of love. She was really a very caring girl.”
Jayati remembers an incident in 2016, when she wanted to go to Ujjain and her flight was landing in Indore. She recounts, “Vaishali called me up and asked how I would travel from Indore to Ujjain alone. So she sent her parents to pick me up at the airport and also sent some sweets along with them. I was so touched by that. Her parent’s faces came in front of me after I heard about her death yesterday.”
She further adds, “If something was bothering her, she should have shared it with her parents or friends. She was very open about everything and would speak frankly to her parents. I don’t know why she couldn’t do that this time. It’s really heartbreaking and I feel a void in my heart.”
SHE WAS LIKE AN ELDER SISTER TO ME: MUSKAN BAMNE
Actress Muskan Bamne posted a picture with Vaishali on her social media yesterday, and while speaking to BT, she said, “I still haven’t come to terms with the fact that she is no more. We worked together in Super Sisters, and it was really fun to be with her. She was like an elder sister who was always there for me. She was a very happy person. I don’t know anything about her personal life, but we used to interact on social media. The last time I spoke to her was when I had posted something recently, and she congratulated me.”
”SHE WAS SUCH A CHEERFUL PERSON: MANISH RAISINGHAN
Manish Raisinghan, who was a part of Sasural Simar Ka, spoke to us about his interaction with Vaishali. He said, “Around the time I exited the show, Vaishali had joined. So even though we were part of the same show, we didn’t get a chance to work together. But I met her a few times. I remember I met her at a party which our makers had organized. She came and introduced herself to me and that was our first conversation. Vaishali seemed very energetic and full of life. She even told me that people on the sets used to tell her that her energy was just like mine on the sets, so it would have been fun shooting together. I will always remember her as someone who was happy and cheerful. It’s shocking to hear about her death and it is difficult to accept this.
It was a conscious decision to do South films first and then move to Bollywood-Avika Gor
8:12 AM
Roshni Olivera (BOMBAY TIMES; May 24, 2022)
She was the original Balika Vadhu of TV and audiences loved her portrayal of the young, innocent Anandi. But Avika Gor grew up too soon on the small screen, and at 14, she was seen playing a grown-up in Sasural Simar Ka. But that didn’t hamper her career, it actually helped her hone her craft, she says.
At 24 today, Avika is happy with the way her career has shaped up. She has made a name for herself in the Telugu film industry and is now gearing up for her Bollywood debut. She has also turned producer and is in the process of making her first South film. In a candid chat, Avika talks about her different-yet-normal childhood, her career plans and how she manages her long-distance relationship. Excerpts...
You started as a child artiste on TV and later moved to South films. Was it a conscious decision to do South movies because you felt that would be easier to help you get into Bollywood?
It was a conscious decision. I was doing Sasural Simar Ka when I was around 14, but I was playing a 20-year-old on the show. So, I knew that people were looking at me as a grown-up. Around that time, I was approached for a few Hindi film projects, but they were not the kind that I would want to get launched with. I decided to start with South movies and then move to Bollywood with that experience, which I felt would add value.
Today things have changed dramatically, with South movies doing very well across the country. How do you see this change?
I have done more than 15 films in different South languages. It’s nice to see South films now getting national and international recognition. The perception of South cinema has changed, Bollywood has taken notice and also the audience. Pushpa, RRR and KGF have proven that cinema has no language barriers anymore.
Talking about your acting career, usually, a child artiste takes a break and then returns to showbiz a few years later as an adult. In your case, you did not take a break, and soon after Balika Vadhu, you were seen playing a grown-up in Sasural Simar Ka. What was the thought behind that?
The reason I did not want to take a break was because in Sasural Simar Ka, people saw me as a grown-up, so they already knew how I would look after growing up. Yes, I know some child artistes who have taken breaks and returned a few years later, but in my case, I did not want to do that. Also, I loved being on the set every day and couldn’t think of not doing that anymore! But after Sasural Simar Ka, I took a year-long break from TV before my next show, Laado. That break was mainly for me to decide what I really wanted to do in life. I learned a lot of things, from editing to directing, but I also realised that I love being in front of the camera. So, then it was just about grooming myself as an actress. I knew there was a lot I could do. In the beginning, I took things for granted, but later, when I started to work on myself, everything changed.
At 14,you played a married woman dressed in a sari in Sasural Simar Ka. Do you feel amused when you look back at it?
I am very proud of it. I remember my directors telling me to stand in a certain way because I should look like a grown-up. That’s when I learnt that as an actor, you have to do different things for a character. I have never gone to an acting school, so these shows were like an acting school for me. The space and the dedication TV actors and writers have is amazing. When I do films now, if the team asks me to stay a bit longer and complete a shoot, I totally understand that.
Did you ever miss having a regular childhood or doing things that teenagers usually do?
There were times when I felt that way, but within a day or two, I would be fine. I remember once I wanted to go for a night’s stay at a friend’s place and my mom let me go. That made me feel that I was like any other girl my age. Even now, I do a lot of regular things, but at the same time, I also get to do a lot of different things, like I have been travelling for a month. I don’t think anybody my age would be able to do that.
Some time ago, you spoke about how you pulled yourself out of an unhappy phase and worked towards becoming a better version of yourself. Are you in a happy space now, post your transformation?
I had people approaching me for work and everything was fine, but I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t comfortable in my skin. Then I worked on myself and began losing those extra kilos. I started feeling more confident and realised that I could be the best version of myself. I was cribbing because I wasn’t trying enough. So, I tried my best and I’m proud that I did not give up during that period. The moment I started working on what was bothering me, I realised that I really like myself and this is one thing that I am doing for myself.
You are now set to make your debut in Bollywood with Vikram Bhatt’s 1920: Horror Of The Hearts. Why did you choose this film for your debut?
This film has a story and a character which every actor dreams of! It’s challenging. People in the South appreciate my script selection. Mahesh Bhatt has written this film and Vikram Bhatt is producing it, so there was no reason to not accept such a good offer. I am in talks for more films now.
Along with acting, you seem happy to have donned the hat of a producer, and are making your first Telugu film. How different is Avika, the actor, from the producer?
Being an actor has made me a better producer. I know how much hard work goes into making a movie. So I think in my case, it’s a good combination, and I am happy doing what I am.
On the personal front, you have been open about your relationship with Milind Chandwani. But it’s a long-distance relationship. How do you manage that, and any marriage plans on the cards?
I remember telling Milind that I wanted to get married on the second day that I met him. That’s the kind of restless person I am. He is very sensible. He is not from the industry. Ours is a long-distance relationship, but we make sure to take out time for our holidays. That’s how we manage our relationship.
There was a time when I didn’t like what I saw in the mirror-Avika Gor
8:04 AM
Shreya Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; June 14, 2021)
‘WHEN I EMBARKED ON MY WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY, I WAS VERY IMPATIENT’
The actress surprised many with her transformation last year; she says it wasn’t an easy journey though. Avika says, “There was a time when I was appreciated for my work but I still doubted my talent, felt ugly and didn’t like what I saw in the mirror. I couldn’t figure out where I was going wrong and it took me two-three years to get rid of my weight. Initially, I would become very impatient as I wanted instant results and would be left disappointed. But the day I shifted my perspective, it all changed. I started working out, eating right and kept myself mentally happy. Along with my body, I also had to train my mind to be patient and persistent. Slowly, I started pushing my limits and was amazed by the remarkable results.”
‘TELUGU FILMS ARE KEEPING ME ON MY TOES’
Bollywood is on Avika’s mind, but she says before that she would like to pick up the relevant experience, and hence is currently focussing on Telugu films. She says, “Telugu cinema experiments a lot with content and this has definitely helped me in becoming a better actor.” Avika adds, “I was offered my first Telugu film Uyyala Jampala in 2013 when I was shooting for Sasural Simar Ka. Initially, there was a language barrier and working in a new environment was difficult. However, when I saw the result, I was very happy. After my last movie in 2019, I shot for a few films, which are ready for release.”
‘I HAVE NO PLANS TO GET MARRIED NOW’
Avika and Milind Chandwani (he appeared on Roadies Real Heroes in 2019 and runs an NGO in Hyderabad) made their relationship public last year, and since then, they have never shied away from expressing affection for each other on their social media handles. “Milind holds a very important place in my life. He has really helped me to evolve as a person. He makes me feel very special,” she says. Is there a wedding on the cards? “Milind and I are very spontaneous individuals. When we decided to make our relationship official, we didn’t give it much thought. We both were very sure of each other. Just like that, when we are ready to settle down, we will just do it and surprise everyone,” she signs off.
The back story that led to Simar's transformation into a fly was well justified-Rashmi Sharma
1:48 PM
Television producer Rashmi Sharma has been growing from strength to strength with motifs such as daayans, nagins and even the occasional fly on the wall
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 21, 2016)
Clicking away on her iMac at a corner desk of her palatial office in Andheri, television producer Rashmi Sharma claims to be "a micro-manager and a workaholic". Her production outfit, Rashmi Sharma Telefilms, has churned out high TRP shows like Saath Nibhana Saathiya, Sasural Simar Ka and Swarangini. Recently, Sharma turned film producer, with the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Pink and Days of Tafree. "We wanted a strong content-based subject for our first. When we heard the story of Pink, it was just the kind of film that we'd like to associate with," says Sharma, for whom "subject is the hero".
"Even on TV, I stick to family-oriented shows," says Sharma, who runs her production house along with her TV director husband Pawan Kumar Marut. The two met when they collaborated on the TV show Piya Ka Ghar; she was the creative head, he was the director.
At a time when the TV industry battles for eyeballs with digital platforms, Sharma is hardly bothered. "Every medium has its own audience and web and digital is not a threat to TV. In India, when the TV is switched on, the entire family assembles in front of it to watch something together. It is a part of our culture that won't change." She credits Saath Nibhana Saathiya (2010), one of her longest-running shows (six years and counting) to be her tour de force. "Prior to this show, 7 pm wasn't a timeslot when people watched TV. But this show merged early primetime with primetime." The shows popularity, Sharma feels, has to do with its message. "In the show, a saas (Kokila) teaches her illiterate bahu (Gopi) to read and write. This was a big hit and we got lots of mails from across the country, especially from Gujarat, where women of all ages were inspired to return to formal education."
Sharma also credits the medium for its potential of "connecting with the audience and inspiring them to experience what they see on TV". Her latest show Shakti - Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki, which launched in May this year, also challenges societal norms. "The show's main character is a eunuch and yeh uske astitva ki kahaani hain. Her life is at a stage where she gets married but her in-laws are oblivious of her true identity. I feel this show will make people realise that there's no difference between them and us."
But it was Sasural Simar Ka (2011) that she calls "a trendsetter" because "it blended family drama and paranormal subjects — something no one had ever attempted on Indian television". "We introduced a supernatural character in the show which could only be seen by our show's lead and this character helps our lead unravel a murder mystery. Sasural was a family-based daily soap, so how we weaved the emotion of a spirit into the show was a learning for us."
This also happens to be the very show in which its eponymous lead Simar transformed into a housefly; the promo went viral. Despite the hoots, Sharma isn't one for negative publicity. "The offensive comments that the fly track received surprised me since in the same show, we have experimented with the daaiyan world, the chudail world, and even characters from the puranik world like Patali Devi. Also, the back story that led to Simar's transformation into a fly was well-justified," says Sharma, adding that the TRPs didn't shoot up or slide during the said sequence. "It was a 15-day track. If it lasted for longer, the reaction would've been different. Some things don't work and it is a learning experience for me and I now know that I need to be careful going forward." But she firmly adds that TRPs are not sole indicators of a show's success, at least not initially. "No channel reacts to TRPs in the first three weeks, but if there's a consistent dip and if research shows that the numbers tend to slide on a certain track, then even we can't ignore it," she says, adding that her production has never taken any drastic steps based on TRPs.
Born in Jaipur, Sharma has lived across the country, given her school principal father's transferable job. Her cross-country experiences, she feels, have contributed to her understanding and appreciation of various cultures — which she also hopes to relay in her TV shows. "Since my husband has lived in Kolkata, he was privy to the healthy hatred that Marwaris and Bengalis share and this was something we explored in Swarangini."
Pammi Aunty believes in 'Never say never'-Ssumier Pasricha
8:09 AM
Actor-comedian Ssumier Pasricha on transforming into his uncouth Punjabi alter ego that has gone viral
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 20, 2016)
Seven years ago, Ssumier
Pasricha's first name only featured one 's'. In 2009, he was told that
an added 's' would do wonders for his career. A fortnight later, Ssumier
had signed his first film and over the next six months, was seen in two
plays and a cell phone campaign alongside Abhishek Bachchan.“I guess the 's' paid off! I do believe in karma, astrology and numerology. I have studied them for the last decade,“ asserts the 36-year-old actor-comic in his plush Lokhandwala residence, which doubles up as a studio for all his videos.
And 'Pammi aunty', his Punjabi alter ego and the quintessential gossip queen, has made him a household name. Forty three web episodes into its run, the online video-series has altogether received over five million views.
“A few months ago, my teenage nephew asked me if I was on Snapchat. I confessed I wasn't and he urged me to immediately get on it and explore the unique filters. I found one of a bespectacled woman with a face pack and I published a video mimicking my Punjabi aunts and neighbours from Delhi. It went viral and I decided to release one video every day,“ reminisces, Ssumier who is nothing like Pammi, an uncouth, unlady-like caricature of a stereotypical Punjabi woman. Ssumier, in fact, is a spitting image of a poised and ambitious actor with a sense of humour. But thanks to Pammi, he is deluged with offers for both Bollywood and Punjabi films.
Since he was 10 years old, studying at a school on Barakhamba Road, Ssumier had known he had wanted to become an actor and joined a local theatre group. After 10th standard, he took off to Australia to pursue higher studies and became a popular radio jockey with a local channel. When he returned to Delhi, his father wanted him to take over the family business, but Ssumier was persistent and went on to practise theatre with Vivek Mansukhani and Shekhar Kapur's theatre group in the Capital. Satish Kaushik saw him perform one day and asked him to immediately move to Mumbai and take up acting full-time.
“I was an only child, and my parents were hesitant to send me away to the big bad world of Bollywood. But I was adamant! I've learnt, since, that you need two things to survive here extraordinary talent and the blessings of a Godfather,“ he informs.
It was a lonely journey, surrounded by fair weathered friends, and two years on, with little work, he was running out of patience and decided that it was time he returned to Delhi. That's when he landed the telly soap, Sasural Simar Ka, and was a part of it for a flourishing three years. “I made a substantial amount of money but I wasn't creatively happy and eventually quit. That's what got my parents worried again,“ he recalls. Then, Pammi aunty came along! She gets him plenty of fan mail but isn't his bread and butter. The actor-comic relies on photography, which he took up 15 years ago to keep him going. It started with a travelogue for a magazine. They loved his contribution and since then he has continued to write and do port folio shoots for National Geography and other international magazines published in Spain, Australia and New Zealand.
A turning point in his career was when he was offered the role of Manabi Bandhopadhya, India's first transgender who became the principal of a college in Kolkata. Ssumier's character was renamed Supriya in the episode on Code Red which aired on Colors. Even though Manabi was a social outcast, Ssumier enjoyed playing the iconic character. “In my own way, I brought dignity to the role,“ Ssumier says, who'll soon be signing on a film and admits that he hasn't quit television either.“Pammi Aunty believes in 'Never say never!'“ he signs off with a smile.
Meet Dipika Kakar, the girl who turned into a fly in Sasural Simar Ka
8:10 AM
Dipika Kakar reacts to jokes and memes on her after a recent twist in the track of her popular TV show sent netizens into a tizzy
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; May 19, 2016)
Sasural Simar Ka is well known for its bizarre plot twists and outrageous characters. The show, which began with the story of two sisters marrying brothers and how they go about becoming ideal bahus, went on to become an out and out supernatural drama. If that wasn’t enough, the recent track of Simar (played by Dipika Kakar) transforming into a fly has taken the Internet by storm. Dipika talks about the twist in a quick chat:
How did you react when you were told that your character was turning into a fly?
Creatively, as an actor, I have no say in the story line and so, there are no reactions. I am narrated the script and I have to perform. When I heard about the upcoming track, I looked at it from Simar’s point of view and the real Dipika was somewhere in the back.
What is the funniest joke that you have heard about your show?
Many jokes are floating around — like how it has been copied from Game of Thrones, but they don’t affect me as our show has been a trendsetter in many ways.
How do you react to memes and jokes about your show and character?
As I said, I take it as a part of the success the show has gained. Many of our tracks have later become trendsetters on TV. When something is doing well, people are bound to pull it down.
How is it to make bizarre tracks believable on screen?
It’s challenging as the tracks are definitely not things I believe in real life — from witchcraft to turning into a fly. But I love challenges and that’s what makes it more fun.
Will Dipika’s visibility on the show be affected now?
No, there’s no break for me.
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