Actor-turned-producer Bhairavi Raichura, the popular tomboy Kajal Bhai of Hum Paanch, has come up with the new show Satrangi Sasuraal. She talks to SANGEETA YADAV about how television has evolved since 1995 when she was part of Hum Paanch
Tell us about your new show Satrangi Sasuraal.
It’s a love story which revolves around Aarushi (Mugdha Chaphekar) who loves Vihaan Narmada Vatsal (Ravish Desai). The challenge that Aarushi faces is to win the hearts of seven of her in-laws, all of whom are women and try to create a balance so that all of them can live happily ever after. It’s not a woman oriented show but talks about how a man needs to deal with seven women and a wife. In an endeavour to keep everyone happy, he makes a lot of compromises. The show sends out a message — that if we want, any relationship can be maintained easily.
Do we get to see Hum Paanch againIJ
If Hum Paanch is ever make its comeback on small screen, it would have all the five sisters grown up and in the ages between 60 and 70 and it be be more about their children. It’s difficult to have Hum Paanch with the same characters.
Are you still in touch with your Hum Paanch co-star Vidya BalanIJ
Yes. We keep meeting each other. But lately, I have been keeping busy with Satrangi Sasuraal and she is too is busy with film shoots. We do catch up whenever we get time.
Where do you want to see your production house 24 Frames in the next five yearsIJ
I don’t plan my life. I just go with the flow. We are doing our best and working towards making and offering a good show to the audience. To make a serial popular is not in our hands. To create good content is and we’ll keep ensuring that our shows have good storyline and content.
What challenges did you face when you turned producerIJ
Honestly, I didn’t have to face many ups and downs in my profession. It has been quite a smooth journey. But having said that, being a producer is something that is new for me so some mistakes were made and many valuable lessons have been learnt. The mistakes which I did in first show, Chhal, Sheh Aur Maat on Colors, I have tried to not repeat them. And this process will never stop. With every new show that one does, you learn something from it and move forward. I see it as a learning process which will continue for ever.
Where does TV stand todayIJ
All channels are trying different concepts and shows which is nice because viewers will get to see a variety of shows. Somebody is making a thriller, somebody a comedy some are making action-thrillers other was making dramas. Viewers now have a choice to switch a channel of their choice and pick a soap or a show that they enjoy watching. It’s a good phase for television and the industry.
What does the future holdIJ
As channels and makers, we’ll keep making show line-ups and tell stories in a better manner and grow from there. Offering better shows so that more and more people watch TV is the next thing to happen. Five years back, TV was still taking baby steps. Today, there is huge competition to provide shows that can cater to maximum number of viewers. TV has an upward movement and will get only better from here on.
Any social issue you would like to make a show aroundIJ
A lot of issues have already been told on TV by Balika Vadhu’s scriptwriter Purnendu Shekhar. I feel in every person’s life, education plays a very important role. A lot of issues can be sorted through education. An educated person will not go for child marriage, child labour, throw garbage on the road. I’d like to probably do an education-based show and through that urge people to provide better education for the children.
