DEBINA BONNERJEE who plays Mallika in Sony Sab’s Aladdin Naam Toh Suna Hoga speaks with MUSBA HASHMI about what made her take up the role, challenges and how it was hilarious to act with Gurmeet to begin with
What is your role in Aladdin Naam Toh Suna Hoga?
I play Mallika, who is the creator of djinn and the lamp. She is the one who has created all the djinns.
What attracted you to play the role?
The dimensions of the character ofcourse. It is a very larger than life and humongous character. Mallika is the lead antagonist, it is like the whole show is on one side and Mallika single-handedly on the other. She stands tall. Moreover, the show is also well-established so there were no reasons for me turn down the project.
From Mayavi to now Aladdin, how has the journey been?
It has been an excellent one. Throughout my journey, I followed God’s instinct more than mine. There was a time when I auditioned for a few projects and I took the ones that got finalised first instead of taking the chance of waiting for the other ones thinking that they might be better. There were times when I was a part of a couple of projects at the same time but I have never regretted my decisions that 'oh I should have waited for other things to happen'. And in return whatever project I took back then turned out well for me. I believed that it was God’s will, therefore I never questioned my decisions.
How easy or difficult was it for you to be a part of this industry?
I wouldn’t say it was easy or difficult. Acting just happened with me. No one in my family belong to the field and hence, I had no one who could have guided me for my better back then. I only had a dream, that of being an actor. I kept on believing in it so much so that I developed the etiquette of an actor —body language and others. And that didn't make sense to many people back then. I remember when I was in Class VIII, my teacher scolded for me behaving like a heroine. I had a mixed feeling then — bad because I felt it was humiliating and good because I thought that people have started to believe that I have the qualities of an actor and can become one, even though I had no clue of what the field used to be like.
Then after some time, I took part in certain competitions, looked for work in the newspaper and eventually it happened and I came into the industry. One change led to the other. I have always managed to be as hardworking as I was before, I never felt saturated and never took anything casually. Even when I was in the most comfortable of positions, I had tried to evolve and be where I am today. So it wasn’t easy at all. Now when I see people who are enamoured by our lifestyle and profession come into this industry but it is not the way how things work. They are not persistent enough, may be they are for the initial two years but then it gets lost. However, my husband (Gurmeet Choudhary) and I both have worked extremely hard all our lives. We have always motivated each other to improve our skills.
You and Gurmeet are one of the power couples of the industry. What keeps the relationship so fresh?
It is because we are best friends first. And one can never get bored of their friend. Also we have set our individualistic priorities right, it is not as if one of us have kept that aside. The other day someone was telling me that people should give space to their partners. That’s what made me think that do we give space to each other and the answer was instantly a yes. Take for example if I am out with my friends that includes only girls and if Gurmeet is free and is getting bored at home then I ask him to join us and he never says no and vice versa. We have that level of understanding and there is no hard core role that my time is my time. Also, we are each others’ first priority and everything else comes second. This is what keeps us going.
You both have worked together on various shows. How easy or difficult was that?
Initially, it was difficult to work. We got to work together on our first break — Ramayan and even Mayavi. We used to laugh a lot. I found it hilarious to act together. Then gradually we started having lot of expectations from each other, we advised each other too. Then after some time, we got to work together for a film on a digital space and we realised how both of us have evolved as actors as well as human beings by working together. We were matured and stopped expecting from each other, in terms of work. The equation had changed over the years for us as actors and that was great.
What is there in the pipeline?
Currently I am focusing solely on Aladdin... and there is a film — Shubho Bijoyo that I have done with Gurmeet. It will release soon.
