You have kept away from soap-operas for long now. Why? After Kasauti Zindagi Ki, I was not willing to do roles that required me to do the same things — whine, scream and take care of kids. In fact, I was so put off by the very idea of playing similar characters again that I was even willing to take up a negative role. However, it was only with Jaane Kya Baat Hui that I found an interesting script and role for myself.
How is Jaane Kya Baat Hui different from other soap operas? If you notice, the focus is certainly not only dramatic costumes or scheming revenge acts.
This show highlights a social issue prevalent across classes in India — while a married man’s social circle is much beyond his family, it is irresponsible on a woman’s part to socialise outside, especially with male friends. Even though my character Aradhana, a housewife, diverts all her efforts towards her family, a few minutes of friendly chat with a man in the neighbourhood invites raised eyebrows.
If this is a universal issue in India, why restrict it to housewives? Don’t you think working women are equally dedicated to their families? There is no doubt that working women are equally dedicated to their families. According to me, this story is the biography of every second woman in India. I think even unmarried women will relate to the social bias highlighted.
However, what differentiates them from housewives is that they have a social circle in the form of their colleagues and are more likely to find a friendly shoulder to lean on.
But for a lot of housewives, the only people they interact with over the day are their inlaws, husband and children.
If the show is about gender bias affecting a woman’s social circle, why does it end with an extra-marital affair? To understand the answer, you will have to follow the show. But what I can tell you is that we are not here to promote extra-marital affairs.
However, you cannot deny that the society has conditioned us to think that men and women, especially if married, cannot be close friends.
Now in a situation where the woman is emotionally weak, it is but natural for her to rely on her close friends. And when this friend ends up being a male, the woman herself begins to question whether she has a taken just a ‘liking’ or is it ‘love’. Thus is born the possibility of an affair.
What is about Aradhana’s family life that makes her so emotionally vulnerable? Just like every other homemaker, Aradhana’s day starts and ends with looking after the needs of her family. In fact, she chose not to have her own children since she is happy nurturing the other kids in the family.
However, her husband Shailendra (played by Sanjit Bedi) has little time or respect for her efforts. He belongs to the category of men who think their duty is just to provide the comforts of life to their family. He loves her at his own convenience and has a host of flings. While Aradhana is unaware of this, social struggle knocks at her door when she befriends a stranger who goes on to become the ‘second man’ in her life.
When and how do you think these social double-standards will cease to exist? The only solution is to not bow down in front of the social conditioning. Not just the woman in question, but when the women around her, that from her own family understand her emotional needs, there can be a paradigm shift. In fact, in Jaane Kya Baat Hui, Aradhana’s mother-inlaw stands by her in the face of controversies.
It is only then that men will be compelled to take notice of a woman’s wants even if she is a homemaker.
What according to you defines a modern woman? A modern woman is not someone who wears revealing clothes or opens herself up to several men. She is someone who knows what she wants and commands her own social standing.
She is attached to her family and friends but does not wither away in the case of a rift with them.
Apart from Jaane Kya Baat Hui, which you felt compelled to sign due to its social relevance, what other shows are you looking at? I am looking at shows that allow me to do something fresh. You will never again see me in the shoes of a character like Prerna. In fact, I am in no hurry to sign soap operas since most of them have the same whining tones. Till the time I come across more interesting scripts, I’d rather opt for reality shows. After all, I get to play myself there.
