She became a household name with Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kkusum. And now Narayani Shastri is seeking to push the envelope with a serial Rishton Ka Chakravyuh in which she would be playing Satarupa, a villainous character.
This upcoming serial on Star Plus promises to bring to the small screen a unique dimension to the usual mother-daughter relationship. Mahima Makwana, who plays Narayani’s daughter Anami, will be showcased at odds with her mother Satarupa.
Excerpts from an interview.
On Rishton ka Chakravyuh
Before the show was offered to me I was playing the role of Bhanvari Singh Devi in Piya Rangrezz . The character required me to play the role of a Lady Don without any boundaries – crass, loud and violent. Satarupa is complete opposite of Bhanvari. She is an ambitious royal woman with a certain elegance about her.
The vision of the producer, Sanjot Kaur, is also very appealing. She is moving beyond the conventional norms of television by changing them ever so slightly.
So the show looks beyond the typical boy-girl romance and gives a peek into multiple relationship – a mother-daughter, husband-wife and so on.
Every character has multiple layers to it and carries a personal agenda in pursuit of power and thus, the show is titled Chakravyuh. It was this vision that made me want to be a part of the show.
On working with an ensemble cast
I have worked alongside Anju Mahendru who plays the role of my mother-in-law in the show. I’ve known her for a long time and share a different bond with her altogether. So, she is my comfort zone in the show as she is so friendly with everyone. Ajay Choudhary, who plays my husband, is also a lot of fun.
Mahima Makwana, who plays my daughter, pleasantly surprised me as she is smart, respectful and a quick learner. I admire her for her professionalism.
On the portrayal of women on TV
Women in Indian television have always been portrayed as strong and never meek and docile. While they might be portrayed differently as housewives or working women, in saris or work-wear, as an underlying theme, women have always been showcased as characters of strength.
It is not that this change has come about recently, since in the beginning women were portrayed like this on the small screen. Actresses have played both powerful protagonists as well as antagonists; the role of Komolika is a case in point. So women have definitely shined on Indian television from the beginning itself.
On shows that attempt to break stereotypes
Whether a show breaks or unfortunately promotes stereotypes, completely depends on the audience. With show that showcases certain evils with the aim of shattering them, the success or failure of the same depends on the way audience takes it.
Be it films or television – everything will be portrayed with the expectation that the audience will pick up something good. If however, the negatives get picked up, it just goes on to show the person’s character. A show or film portraying just the good doesn’t necessarily promise the better outcome, similar is the case with a show portraying the bad.
On the changing priories of actors
There has been a lot of change. The real golden era of television with class actors was with shows like Swabhimaan , Junoon and Nukkad . What we entered into was the golden era. We were still figuring out our place in the industry that gave us so much attention. Even then, we wanted to be actors first and then, stars. All of us back then wanted to good work and excel in acting.
Stardom to us came as a by-product of that. Most of today’s generation, however, only want to be stars. This prioritisation of stardom over quality work then becomes problematic.
