Even since she first started playing the part of Prerna in “Kasautii Zindagi Kay”, Shweta Tiwari has remained one of the most popular faces on Indian television. She is back from a three year long hiatus with Sony TV’s ‘Mere Dad Ki Dulhan’ that revolves around a single father and a daughter with a strong bond and a 40 year old single lady Guneet Sikka who is in search of a rented accommodation. The show, produced by DJ's Creative Unit, also stars Varun Badola and Anjali Tatrari in pivotal roles.
“The show’s producer Deeya Singh is a good friend. Whenever she calls me, I know that it’s going to be something very interesting. . The moment she told me about ‘Mere Dad Ki Dulhan’, I immediately said ‘yes’,” gushes Shweta.
Edited excerpts:
How did you prepare for the part of Guneet Sikka?
Well, I am still trying to get a hold of the character. You see it’s a very complex character. Playing a larger than life character is far simpler because it’s something that you very rarely see around. So you have the liberty to play the way it pleases you and the audiences easily accept it. But, Guneet Sikka is a real character that you may easily come across on the roads of Delhi NCR. So that’s why it becomes a challenge to get it spot on. There is a certain way she walks. Now, I have observed women in their 40s walking like that and so I have tried to add certain nuances to the character to make it realistic. Another challenge is getting the accent right which I am still working on.
What is it like to shed the ‘bahu’ image and explore new dimensions as an actor?
It has been very challenging. People love you for the character you play and they mistake that love for the character as love for the actor playing that character. So as soon as the actor stops playing that character they find it very hard to accept. They loved me as Prerna but what they didn’t understand was that I couldn’t be playing Prerna for all my life. The reason I have become an actor is I can essay a whole range of different characters. Also, not everyone is interested in watching a character like Prerna all the time. At the end of the day, I work for my creative satisfaction.
There must have been challenges when you started...
I remember when I had first entered the industry people in my family strongly objected to it. But I succeeded in breaking the shackles. Today, the same people look up to me. Same way, I will try to keep on reinventing myself with each new character that I play. People may object to it at first but they will eventually accept it.
How important is it for an actor to take a break from work?
Except for the three years from 2016-2019, I have never really taken a break from acting. I shot practically every day before that. When I had my second child I had already made up my mind that I would take some time out as I couldn’t devote much time when I had my first child. I feel as an actor it is important to have patience. Also, one mustn’t have a fear regarding work. I was certain that the day I decide to come back, I will start getting offers.
How do you think Indian television has changed over the last couple of decades?
I feel that television hasn’t changed much.. Every production house has its own style with regards to content.
As an actor I don’t like repeating myself and so I do see difference in my work but other than that I try to adapt to the working style of a production house I am working for at a given point in time.
Published - December 12, 2019 07:10 pm IST
