Bharati Achrekar
, who has been a part of iconic shows like ‘
Wagle Ki Duniya
’ (WKD’), ‘Kachchi Dhoop’ and ‘Teri Bhi Chup Meri Bhi Chup’ in the eighties and early nineties, is clear that she won’t sell her soul to make money. The decision, she says, has often forced her to take breaks from Hindi TV. However, the actress is happy to return to the small screen once again, four years after her last show, ‘
Sumit Sambhal Lega
’, wrapped up in January, 2016. She will feature in ‘Naati Pinky Ki Lambi Love Story’ (‘NPKLLS’), in which she plays a progressive and broadminded character. Achrekar says, “I was away from Hindi television because there were no good roles. I had decided that I would return only if I am offered something interesting. My character in ‘NPKLLS’ is just that.”
Like most of her contemporaries, she, too, rues the fact that there is a dearth of meaty roles for senior actors. She says, “I feel that the makers don’t want to work hard on creating interesting characters. Though TV is a medium for women, older actresses are treated like furniture. It’s okay if they give me a small part, but it should be meaty. Even if I have just one scene in an episode, it should be impactful. I don’t want to be treated like furniture in shows. 30-year-old women play mothers-in-law and grandmothers, it is all so unreal. I don’t do a show until I can relate to it. I have a theatre background, and I need to be convinced about my role. While money is important, you can’t sell your soul for it. Having said that, I don’t blame the makers because they are investing money and they need good ratings to sustain and earn a profit. It’s just that unfortunately, content has been compromised in the process. I don’t think that this situation is going to change. Today, most people want larger-than-life stories. We had tried to narrate a realistic story with ‘Sumit Sambhal Lega’, but it was not accepted by the audience.”
Talking about the iconic shows she has been a part of, Achrekar says, “It has been 30 years and people still remember ‘WKD’, though it had only 19 episodes. These days, shows cross 1000 episodes, but they don’t stay on for long in people’s memory. In ‘WKD’, I neither wore make-up, nor elaborate costumes. We would take seven days to finish one episode. Today, one episode is made in a day. So, how can you expect good quality?”
While Achrekar has played a variety of roles during her prime, she has been mostly cast in comic roles on Hindi TV. “That’s the hazard of our profession. Ek baar chaap padh gayi toh padh gayi. While I like to make people laugh, I need to do different roles. Most makers of Hindi shows have not seen much of Marathi theatre. So, how will they know my range and calibre? Why should I go and tell them what I am capable of?” she signs off.