Sapna Thakur on stepping into Richa Sony’s shoes in Gharwali Pedwali: Comedy is a new space for me

A month after Gharwali Pedwali went on air on December 5, Richa Sony, who played Rita, exited the show due to health reasons. The makers subsequently roped in Sapna Thakur to step into the role. Interestingly, Sapna had auditioned for the same character earlier, before Richa was finalised.Sharing the backstory, Sapna says, “I had auditioned for the role earlier, but it didn’t work out then and they signed Richa Sony. Perhaps they felt she was a better fit at that point, and I went on to join Binddii, which wrapped up in mid-January. After that, I received a call from the Gharwali Pedwali makers to play the same character, as Richa had to quit the show due to health issues.”The comedy genre was a key factor that drew Sapna to the project. She says, “This is the first time I am replacing an actor in a show. I was quite excited because I have never explored comedy before. I have mostly played negative characters, and I wanted to try something new.”To prepare for the role, Sapna watched a few episodes of the show to understand the nuances of her character. Talking about her approach, she shares, “I watched a few episodes to understand Rita’s body language and the way the character has been portrayed. Richa has already established the role. It will take some time for the audience to warm up to me, but I am confident I will connect with them. I will take cues from her performance and gradually add my own elements to the character.”Although Sapna joined the cast towards the end of last month, she has already bonded well with the unit. SHe says, “From the very first day, my co-actors welcomed me warmly. Everyone is positive and supportive. We eat together, crack jokes, and have a lot of fun on set. The team behind the camera has also been very encouraging and guided me through my track, which helped me adapt quickly. It has been a pleasure working with the Gharwali Pedwali unit.”