Saas with substance

Manpriya Singh

Where most cannot handle one, here’s the story of a girl who’s got seven. With seven mothers-in-law, there’s bound to be a problem of plenty. Some things are just not the more, the merrier. Even the soaps that continue to be obsessed with Indian television’s eternal favourite concepts; great expectations, new girl and clichéd rivalry. Sounds regressive? But not this one. “In fact, it is a very progressive serial. It is a story of seven women who are living together happily in one house and without men in their lives,”

Television actress Sonali Sachdev turns around the view point and speaks of Zee TVs much awaited prime time outing Satrangi Sasural.

The story of Aarushi and her journey of deftly managing the expectations of her seven mothers-in-law. In walk the idiosyncrasies accompanying each one, diverse backgrounds and mindsets. What brings the fitness motivator, a spiritual anchor, an intellectual guide and several others together is son’s best interests. Only the fathers-in-laws are amiss? “Once you watch the show, you’ll come to know how each one of them has had different setbacks in life and have supported each other throughout,” joining in is Sadiya Siddiqui, while in Chandigarh. “I play the role of a doting bua and a classical dancer. She had a love marriage but the man in her life did not consider this an art rather a derogatory dance form.”

While Sonali Sachdev plays the biological mother but is quick to add, “But the son belongs to all of them equally and rather all of them have only his best interests in mind. They all have different view points and methods of showering their love.” She adds, “While Dadi is played by Farida Jalal, I play the middle daughter-in-law. There are also three daughters.” No wonder, the sets have been like a girl’s day out. They chorus, “If anyone of you has stayed in a girl’s hostel, you’ll understand. We used to eat a lot and laugh a lot.”

Wish list

Sonali Sachdev

Personally speaking, it has been a fulfilling journey for the Baa Bahu Aur Baby woman so far. Television stars are known by their onscreen characters. “Which is quite a shortcoming but that’s how it is with television. We enter people’s homes everyday and that’s how they relate to us. So much so that they don’t want to see us dressed differently at award shows.”

The 12-year-old journey to television began only after four years of dental practice. She laughs, “I’m an orthodontist by profession.” While a lot has happened unexpected, there’s some more she wishes for. “I’d love to play a rural victimized woman, a strong God motherish kind of role and I would also like to portray the actual urban woman of today. This is one character that hasn’t been portrayed well.”

Play full

Sadiya Siddiqui

While Sadiya is happy with any role, ‘that gives me butterflies in my stomach’, she would also like to be specific. “I’m a scuba diver, so any role that lets me play a scuba diver. I also love racing, so any character where I am a car racer, would be wonderful. I chose this serial partly because I get to play a classical dancer. I have trained in kathak.”

It’s been an eventful and lovable journey so far, with popular serials like Ballika Vadhu, Sasural Genda Phool, movie City Lights, it hasn’t been ‘absolutely satisfying’. There’s theatre to fill in the creative gaps. “I have five plays coming up,” shares the Mumbai born and brought-up girl, who’s happy to be in Chandigarh. “It is hot down South. I love the weather here, so pleasant. I was also in Patiala last week for a wedding,” she signs off.

manpriya@tribunemail.com