It may be recalled that the all-time Marathi musical mega-hit ‘Sairat’ (2016) and later on its Hindi remake version ‘Dhadak’ (2018) were both co-produced by Zee Studios. Now ‘&TV;’ Channel which belongs to the Zee Group has come up with a new show titled ‘Jaat Na Poocho Prem Ki’ which is a TV show adapted from the same ‘inter-caste love’ and rebel-marriage subject with a staunch ethnic North Indian U.P. region backdrop. The volatile romantic-social thriller show which has charming actress Pranali Rathod romancing TV celeb-face Kinshuk Vaidya will commence telecast from June 18th and will air on ‘&TV;’ every Monday to Friday. “Although the basic theme is similar there are various refreshing changes and it’s not an identical remake,” insists Bollywood movies director-turned-TV serial co-producer Rajesh Ram Singh (‘Cockcrow’). The Afternoon D&C; connected with the effervescent, chirpy Pranali Rathod for a breezy chat. Excerpts:
Surely you must have watched ‘Sairaat’ and ‘Dhadak’?
Of course and I had loved the sensitive performances of the lead actors in both these awesome movies. Out here when I am playing ‘Suman’ I have tried to portray it ‘differently’ as far as possible. Like in ‘Jaat Na Poocho..’ I am not that tomboyish, motor-biker girl who will elope with her lover-boy—she is deeply-rooted to her family values. Never did I imagine in my wildest dreams that someday in future I would be the new avataar of ‘Archie’ on television. When I heard the title-theme track of our ‘JNPPK’, which is the same reprised tune as in the popular song of ‘Sairat’ with different Hindi original lyrics I experienced goose-bumps and had tears in my eyes. Now I feel so ‘super-excited’ being part of this TV show (smiles).
How different is ‘Jaat Na Poocho..’ from these movies?
Our highly-relatable TV show begins from Banaras and then shifts into a typical North Indian small town culture where staunch caste-ism is observed. Except for the honour-killing theme, the treatment and character nuances are very different. In this show, we belong to the upper caste Brahmins but my father (eminent senior actor Sai Ballal) is not a politician but a passionate physics college-professor. As his “majboori”, he also owns and carries a gun for self-defence. As of now, there is no situation in the script and the TV show for my lover-boy college-mate ‘Baadal’ ( Kinshuk) and me to dance to the iconic ‘Zingaat’ tune (laughs).
Did acting happen to you by default?
Not at all. Right from childhood, I always felt I was destined to be an actress. Currently, I am also studying mass-media. Previously, as a model, I have done commercial-ads, a music-video and even an episode of ZEE5 web-series show ‘Pyaar Pehli Baar’. This show ‘Jaat Na Poocho..’ on ‘&TV;’ is my big-break ‘debut’ in a long-run TV show for which I received prep-training.
Off-screen, are you against ‘caste-discrimination’, when it comes to marriage?
In real-life, I strongly feel that ‘true love’ knows no caste. Pyaar kiya toh darna kya, rebel unto the last. Our family entertainer TV show has its subtle social mirror-messages without being too preachy.
Who is your ‘dream-hero’ if you happen to get a Bollywood movie-break?
Provided he is ‘raazi’ (smiles), I would love to work opposite the super-talented Vicky Kaushal.