‘Courtesy Bhabhiji, I will never be a ‘nalla’ in real life’
Trust Bhabhiji Ghar Pe Hai stars to be in their characters even when off-air.
Trust Bhabhiji Ghar Pe Hai stars to be in their characters even when off-air.
Actor Aasif Sheikh (Vibhuti Narain Mishra), Rohitash Gour (Manmohan Tiwari) and Shubhangi Atree (Angoori Bhabhi) were in Lucknow for a show when they caught up with HT City for a candid chat on their journey, show and characters.
Aasif, who will soon enter into the Limca Book of Records for playing 250 characters in a show, says that he is in the best part of his career.
“Publicity, popularity and respect that I am getting at this point of times has never come before. In fact, the popularity of this show has ensured that I will never be a nalla (jobless) in real life,” says the actor who played a hero in Rama O Rama.
“I have done other main roles, characters roles but then for sometimes I had no work for a few years…I came back as villain and did small roles for survival but that too stopped. But, TV, which I joined for survival, turned the tide for me,” he says.
Revealing his fitness regime, he says, “I live a disciplined lifestyle and very particular about the food I eat. I regularly workout and even on set before our call time I exercise for an hour and later during the evening break I go out for a 40 min jog.”
The sportsman that he was also keeps him on a move, “I used to play cricket for my college and have done that a lot. I was a national-level skateboard diver but due to an injury have to leave it. Thanks to sports I learned about the importance of fitness.”
In the same vein, he admits that he is aging.
“I realize that when I lie on the bed but then you have to keep going,” he says showing his wrist band that he is sporting for thumb ligament pain.
Aasif says that he has a wicked sense of humour but has developed comedy by working on it.
“My kids still don’t believe that I can do comedy. But, I learnt it doing the same over a period of time. I am blessed to find good writers (and director) who have trust on me,” he says. The actor has spent his childhood in Varanasi.
‘PEOPLE TREAT ME AS MISER IN REAL LIFE’
Actor Rohitash Gour, who plays Manmohan Tiwari, reveals that the show was initially conceptualized for adult audiences only.
“When we started off it was for the adult audience and that is why the timing was kept at 10:30 but soon everyone started liking it and so the tone of the show was changed. Today, kids and families are our biggest audiences all thanks to the characters that have been sketched by writers,” he says.
Gour, who has done small roles in PK, Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munnabhai, is now doing only this show.
“Since Shilpa Shinde left us mid-way, most of the channels now do an exclusive contract with actors due to which we are not allowed to do other shows and films. We can do small roles in films but then after working for more than 25 days in a month as main characters of the show we hardly get any time for anything else. In between, we travel to so there is no time,” he says.
The Lapataganj actor comes from Shimla is often praised for getting into the skin of a Kanpurite.
“Our writers make it easy for us,” he says who started off with Neem Ka Ped a Lucknow-based show.
Gour says now Tiwari image has become bigger than his real self.
“Most people now know me as Manmohan Tiwari and his characteristics. Recently, when I went to take a house on rent in Mumbai, the landlord was treating me as if I am a big miser who will start flirting with bhabhis in the locality. It’s fun and I am happy that we are able to make people laugh.”
‘ANGOORI BHABHI MAY BE DUMB BUT IS PURE AT HEART’
Shubhangi Atre aka Bhabhiji has been a part of the entertainment world for a decade now. She was last seen in shows like Kasauti Zindagi Ki, Kasturi and Gulmohar Grand.
Taking about her apprehensions before taking up this show from where Big Boss 11 winner Shilpa Shinde left, she says “Initially, I was doubtful as well as a little nervous whether or not the audience will accept me. But thankfully it all fell into place and now I have been accepted by the audience wholeheartedly.”
Talking about her inspiration for taking up a role of a simple woman, who is treated as dumb, she says, “I’ll not call her dumb. In fact, for me she is simple and pure at heart soul. And trust me at times I get jealous of her being so naive about worldly issues that keep us all so stressed. As far as my inspiration in concerned it was my mother who is like my character in the show. My mother’s life also revolved around my father and she too always sang songs while cooking meals. And somewhere this show has brought out the real innocent housewife from the kitchen closet on your TV screen.”
On recent rumours that she may also quit the show, Shubhangi says she took to the social media to refute such rumours.
“Social media today is awfully fast and has its negatives too. But it’s okay because such things are part and parcel of any actor’s life. Though earlier, this news did made me a bit anxious but then when I took on social media and reverted, all the rumours came to rest,” she says.