If the world calls me rude, so be it; I say what I feel: Usha Nadkarni

Usha Nadkarni

After playing a stern mother-in-law in Zee TV’s Pavitra Rishta for five years, veteran Usha Nadkarni is now trying her hands at comedy with Colors’ upcoming show Mrs Pammi Pyarelal.

Tellychakkar.com caught up with this 67 year old actress and quizzed her about her new assignment and recent troubles with Balaji Telefilms over Pavitra Rishta. Excerpts:

Why this change from a serious avatar to a comic role?

(smiles) Look, being an artiste, I always like to experiment enacting different roles. And may I inform you that I have been performing on stage since I was in class four.

Could you take us through your role of Dadi in Mrs Pammi Pyarelal. Heard that she does a lot of dadagiri in the show?

(giggles) Dadi has been a retired jailor working with convicts for many years. It is but natural that a certain amount of hardness and rudeness will creep in.

And Gaurav Gera. What makes him turn a woman?

My character has three sons and two granddaughters. Since there are young women in the house, I don’t allow a single man to be kept as a paying guest (PG). This compels Gaurav to don a woman’s avatar to get shelter. He and Karan Goddwani act as couple in the show.

Can you tell us about the rifle that your character wears around her neck?

(smiles) Since Dadi has won rifle shooting champions for 27 years, the government has given this rifle as a memento.

There were reports that Dadi’s character was first offered to Rohini Hattangadi…

No, Prashant Bhatt, the Fiction Head of Colors knows me since my Kuch Is Tarah days. And it is he who got me that role. He told me that he wanted to work with me for this character. Then I had told him about my problems with Balaji.

How will you juggle your dates between Pammi and Pavitra Rishta?

(smiles) Simple, 20 days for Pammi while the remaining 10 days for Pavitra Rishta.

You were about to quit Pavitra Rishta?

Yes, I had decided to call it a day on 1st June but Ekta Ma’m (Kapoor) called me over to her office and spoke to me sorting out differences very sweetly. Her talks touched my heart so much that I decided to let things go and stay back. One more thing, I had never met Ekta Ma’m earlier; I used to just do my work and go home after I finished. But she is not as people think she is; she asked me not to call her Ma’m but by her name. However, I told her that I couldn’t do that for, work wise, she was on a much higher pedestal then me. At the end I also asked her for a raise, pointing her that our remunerations have not been raised for over two years.

Your take on the leap that is to soon happen in Pavitra Rishta?

Let’s not even go down that road, I am just doing this show for Ekta.

Hiten Tejwani feels that the decision of the younger lot of actors was wrong when they quit during the leap?

(pauses) I extend them my full support for they are young. When the eldest one herself (she refused to take any name) says that she doesn’t like any one calling her granny or sasu ma, why will the young do such roles. How could these kids now become her mother when even now when they stand together, she looks much older to them?

You are known to be rude?

So be it! Will the world call me for lunch? See, the issue is that I am a straight forward woman. Even if you are my best friend, I will tell that you are doing something wrong if I feel you are doing so. But there is no malice or ill will, I just say what I feel.

Young girls are scared to have a mother-in-law like you?

Let them. To the contrary, I feel that they should be happy to get someone like me.

How does your daughter-in-law feel about you?

(giggles) I am yet to get my son married.

What do you feel about today’s lot of young actors?

They seem to be more interested in talking on the phone rather than paying attention during rehearsals; these girls keep whispering on the phone when we all know that you are shooing. Look at me. When I am on the set, I keep my cell locked up. I only check it during breaks.

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TellychakkarTeam's picture

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Submitted by TellychakkarTeam on Sat, 07/13/2013 - 12:49

Comments

being blunt's picture

Ushaji known to be candid and frank. nice of her to support the younger actors. I think the show should shut shop. Very unfair that every article speak of actor's high-handedness on the sets since Jhalak 4 days but channel keeps running the show like a battered scrap.
sahana.'s picture

so cheap minded... i haven't seen any actor talking ill bout their own co-star.. in reality Ankita look even younger n pretty den her onscreen daughter.. not only me every1 knew it. the word straight forward doesn't suit u so pls Savita Ji.. Stop all those nonsence
Miss Attitude's picture

ankita ka dimaag to purana kharaab hai - these are examples of even before the leap, ab toh aur insecure ho gayi http://in.apnicommunity.com/news/india-television/13929-ankita-lokhande-labelled-as-%E2%80%98miss-attitude%E2%80%99.html http://scrutinybykhimaanshu.blogspot.in/2011/12/al.html as for the looks, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.
irony's picture

Nothing wrong in what she has said. I don't understand why fans are attacking her for calling a spade a spade.
nomango's picture

I love her. So happy she's honest. I totally agree with her and support the young actors. I can't wait to see her new show.
Jo's picture

Actors not liking each other is normal. We all have people we don't like in like. But for Usha Maam to go on the record like this and basically trash Ankita is unfair and ridiculous. Why didn't she protest like this when the leap happened for Archana's character to have grown up children? Then she used to say acting is about character and so forth. Now suddenly she says this. Kya yaar?? And also Ankita is not even the oldest. Mrinalini Tyagi (Teju) even said she is older than her on screen aai (Ankita). Apparently Ankita is just 25. This is unnecessarily catty and mean. And saying "so be it I say what I feel" is not good enough to be rude and mean spirited.
Ankita is 28,'s picture

Ankita is 28 years old, she will be 29 in December 2013
dm's picture

what she is saying i completely agree with her ankita is older than her boyfrnd sushant ,,she cant play a college girl or unmarried girl dats y she played a married woman all the time in ek thi nayika too she played a married girl.. she looks old,she has a body structure like that rithvik,bcoz of his height he looks younger than asha asha,wearing wig and saree she looks like rithvik's badi behen but still she looks younger than ankita & she is younger than ankita
Michael Texeira's picture

I don't understand why some of you are getting mad at the fact that she is stating her opinion and showing character. At least she is being honest and not some other Actresses who think are nice, but theyre not. Usha is a more experienced and senior actress. She has a right to express herself. You're all just mad because it is true. To her, I don't know about myself because I do not follow Pavitra Rishta but at least give her a damn break. and I don't think there is no hate because they seem they get along....
Michael Texeira's picture

I don't understand why some of you are getting mad at the fact that she is stating her opinion and showing character. At least she is being honest and not some other Actresses who think are nice, but theyre not. Usha is a more experienced and senior actress. She has a right to express herself. You're all just mad because it is true. To her, I don't know about myself because I do not follow Pavitra Rishta but at least give her a damn break. and I don't think there is no hate because they seem they get along....

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