Aruna's Doli finally ready to roll !

We've been hearing about Aruna Irani's new show Doli Saja Ke Rakhna for a long time now. Well, after a set of teething problems, the plucky producer is now finally ready to roll out the show in the coming week.

This time around its not a passionate love story (Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand) or a strong lead protagonist (Vaidehi); but Doli is a story of this young manhoos girl Anupama whose birth unfortunately coincides with the death of her mother Kiran.

In a freewheeling conversation to Tellychakkar.com's Editor Seema Pherwani, Aruna Irani tells us all that went into the making of this show.

We've been hearing about Doli..for a long time now; what took you so long to launch the show?
We were fine tuning Doli.. in very many ways. Even the channel wanted some changes and along the way even we made some changes. By then, the other shows were ready and they launched before us. Then we were asked to wait for sometime.

But the buzz goes the you were struggling with a lot of production and casting problems. Like Anuj Saxena left the show midway?
Anuj has not actually left the show. We're still talking to him. Even if he leaves, its no big deal because even Mihir left Kyunki but then the show went on for seven years na.So, this keeps on happening in the TV industry. So many artists leave so many shows for various reasons; some fall ill, some take another shows but then life goes on.

You had pinned down Jas Arora as the replacement but even he has walked out?
Jas came on the sets and the next moment he said that he wasn't comfortable with the role. He felt a bit funny essaying a father's role since he still walks on the ramp. I think, initially he thought he could do it. I told him if you're not comfortable you'll make me more uncomfortable. We didn't even shoot anything with him.

But don't you think he was the wrong choice in the first place. I don't think viewers can accept him as Barkha Bisht's father.
Well, everybody wanted him and even the channel. He has a very pleasant face so we thought it will work well with the character of Vikramjeet Kapoor.
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Didn't you look at other older actors in the market?
As I see in the market now the trend is that actors' in their 40s should essay a father's role and 50 plus are the dadajis.

We've seen very strong women characters in all your serials, but this time around do we also see a strong male character?
Womencentric soaps work well with our audiences'. I believe women are our real audiences'. Men don't have the time to watch television and the moment they come home they all sit with their glasses and tell their wives 'are bandh karo tumhara rona dhona'.

Tell is a little about how you conceived the show?
When I was a child I watched this movie Sujata almost eight times. The film had a very powerful theme and that's when I thought if it worked on me, it will also work with others. The film had a scheduled caste girl who was jinxed from day one.
Here my lead protagonist Anupama is considered to be manhoos and how her father ill treats her. There was another film called Anupama which was on similar lines. So, we've taken these two strong characters and given it a tadka with our own masala.

But normally everybody denies it and you're actually saying this..
This is what happens and everybody does that. There's nothing wrong in being inspired by a show as there are just seven basic stories in the universe.

Your show is in the 10 pm timeslot and that's when you're being seen in Ekta's Kahaani Ghar Ghar ki?
Mera kya hain.. I am just an actress in Kahaani and it's a cameo role. I have a commitment with them for a few more episodes. I am confident about this.

It's very difficult nowadays to find a new lead protagonist. Why did you cast Barkha as the lead?
I met a lot of girls but nothing clicked. After an audition, I called Barkha to my office. And when I met her,I thought she looked a lot like Nutanji. Very ordinary to look at, dressed in simple clothes, and she's a kind of girl, if you shout at her then she won't react too strongly.

Aren't you casting Sangeeta Ghosh again in any of your serials?
I would love to cast her but then Sangeeta has a very strong and dominating personality. She's a sex symbol now. She doesn't fit in this role and if you remember her in Muskaan where she played a handicapped girl but with a strong mind of her own.

What are your ambitions as a producer?
I want to keep doing what I am doing but in a small way. I enjoy and pass my time. Now, even with one show I land up working sixteen hours a day. I don't think I can work more than this.

What about your film career?
The last film which I did was Haseena maan jahegi.
Now, I haven't done a single film for more than seven years. Even producers don't approach me. Also, the industy has changed so there's really nobody I can just call up and ask for a role.

Viewers would love to see you in a negative role.
Even I want to do that as I am fed of crying. Every artist has this khujli of acting . and that doesn't go with any kind of lotion. So, as an artist I always want to act in all of my serials.

Are you unhappy the way Vaidehi was handled by Sony?
I think, no comments on this.

Aren't you looking at any more genres?
Every few years one sees newer trends in the industry. I don't know how to make reality shows otherwise I would've tried my hand at it. What is important in today's market is to get a winner show. It doesn't matter how you get it by changing actors, scripts, or by a generation leap.

Des mein Nikla Hoga Chand.. was a passionate, sexy and a good looking show. Viewers are waiting for more of that?
I don't know how the show worked but now people don't want to see all that. If viewers don't want to see such stuff then how can I make it. After 39 episodes we were given a notice because viewers were objecting to all the sexy scenes in the show..