Smita Bansal made her acting debut in the late ‘90s and since then, television has been that one medium which she has worked frequently in. Though she has been part of many successful shows over the years, ‘Roohaniyat’ is a special project for her as it marked her debut in the digital streaming space. The show, which started streaming on MX Player a while back, has received a favourable response from the audience and Smita has seen a lot of appreciation coming her way for her portrayal of a new-age mother.
‘Roohaniyat’ marks your debut in the OTT space. What made you say a yes to this project?
‘Roohaniyat’ has been a special project for me as it marks the beginning of my journey in the digital space. I wanted to do a web series for a long time but was not getting the right project to work on. When ‘Roohaniyat’ came along, I really liked the character that was being offered to me. I thought it would be the right project for me to start my OTT journey with.
In an interview, you had stated that you really enjoyed playing a today’s mother in the show.
Yes! On television, the mothers are a little melodramatic. I enjoyed playing those roles as well but it was interesting to play a character that was very different from anything I had done before. OTT shows are set in a realistic space. Priya is today’s mother. Instead of screaming or beating up their children, a mother today wishes to become a friend to her child. Being a mother, I also believe that it is very important for a mother to become a friend to their daughters. On television, we put a mother on a pedestal. On OTT, you can show her as being slightly imperfect just like how most human beings are.
Most of your work has been on TV. Was the process of shooting for an OTT show any different from working on a TV show?
It was very different from television. On TV, the story cold change drastically because of TRPs or other factors. As these are long-running sows, you never how the story is going to end. On OTT, a story starts and ends at a particular point. While working on ‘Roohaniyat’, I got the liberty to make my character more beautiful. Since there is no stringent deadline, we get more creative freedom.
You have completed more than two decades in the entertainment industry. In all these years, you have played many memorable characters. Which has been that character
Sumitra from Balika Vadhu will always be very special. While the show did very well, the character got a lot of love too. Even today, a lot of people recognize me as Sumitra. She was a very righteous person and that was the reason the audience connected to her. She had a solid value system but was very headstrong as well.
Do you plan to do another web series soon?
Right now, I am busy shooting for ‘Bhagyalaxmi’ on Zee TV. I want to do a lot of work in the OTT space. If I get a good offer and I have the time, I will definitely take it up.
‘Roohaniyat’ is currently streaming on MX Player.