Theatre artist Kamna Pathak is looking forward to her first major break on GEC fiction, with &TV show, Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, where she plays daroga Happu Singh’s (Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain fame) better half.
“It is a very interesting, Bundelkhandi (dialect of Uttar Pradesh) speaking character. Viewers who are used to watching Happu Singh (Yogesh Tripathi) trouble everyone in Kanpur’s Model colony will now see the tables turned at home, courtesy his wife, mom and nine kids.”
“My character, named Rajesh, coming from a well to do family, believes in the my way or the highway funda. But yes, she is good at heart and loves and respects her husband.”
“She also has an equally sweet n sour equation with her mother-in-law, essayed by Himani Shivpuri. While both might quarrel a lot, they will not let any outsider sow dissent. Most saas bahus will identify with their nok jhok, as we also show the love between both. This is a very unique relationship of the typical Indian family.”
“Our funny spicy plot full of twists and turns should keep other audience demographics (men, kids, college crowd) happy as well.” Kamna regards Happu Ki Ultan Paltan as a stand-alone show and not a spin-off of Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain, “For, although we have taken the former character, its story, treatment and everything else is completely different. Unlike Bhabhiji, which has a slight adult touch, we are complete family viewing as our setting is home. The creative have played with Happu’s antics with his sister-in-law as well.”
Kamna, who has been doing plays for the last nine years has also dabbled in TV before, mentoring the winning kid in Sabse Bada Kalakar (Sony). “I have also acted in the Doordarshan series, Yeh Kahan Aa Gaye Hum, directed by well known cinematographer, Baba Azmi.” Her last tube show was Tera Baap Mera Baap, with Rajiv Thakur, on Big Magic.
This versatile actor has done films as well. “My English flick, Mango Dreams, with Pankaj Tripathi, came out in 2016. A few other cine projects are yet to see the light of the day,“ added she.
Ask whether theatre pays well enough and Kamna replies, “Today commercial stage offers good monies. I have even travelled to the US for sold out performances of Chanakya.”
In closing, Kamna holds her acting teacher, Barry John, in high esteem. “When feeling down, I just call Sir for a pep talk and my batteries get recharged.”