Narayani Shastri is enjoying her greyish stint in the Star Plus show, Rishton Ka Chakravyuh (Rolling Pictures and Taurus Media). “It is tough to do such shades, as people want things to be clear, i.e. positive or negative. As an actor, I pay attention to the script, and if it clearly shows which side the character tilts towards, it becomes easier for me. And, to be honest, we all are grey in real life, not black nor white.”
Narayani, who has been around for many years, doing various shows (Piya Ka Ghar, Mamta, Ghar Ki Lakshmi- Betiyaan, etc.), would love to try out a comic or mytho, next. “But yes, I will not do slapstick. It has to be something funny, but not forced– like Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain. I am also game for weird-hitting comedy like Khichdi, but such stuff is hardly made nowadays. Also, my mytho character will need to be meaty, and not just have arrows flying.”
Unlike most TV actors, Narayani is not very kicked about the upcoming web format. “I am happy doing TV, and will only embrace web if something really kickass comes my way.”
She also questions fellow TV actors who demean their own medium, saying, “If you have problems, why do it? It does not make sense.”
She continues, “We have to work within the framework of what Indian audiences want– emotions and family interactions. What we can do is make it more classy and realistic, as in Chakravyuh. Our producers (Bhupinder Singh and Sanjot Kaur) are smart enough to know that if we overdo the above aspect, it will fly over the heads of the audience. TV artists need to find happiness in this restricted space; there is no other option.”
Narayani further goes on to question the importance of films. “Very few movies give you the
satisfaction, for everything is so commercial. It takes a lot to drag me to a theater. The last flick I watched was Hindi Medium; it was fun, but it could have been watched even on TV. The big-screen experience works for me only if it is larger than life, like Ram Leela or Bahubali. These days, even Hollywood films don’t impress anymore, as their every other character is a super hero.”
In closing, we ask her which desi TV shows she watches, and her answer is just like any other actor’s– “After working for so many hours in Indian TV, I rather prefer watching international horror (Stranger Things), thriller and sci-fi shows (Black Mirror), apart from my own.”
Nice thoughts, Narayani!!
