‘People couldn’t digest women with superpowers on my show’
Indian television is informally called a women’s medium, considering how most of the shows are created specifically keeping the female viewers in mind. But actor Aishwarya Sakhuja feels that the very medium doesn’t have scope for ‘strong’ female characters.
“Aap mujhe batao, TV mein kahaan strong women chalti hain?” she questions, when asked whether the scenario has changed for female actors. “The last show I did on TV was Trideviyaan. People were not able to digest that women can actually have superpowers, they just couldn’t. This is why that show didn’t work. You give me a show’s name which talks about women empowerment, and is not done in a façade. I wish you can come up with one name,” adds the actor.
Aishwarya, who has also been part of shows such as Saas Bina Sasuraal, and Main Naa Bhoolungi, opines, “It’s sad we don’t have such shows”.
The actor further says this wasn’t the case when she was a newcomer, and adding to that, when few such shows are made, she is not approached for them. “When I had started my career on TV, things were not like this. I feel TV can actually come up with better content. Woh ho nahi raha hai. Aur jo better content wale shows hain, woh mujhe mil nahi rahe hain. It has just not worked out,” says the 32-year old, who has been missing from the small screen for quite some time now.
But when it comes to enjoying adulation, she feels TV actors enjoy more love overall, even more than newcomers in films. “TV actors are given a lot of respect, when it comes to TV sets. They are loved by the audience. I don’t think a onefilm old actor will be recognised more than a oneshow old actor,” she signs off.
Rishabh Suri