MUMBAI: Actress Sarita Joshi says working on the teleplay Sakubai reminded her of the time when she bonded with her house help after losing her husband.

"‘Sakubai' is not just about the struggles of a house help but is emblematic of all women who continue to smile through the ups and downs of their lives," Sarita said.

She continued: "When I first read the play, it reminded me of all the women who have cooked for me, helped me raise my daughters, and looked after my home. I was reminded of their innate dignity, generosity and also their pain. Sakubai made me recall a time in my life when I had bonded with a house help who, like me, had lost her husband. Like her, I too had started wearing white constantly till I realised, I had to embrace colour once again for the sake of my daughters. I gifted her a few sarees and slowly, she too stopped wearing white."

"To bring Sakubai to life was a journey. For me a character is a culmination of all her life experiences," she added.

The actress feels she has "crafted Sakubai like a sculptor chisels a statue or a painter details a portrait, and invested in her all the memories I have of resilient women like her".

"From her walk, her confident body language to her mannerisms, everything was drawn from a real person," she added.

Talking about teleplays, Sarita said: "During the pandemic, teleplays worked, and they also work for senior citizens who might find it difficult to visit theatres."

Zee Theatre's teleplay will air on Airtel Spotlight this month.