I was in a relationship with somebody from the industry : Bhairavi Raichura

Click on the pic to view slideshow Bhairavi Raichura the ‘actor’ has been popular for more than a decade now. The lady has now added yet another feather in her cap by turning producer with the thriller show on Colors, Chhal Sheh Aur Maat. In a frank t?te-?-t?te with Tellychakkar.com, Bhairavi talks about her journey in television which started with the role of Kajal Bhai in Hum Paanch. How did television happen to you? Honestly, I never wanted to become an actor. But when I was in school I did a few children’s plays because my mother wanted me to open up as I was a shy kid. The director of the play later wanted me to do a Gujarati act; I took it up as I had summer vacations. The skit was directed by Homi Vadi, who later went on to direct Mano Ya Na Mano for Ekta (Kapoor) where I did an episodic. This is how I met Ekta for the first time and she offered me Hum Paanch. I simply took it up because it was once again my summer vacation and I was going to enter tenth standard soon after it. Since I did not have much to do, I gave a nod to the show. That’s how I became an actor. When acting was never on your mind didn’t you ever think of an alternative career option? Hum Paanch became such a big hit that I started getting other offers and since I had just completed my tenth and I was going to join college, I took up whatever came my way. There was a point when I was doing four serials at the same time which included Hum Paanch, Hasratein, Gudgudi and Bagbandi on Zee TV. Work just kept coming and I never got the time to think. However, as a kid I wanted to become an airhostess but then when you are young, there is so much that you want to do. Otherwise, I never gave it much thought. How did you turn producer? Nandita (Mehra, business partner at 24 Frames) and I met on the sets of Astitva Ek Prem Kahaani and we hit it off well. That’s when we realized that both of us wanted to come up with our own production house, and decided to do it together. However, it took quite a while for things to materialize. How is work divided at 24 Frames to maintain the smooth running of events? I handle production; my sister handles finance and Nandita handles the creative side. And we usually try not to interfere in each others’ departments. But we do manage to enter at times and that is when we have our share of fights and discussions, but our bond is so strong that everything settles in no time. Why did you choose a thriller subject like Chhal Sheh Aur Maat as your first show? Yes, I agree it was a risk. But Colors took a big gamble with us too as they did not have a social thriller drama on the channel. Neither did any of the other GECs have any such show. But Prashant (Bhatt-Fiction Head, Colors)) wanted a thriller social daily soap and we agreed. We felt the need to try something new and wanted to leave the rest to fate. Had we done something similar to all the other shows, we wouldn’t have been standing out in the crowd. And till you do not take a risk, how will you know if you’ve succeeded or not? Are you enjoying the producer’s cap? How different is it from acting? As an actor you finish your job and go home but as a producer you don’t sleep. You are always on the run. You have to take care of the telecast and the little issues that keep cropping up at the last minute. But somehow Nandita and I have managed it. In fact, when the first episode of Chhal went on air we couldn’t believe it was happening. Do you have any insecurity as a producer? Yes, there are very few channels and too many producers, TRPs do create a lot of insecurity every Wednesday morning. But that is the fun of the game. We are not kids and we know what we are getting into. Some shows do well and some don’t, but you have to keep working. Who are your friends from the industry? Nandita, she is my partner as well as my closest friend and Swapna Wagmare Joshi too is a very good friend. Apart from these people, I have my Sasural Genda Phool friends. I have many friends from outside the industry and that include my college friends and my sister who is also married to one of my college friends. Your younger sister is married but you are still not? It’s simple, she found someone she wanted to be with and I did not. So are you in a relationship with somebody currently? No, I am not. It’s surprising as to why you were never linked up with anybody in spite of being part of the industry for so long? I don’t go out much as I am not a party person. Hence, it’s natural that I never got linked up. But I was in relationship with somebody from the industry, but it never came in the open. And that person wasn’t an actor. Don’t your parents pester you to get married? There was a point when they used to pester me but now they don’t. In fact, they tell me that if I find someone nice I can tell them. Or if I want to get married they will find somebody (laughs). Recently, we had reported about Hunar Hali having a short lived fling with Ali Mercchant. Do you think her image could affect the show’s ratings and popularity? I did not know that. I have a laptop but I am not net savvy. I have never been on any of the sites, so it’s hard to believe this piece of news. I do not know if she had something to do with Ali Mercchant. Continue… As far as the show getting affected, I don’t think it matters as my mom (avid TV watcher) does not know about it (smiles). So it’s only the internet audience that knows about it and they do not get us the TRPs. For the TV watchers, Hunar is a normal girl and they are not even interested in gossip and they will not go on net. So what she does in her personal life is her personal life, and on the sets she is very professional, so I do not have an issue with her. The television fraternity is dominated with male producers. Does it get difficult for you being a woman producer? I have a partner (Nandita Mehra) who is a well known person and people respect her work, which also works in favour of the company. Now that the channels have started giving shows to creative people, Nandita fits the bill well. Does casting couch prevail in the TV industry? I haven’t come across something like this as I have got one work after the other. And I have worked with all female producers from Ekta Kapoor to Kavita Barjatya. I think God has been extremely kind to me. On a personal note, how do you unwind? I usually hangout with my sister and her husband. Apart from that I go on small holidays and some international holidays every year. Do you have pets? I have fishes and I keep talking to them all the time; in fact I have named them too. Are you like Kajal Bhai in real life? Kajal always did a lot of dadagiri and bhaigiri and I am not like that, but yes I like things to go my way. And I think that’s fair enough as every person wants the same. But then you have your near ones who keep you grounded.