Zee TV’s captivating series Vasudha has been enthralling viewers with its intricate family dynamics and compelling storyline. At the heart of the show is Chandrika Singh Chauhan, a multifaceted character who navigates a web of diverse relationships within her household with remarkable grace and ease. The talented actress Nausheen Ali Sardar brings Chandrika to life with her nuanced performance, delivering authenticity and depth to the role. Produced by Arvind Babbal Productions, Vasudha currently reigns as the number-one show on Zee TV, drawing in audiences with its rich narrative and engaging characters.
We caught up with Nausheen in an exclusive chat with IWMBuzz.com wherein she deciphers the varied layers in her role and also tells us why Vasudha is different as a concept.
I love that Chandrika’s character has so many layers – a layer of romance with her husband, a funny equation with her sister-in-law, a strict mother with Avinash, a doting mother with Dev and so on. That’s what makes the character beautiful and enticing.
Read on.
What makes Vasudha so different as a concept when compared to all that we have on TV today? Explain.
Most television shows are hinged around a girl who struggles all her life and gets a partner who either makes her struggle even more, or else, a mother-in-law makes her life hell. Vasudha is a very different kind of love story, where it is initially, very one-sided from the viewpoint of the girl who is very innocent and naïve. It has the very strong love of a mother and son and son towards the mother and the love of the son towards Vasudha as a friend. This is a very different triangle, not the typical saas-bahu drama. We have completed one year, but we have not succumbed to the girl-gets-married, comes to the house situation.
The show has been a clear example of viewers not sampling only the saas bahu stuff on TV, and can engage in deep-rooted family bonds. Your take on it.
Yes, of course, Vasudha is the No 1 show on Zee TV right now. It has the highest time spent. When people get different content, they welcome it with open arms. The fact that people love the show is because it is different. Ultimately, the core of the show is also family bonds, as every character has got a lot of importance, whether it is my brother-in-law or sister-in-law, the notorious sister-in-law that Chandrika has, my sons who are so alike, and yet so different, the maidservants in the house have a track, the driver has his track and so on. Altogether, everyone has important roles, which summarizes and makes the story strong.
How can you summarize your role of Chandrika Singh Chauhan till now?
Chandrika Singh Chauhan started off as being a very powerful woman. She still is. Initially, the kind of rules and regulations she set in the house, and the way she has an organized life were different. With time, a girl who is completely the opposite of her, comes into the house and mellows her down. She willingly mellows down, and it is not that she resisted the change. Chandrika is fond of Vasudha, and Vasudha idolizes Chandrika. She calls her Devi Hukum, which is a very different relationship. At the same time, Chandrika’s character is very complex. She is very clear that she can consider Vasudha as her daughter, but not as a daughter-in-law. I love that Chandrika’s character has so many layers – a layer of romance with her husband, a funny equation with her sister-in-law, a strict mother with Avinash, a doting mother with Dev and so on. That’s what makes the character beautiful and enticing.
The beauty of Chandrika realizing when she is wrong and making the wrong right is one nice feeling from Nausheen’s perspective towards Chandrika.
Do you think a mother-and-son relationship like that of Chandrika and Dev can exist in today’s era? Your take.
Absolutely!! In my own house, my mother and my brother. My mother is not like Chandrika, but the way my brother is towards my mother, and my mother is towards my brother, is identical. My mother’s word is the last word for my brother. Everything my mother does is gold. We siblings love her, but the way my brother loves my mother is identical to Dev and Chandrika.
For example, when my mother makes something, and if say the salt is a little extra, I will say, Mamma, it is very nice, but salt is a little extra. My brother will show me his eyes, he will ask me why did you say this. You did not have to say it, you had to say it is good. This is the way he idolizes and worships her.
With the show set up nicely and garnering good ratings, what according to you has pleased the audience when it comes to the story?
The look of the show is different. Our Director and Producer Arvind Babbal, and our second Director Vijay and Siddhesh, do not shoot it like a daily soap. One scene takes hours and hours. There is a lot of hard work from actors, and the unit and directors, to make it different. That’s why it looks different.
What have you learnt from the towering personality of Chandrika?
Chandrika’s personality is arrogant, and royal, and holds a lot of self-respect. But she knows when to bow down. She knows when to say sorry, and knows when it is her fault. It takes some time, but when she realizes it, she does not have an ego. She will make the wrong right. That is one of the beautiful traits of Chandrika. Well, as I have said, the core of Chandrika and Nausheen are similar. The way I walk, talk and carry myself, is similar to Chandrika. Of course, I don’t go around slapping people or shouting at them (laughs). That is TV drama. But the beauty of Chandrika realizing when she is wrong and making the wrong right is one nice feeling from Nausheen’s perspective towards Chandrika.
What can viewers expect now?
Well, there are a lot of twists and turns coming in the episodes to come for the next few months. There is going to explosion of layers and madness in the show. There will be a love story, there will be thrilling action sequences, mystery, drama etc. I hope viewers accept it and love it, just like we love it when we work so hard to make it possible for everyone to watch it.
