Journalism of Courage
Clad in a sari and ornate jewellery,Aruna Irani cuts a confident figure as she looks at the camera. The regal ensemble suits her; she looks every bit the Rajmata that she is playing in her latest soap Dekha Ek Khwaab on Sony. There has been an overdose of saas-bahu shows and I didnt want to be a part of that clutter. So when I heard a fresh script that didnt have the regular saas-bahu bickering,I was hooked, she says.
Needless to say,Irani is looking forward to the show,in which she plays a central character. As Rajmata Mrinalini Devi,the veteran actress plays a strong-willed royal who keeps her family together and believes in traditional values. That the shows producer Shrishti Arya is a family friend helped,confesses the actress who was last seen on TV in 2007 on Zee TVs Naginn.
Today,however,her presence is limited to the small screen; a fact that she has come to terms with. If you think I am no longer keen on working in Bollywood,youre wrong. But I have accepted the fact that the industry now has no room for character artistes. Earlier,the films would have the strong roles etched out for the lead characters mother,father and siblings. Today,I doubt if the film industry will ever throw up any roles for a woman of my age.
Meanwhile,her affair with television continues. Apart from acting,she has produced a number of television shows,including Naginn,Rabba Ishq Na Hove (Zee TV),Doli Saja Ke (Sahara One) and the popular Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand (Star Plus),which she also directed. I loved directing; it gave me a different high, she recalls,adding that she has no intention of returning behind the camera. It is very exhausting. When I am acting,I just have to worry about my scene and my role. As a director or even as a producer,there are other pressures on me.
