Mona Singh says she ‘couldn’t return’ to being herself after Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahi, says won’t do the show now: ‘With age…’

Mona Singh essays the role of Bulbul Jauhari in Zoya Akhtar's recently released series, Made In Heaven 2. The actor talks about her debut show Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin and how she could have been cast in Zoya's film right after the show ended in 2006.

Mona Singh made her debut with Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin.

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It’s been a decade and a half since Mona Singh attracted the television audience with her bespectacled, innocent and spirited Jassi on Sony TV’s Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin. Like her many fans, film director Zoya Akhtar also can’t stop raving over Mona’s performance on the show. In fact, Zoya was so impressed with Mona that when Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin was on air, she approached the actor with a film offer.

In a recent interview, Mona revealed meeting Zoya Akhtar for the first time for a film. The two have recently worked together on the Prime Video series, Made In Heaven season two. “I remember during Jassi, Zoya had called me for a movie which didn’t work out. I think it must have been for Luck By Chance, since it came after Jassi. I met her at that time for the first time,” Mona said during an interview with Galatta Plus.

Showering praise on Zoya, Mona also recalled how she was “shocked” and “couldn’t believe her ears” when she was approached by the team of Made In Heaven to play Bulbul Choudhry in the second season of the show.

Also read | Mona Singh reveals getting ‘bored, tired’ with many rehearsals on 3 Idiots set; Aamir Khan told her, ‘Mona, this is a film, not a TV show’

Since Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, Mona Singh has evolved as an actor. But she credits the show for teaching her the basics of acting. She shared, “I was learning to be an actor on the sets of Jassi. I never had professional training (in acting), but I think TV is that ground where it teaches you everything — your lighting, your mark, your continuity. I am a quick learner, so for me, it was not easy, but I was willing to learn and I was open to all kinds of experiences during Jassi.”

Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin aired on Sony TV.

However, at the time, Mona “couldn’t return” to being herself after returning from the shoot of Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin. “I didn’t have any training on how to switch off. I used to carry that emotion back with me at home and worry. If I had crying scenes all day, I used to be in that mode all day. I used to listen to all emotional songs to be in that zone. Then I realised, it is not good for me and my family around me because I didn’t talk to anybody after I came home. I was so mentally exhausted because being a protagonist, you are there in every scene. So, when Jassi got over, everything came to a standstill for me. Suddenly, my phone wasn’t beeping, there was no call time, and there was no set to go back to. So I felt so lost,” revealed Mona.

Also read | Made In Heaven 2 review: Zoya Akhtar-Reema Kagti show is good-looking, high on drama and emotions

After that Mona went on a vacation and also got a call from Sony TV for various projects. And now, she claims she has learnt to just ‘switch on and switch off’ from her characters. She has evolved as an actor.

“With age, you mature. You meet so many people, you imbibe, you absorb, you observe, and you become a better actor and person. So, I don’t think I will be able to Jassi now, not at all,” said Mona Singh.

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Adapted from the Colombian drama Yo soy Betty, la fea, Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin was launched in 2003 and had a successful run till May 2006. The Sony TV drama opened to big numbers and continued to top the chart for a long time. It also starred Apurva Agnihotri and Parmeet Sethi in the lead roles.

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