Known for her portrayal of antagonistic roles on TV, actress Jaya Bhattacharya has revealed why she chose not to work for seven years, saying it feels like the word 'negative' is written on her forehead.
From films like Devdas to Mimi, and TV shows such as Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Thapki Pyaar Ki, Jaya is now seen in the recently launched show Chhathi Maiyya ki Bitiya. The actress said: “It feels like the word 'negative' is written on my forehead. I have been offered more negative roles in my career so far. The first negative character that I played, which got famous, was Payal from 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi'. People thought that I could not do any other roles.”
“For this reason, I did not work for seven years. I started having bouts of doubt about my talent. I questioned myself, whether I am an actor or not. Do people not feel that I can play other roles as well? Hence, I decided not to work for seven years. I didn't want to only play negative characters; I wanted to play diverse roles and portray a complete character, which makes an artist feel happy and satisfied,” shared Jaya, who starred in the show 'Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai'," she added.
Jaya further said that if similar roles are offered repeatedly, the artist gets bored as there is nothing new to apply. “If not completely different characters, one should allow the artist to experiment within the negative roles. When variety is offered, only then the character is known and makes a place for itself among the audience,” she added.
In 2020, Jaya cut her hair short and during the lockdowns, even went bald. In a video she posted on her Instagram, the actress showed herself shaving off all of her hair. Speaking to Bombay Times at the time, Jaya had said, "I am an animal lover, and I have been taking care of the strays in my area for almost 20 years. Now, given the coronavirus pandemic, safety and hygiene measures are a priority, and I was finding it difficult to manage my long hair. I stay with my father, who is 90, two staff members, who are like family, and four dogs. I step out at least thrice to feed strays and give food to the needy. Since I have to take a bath every time I come back, it was becoming difficult to manage my long hair."
In her new show Chhathi Maiyya ki Bitiya, Jaya portrays the role of Urmila, the stepmother of the male lead, Kartik (played by Aashish Dixit). Urmila's character holds deeper complexities that will unfold as the storyline progresses. The show is a heartfelt family drama that follows Vaishnavi (played by Vrinda Dahal), an orphan who reveres Chhathi Maiyya (portrayed by Devoleena Bhattacharjee) as her mother. The show also stars Sara Khan. It airs on Sun Neo.
With inputs from IANS
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