She walks like a robot. She talks like a robot. Encompassed with simplicity and integrity, she shot to her fame in Life Ok’s popular show Bahu Hamari Rajnikant. The charismatic human behind this robot Ridhima Pandit talks exclusively to The Free Press Journal about her show, journey towards acting and much more…
Being a woman we tend to do different things at once and that is clearly portrayed in your character – Rajni as a human Robot, so how do you relate that phenomenon in your real life?
I personally feel that in real life all Indian women, like for an instance my mother, who has been a multi-tasker ever since I had been a kid are more or less like robots. My mother has been a homemaker, even though she had a hobby and wanted to pursue her career at work. But today I have started working and my parents are also getting old so I am also going to concentrate at home. Multi-tasking is something that we Indian women have inherited. I always say that every woman is a Rajni in her own way as they can do multiple things at one go.
What made you to choose acting as your profession?
Actually at the age of 6-7, I always wanted to act and that was something that I was never vocal about. Until I turned 19 years old I never really acted. Even in my school annual shows I always danced but never did skit or an act.
My heart would beat towards acting and dance was still a job for me that, but something that I could enjoy. I don’t want to hone that craft as much as acting. I remember telling my father that there is a theatre workshop that’s coming up. It was Nadira Babbar Ji’s theatre workshop. It was not that they were against it and it was my assumption that they wouldn’t be okay with it.
One day I just told them that if I can take that workshop and they said “ya..go ahead”. I did theatre for 2 years and but somewhere down the line I quit acting for a while and took up a regular jobs, even though my heart was always into acting.
Eventually, I started doing ads. I did ads for 2 years. As an actor you need to be seen more of you and you need to act it out. I was tired of being in ads and wanted to create different roles and hence I chose the best medium that is television.
If Rajni was a real Robot then what would you command it to do?
If Rajni was a real robo then, I would command Rajni to go to work so that I could go on a vacation.
What is your definition of love?
Love for me is as like its unconditional because that’s what my parents have given me and that’s would be my parameter for love. That’s how I measure love in life, any kind of love. If it’s a true friendship I need to know that person is going to be there for me and if I am looking on romantic life then whether I leave my parents and go to another house I should absolutely feel no difference. Love is comfort and a place where you look forward to be.
If Rajni was a real robo then I would send Rajni to work so that I could go on a vacation. That would be my command. |
Bahu Hamari Rajnikant plays with the idea of a human robot which is quite similar to the concept of an old English popular sitcom Small Wonder, so do you think the subject is relatable or lacks freshness?
No, if you look around Indian television, you don’t see such good stuff and I can proudly say that this is something refreshing. Apne cheez toh apne ko achi lagti hai and I am not taking that away but if I was a viewer of this show and if I was watching it then I think I would have loved every minute of this show.
This content is clean in my show; the way the writer has written, the scenes are so nicely written and they are so funny, people are liking it and I have not received a single negative comment on social media. Lot of people were saying “please don’t get any supernatural in the show; we are liking it the way it is. Don’t start to make it melodramatic, its comedy and its fun” and all of that otherwise it gets typical.
With Small Wonder there is no connection whatsoever because it was one of my favorite show. As a kid I used to comeback from school and watch it diligently. But there is absolutely no connection.
Any message to your fans?
It’s all a new experience for me. From being a fan towards someone to having fan; it’s a lovely feeling. I would do anything to retain them and secondly I would like to request them to keep supporting me in my journey henceforth and watch my show because I need all their love and support. It’s my first time ever and they have received it well. Just do whatever you can to make your parents proud in life.
