Exclusive! Amrita Puri: I had to struggle with not questioning Anju’s choices in Ranjish Hi Sahi

While Ranjish Hi Sahi is currently in news thanks to Tahir Raj Bhasin and Amala Paul, the show would be incomplete without Amrita Puri, who played Tahir’s on-screen wife named Anju in the series. The actress, last seen in the short film Clean, is back as the year 2022 commences. The actress, who is a fan of the 70s era, had some things to look forward to while working on the web series.

Amrita also addressed the rumours around the series being based on Mahesh Bhatt and Parveen Babi’s love story. She spoke about coming to terms with accepting Anju’s behaviour and more, in an exclusive interview with OTTplay. Excerpts…

First a sweet sister in Clean and now a loving housewife in Ranjish Hi Sahi. Has 2022 started on a sweet note for you?

It has. I’m starting off the year with a release and ended another with another release. It’s great for me.

There are reports that Ranjish Hi Sahi is true story based on Praveen Babi and Mahesh Bhatt? Is that correct?

I don’t think it’s inspired from one particular event or is based on two individuals in particular. Our director Pushpadeep has not only directed but also written the story. He has worked in the industry for about 15 years now. So, a lot of it is from his experiences of what it’s like to be a struggling director and what goes beyond the glamour that comes with show business.

Did you have a real-life reference to your character?

No. It’s not based on a living individual who exists or any particular person. It was purely from Pushpadeep’s imagination and his character sketch.

In Ranjish Hi Sahi, you are accepting your husband despite him having an extra-marital affair. How would react if you were in a real life situation like your character?

It was something I struggled with because I had to keep on telling myself that I could not question the character’s choices. I would keep talking to Pushpadeep about that. There are some things that wouldn’t sit well with me. When he sat down and explained to me that it was the 1970s and how men and women were different back then. What was accepted and considered to be okay was very different. So I had to keep that in mind constantly. As a person who is born and brought up in this age, as an individual, I wouldn’t be okay with this situation but you would never know unless you are in a person’s shoes. There are a lot of discussions that as individuals, we do not have a free will. We’re a product of our upbringing, circumstances, the situation we’re placed in and because of those experiences, we make certain decisions. I wouldn’t want to pass judgement.

Were you directly offered the role of Anju or chose to play her in front of Amala's character?

I was directly approached to play Anju. Pushpadeep was very clear in his head about what he wanted and was looking for. They needed a particular innocence in Anju which he felt that I had.

What about Anju would you say is you as a person?

Once I decide on something as a person, then I’m very determined about that. I identified with that when it came to Anju.

Do you feel that one person can love two people at the same time?

Yeah. It is definitely possible. There’s no way that you only have little space in your heart and can love only that many people. Love is also not just in one form, right? There’s romantic love, yes. There’s also you loving your friends, family, pets. There isn’t limited scope that you just have limited space in your heart for love.

Do you believe you can fall in love with someone else after getting married to someone?

Of course. People fall in and out of love all the time. Marriage is merely a social construct and one made by society. They have placed these rules but we’re human beings. Before these rules and institutions, it wasn’t that you can only fall in love with one person. So it’s absolutely possible and I’m sure it happens all the time, whether it was the 1970s, 1900s or 2020.

What about going back to the 70s were you most excited for?

The look and the costumes. I used to love the hairstyles. Even if you look at Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi and Smita Patil, I just love the way they had their little bangs and wearing sarees. It’s great to be portrayed in a different light and get in the skin of your character and get a completely different look.