Exclusive! Saas Bahu Achaar Pvt Ltd star Amruta Subhash: I went to our AD's aunt's home to learn to make achaar

With the recent success of Panchayat 2, the excitement for another Viral Fever Video production is high. The production has created a new series, Saas Bahu Achaar Pvt Ltd for the OTT giant, ZEE5. The makers released the trailer for the series recently and it has already struck a chord with the audience with its small-town story. The series, which stars Amruta Subhash, Yamini Das, Anup Soni and Anjana Sukhani, will be releasing on ZEE5 on July 8.

As the series is nearing its release, OTTplay caught up with the lead actor, Amruta Subhash and Yamini Das who play the daughter-in-law and mother-in-law duo in the show. The two actors spoke about the series, what more can the audience expect from the series other than an inspiring story and their key takeaways from the show. Amruta Subhash also spoke about how she nailed the Purani Dilli accent in the show by roaming in the markets and observing the body language and mannerisms of the people. Excerpts of the interview translated from Hindi and edited:

The trailer looks great and has been receiving great responses. It is an inspiring story of a woman who is working to set up her business and earn income to get her kids back. What more can the audience expect?

Yamini: A winner. Winning after the struggles. After the struggle, there should be winning. That is what I think is for me.

Amruta: I agree with Yamini di. It is about success and the definition of success. I think this series will change the definition of success for you. Success is not just measured by material gain but also by the journey you go through within yourself. I think it is a journey that will make you laugh, make you emotional and give a feel-good factor. It will inspire you to do something. Due to some reasons, we do not work on what we aspire to. Life moves on so fast that we get tired and give up. In such a fast-paced life, when you watch something that is an inspiring story, it will give you a different feeling.

Ms Amruta, you said earlier in an interview that you look for some unique thing in a character. So what was it about this character that you found unique and decided to do it?

Amruta: I have done similar projects earlier where a woman is not well literate. I have done a role of a prostitute, Lilly in Bombay Begums who is not literate. The USP of this story and the character is that she is not only uneducated but is also completely unaware of what's going on in the world. She has never gotten out of the kitchen. Lilly in Bombay Begum was uneducated but she knew about how the world functions. But Suman's character (in Saas Bahu Achaar) is such that she just moved from her father's kitchen to her husband's kitchen. She hasn't seen the world and when she is abandoned and left alone to face the world, it seemed more challenging for me. She has no ambition, hasn't studied and is totally unaware. It's like how a kitten gets frightened and meows when you abandon it in the streets. To show that struggle of hers was unique for me. And she does not turn bitter in this journey toward success. She moves past her sadness and anger. That was what was unique for me.

Also for her to decide to walk out of the abusive marriage is brave. You do not expect women, especially in small towns, to take that plunge.

Amruta: Brilliant observation. Thank you for directing me to this point. Not just in a small town, I have seen my own friends tolerate it. She stays in the relationship despite being beaten because she believes that there is nothing in life for her without her partner. Main kisi bhi hadh tak apne partner ke saath he rahungi, chahe wo mujhe maare, pitte, gussa kare. I'll still stay with him. So what is it to be modern? I think the series will also change the definition of modernity for you. Modern is also about being educated but Suman, despite being illiterate, comes out of an abusive relationship. Belonging to a small town, the word divorce in itself is taboo, so much so that people cannot seek divorce at all. Divorces are so uncommon and if they decide to get a divorce, women are then labelled, saying, 'Kaun si Suman? Arre wo divorce le thi na, wo waali Suman'. It becomes a woman's identity. In such scenarios, pulling yourself together is very challenging.

Ms Yamini, you play the role of her mother-in-law, who is very supportive of her and encourages her to do the business. Could you tell us more about your character?

Yamini: My character of a mother herself has gone through a lot of struggles, and has had her own journey. She has brought up a child without her husband. So she understands her daughter-in-law's struggles and connects with her as a woman. In our society especially, people say that it gets difficult for a woman if she is left by her husband and they point fingers at the woman's character as well. Probably, she might have faced similar struggles in life and that is why she feels protective about her. She wants to empower her. A woman can do something only when she feels empowered. That is why she supports her.

Did you find the role relatable?

Yamini: I found the character very relatable to me. I can't see other person's suffering. I try to empower that person so that he or she can stand on their own feet. I can't see injustice. I won't directly help the person. If you do not know how to make roti, I won't make roti for you but will teach you how to make it and you can learn.

It seems to give a fresh take on the daughter-in-law and mother-in-law's relationship, which is mostly presented as a bitter one, involving fights and bickering. Also, mothers usually support their sons, no matter how wrong they are.

Yamini: It is a fresh take. Definitely. Some women in these situations will pull their daughter-in-law down like anything but some women take a stance for them. I have met them. You cannot interfere in someone's life after a certain point. You cannot tell your son and daughter-in-law what they should be doing. It is their journey. But you don't do injustice to anyone. So I have seen and met these people who are like that, who maintain a balance in life. This series brings that out.

How did you two prepare for the role, Ms Amruta? You also have an accent. Was it challenging to do it?

Amruta: Yes, it was challenging because everybody else on the show is from the Hindi belt. The characters, played by Anup ji, Yamini Di, Anjana and the kids, all are from Delhi. I had that pressure that if I don't get the accent, I will look different. So, I took lessons from Pratik Shrivastav, my junior at the National School of Drama. He worked with me on my accent. I am grateful to him for that. He took me to his aunt who lives in Purani Delhi to make me learn how she prepares pickles. We had our assistant Akshat. His surname is also Shrivastav. I play the role of Suman Shrivastav and I used to joke around how all Shrivastav are coming together to help each other. I had told Akshat that we could all roam around the Purani Dilli areas. I was observing the people there, the way they dress and their mannerisms. I was roaming around with Akshat to observe the body language of women and their dialect. It was fun learning it. I used to stand close to them and see them shop lehengas as it was wedding season.

We shot in the winters of Delhi. We have worn different kinds of sweaters. I feel excited about preparing for a role. I really enjoy it. I had to ride a bicycle in the old lanes of Delhi. I had to ride gents bicycle, for which my fitness guru helped me.

Did you learn to make achaar too?

Amruta: Yes, of course. You must have seen it in the trailer. They have a big cutter that they use to chop. I learned how to use it too and it was fun.

Ms Yamini, your story in itself is inspiring. You started working at 50, setting an example that it's never too late. What do you think have been the benefits of starting at this age?

Yamini: The benefit is that I don't have to worry about my kids. My son and daughter-in-law are on their own. My house is all set up. My husband is supportive since he has created a routine for himself. I can manage my house from anywhere. I have a good maid to take care of my house. Agar main pehle karti to shayad bachha bimar pad raha hai, bacche ka school hai, college hai, mujhe kisi cheez ki zimmedari he nahi hai. I just want to now get out and enjoy. That is a huge deal for me.

You both are singers too. So what was it like on the sets? Did you get together and sing as well?

Yamini: Yes, we did. Our vans used to be close to each other's. I used to hear Amruta doing her riyaz. I used to listen peacefully and feel at home where my husband does his riyaz. Wo bahut pyari riyaz karti hai. Mann se karti hai riyaz. And we talk a lot. Anjana is a foodie (laughs). Sometimes, she used to get idli, sometimes she orders samosa. Dilli ka to khana peena hai he famous. And we were in Chandni Chowk and the food there is even more famous. We used to eat something new every day. The entire work atmosphere was nice and fun. We even sat in the hot sun and had our breakfast and lunch together, me and Amruta.

Amruta: And we used to also have a lot of talk about spirituality. Some of my beliefs have changed because of Yamini di. I remember one day, I was telling her about an awards ceremony the next day and how many times, I feared that with growing success, my people would move away from me. So I feared success. Yamini di told me not to fear success and that it is God-gifted. I won the award the next day. I feel it is because she changed my belief that I got the award. There have been few changes in me because of Yamini di. I am grateful. I didn't think that I would get Yamini di as a gift through this series. But I got it.

Yamini: (to Amruta) Feeling is very mutual, baby.

What have been your key takeaways from the show?

Yamini: To be non-judgmental. Sometimes, it is the situation that has brought out the best or the worst in one person. The second wife, played by Anjana is not bad. She is not trying to break someone's marriage. Anup Soni is the husband who is not happy in the relationship. So, that is why he is angry. He is not a bad person. If he were a bad person, he would be bad to everybody. The same is with Amruta's character. She is not wrong. She did not do anything intentionally to not be in a good space with her husband. It is because of the situations that they are that way.

Amruta: I also feel the same. There is a scene where my husband Dilip, played by Anup ji, tells me, 'Suman, main tumse pyaar nahi kar paya, ye meri galti to nahi hai'. The way he tells this sentence, it is hurting but at the same time, it teaches her something. Koi insaan galat nahi ho sakta kisi se pyaar nahi hua hai to. Then, she accepts it and returns the house keys to him. I learned to let go from her. For Suman, the responsibility of running the house was on her and she knew and felt she owns even each spoon in her kitchen. For her to leave that house and return the keys and get on a new journey without any bitterness, is a big takeaway for me and that's Suman's character.