Exclusive! Shikha Talsania of Yeh Shaadi Nahi Ho Sakti: It's the performance that counts, not the medium

Shikha Talsania is a versatile actress who has been making a mark in all mediums. She has been seen on stage with multiple plays, in films like Wake Up Sid and Veere Di Shaadi, web series like Potluck, and the teleplay Yeh Shaadi Nahi Ho Sakti. Daughter of veteran actor Tiku Talsania, Shikha says it is not the medium, but the opportunity to perform that matters most to her.

The actress recently had an insightful conversation with OTTplay, alongside her Yeh Shaadi Nahi Ho Sakti co-star Adhaar Khurana.

Shikha said, "For me, the medium does not really matter, as long as I get to perform. So, whether it is a stage play, teleplay, cinema, or web series, it really does not matter. Acting in a teleplay is a little different. Since it is a hybrid medium, the performance is different, especially when you deliver a long scene. It is different from the way it is done on stage. When you are on stage, even if you fumble for a second, you just continue. But on camera, that does not happen. We have to start over, so the energy is that of a live performance, and yet we use the advantage of the camera."

The teleplay is an adaptation of Shakespeare's classic comedy The Taming of the Shrew, and Shikha says she is excited to play a feisty character like Pallavi in the teleplay. 

The story of Yeh Shaadi Nahi Ho Sakti revolves around Priya and Lakshman, who want to get married to each other but can't because Priya has an unmarried elder sister, Pallavi. Lakshman then makes an elaborate plan so that he and Priya can get married, but everything goes wrong, and the fun begins from there.

Telling us more about her character, Shikha said, "I loved playing this character because Pallavi is modern, confident, and feisty. She is not looking for a man to come into her life and complete her. Eventually, she gets smitten by Kishore (played by Adhaar) and does get married. The play is a tribute to the 1990s, so that was the most exciting part for me. The way that each character has been approached is so much fun."

While revealing details about his character, Kishore, Adhaar said, "My character, Kishore Awasthi, is interesting because he is an Indian who lives in the UK and wants to only get married to an Indian girl. When he comes to India on a trip, he meets Pallavi Shukla, who does not believe in love and rejects every man that she meets. Kishore takes up the challenge, so to speak, to make her fall in love and get married to him."

Asked about what kind of challenges he faced as an actor in the teleplay, Aadhar said, "I have been acting on stage for a long time, so it was not challenging. As an actor, I am a restrained performer. Since the play is set in the 1990s, it was a challenge to portray such a flamboyant character. That was a task for me."

Yeh Shaadi Nahi Ho Sakti, a teleplay directed by Akarsh Khurana, also stars Chaitanya Sharma and Prajakta Koli, is available to stream on Zee Theatre.