Shubhangi Atre: I am not bothered by controversies

It’s been eight days since Shubhangi Atre stepped into the shoes of Shilpa Shinde as Angoori Bhabhi in ‘Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai’. The actress, who is currently working hard to master the Bhojpuri accent that is one of the trademarks of the character, told us that she is not bothered by the controversies that surrounded Shilpa’s exit and is considering this role as a fresh start.
Excerpts from a chat:
Not planning to gain weight for the role
Talking about her co-stars and the show, Shubhangi says, “It’s wonderful to be associated with the show and the team is also great to work with.I knew Saumya (Tandon, the other bhabhi on the show) from beforehand and she told me that she had watched my show ‘Kasturi’. Set par kaafi logon ka pehla reaction tha, ‘Liposuction karwake aa gayi hai Angoori. Patli hoke aa gayi hai’. But I am not focusing on gaining weight for the role. Rather, my primary focus is to get into the skin of the character and act to the best of my abilities.”
Learning to master the accent
Shubhangi added, “Our director is quite good at explaining things. Since I belong to Madhya Pradesh, I don’t have much of a problem speaking in Hindi. As for talking with a Bhojpuri accent, I have done a few roles that have required me to talk with this accent.”
Replacing shilpa for the second time
This isn’t the first time that Shubhangi has replaced Shilpa in a show. Shubhangi had replaced Shilpa in Chidiyaghar too. “It’s just a coincidence that I am replacing her in a show for second time. I have done roles where I have been there from the beginning, like ‘Kasturi’, ‘Kasauti Zindagii Kay’. It hasn’t happened intentionally. I think the makers thought that I fit the character perfectly.”
Birthday gift for me
“I had auditioned for some other show around a month back. But then, I got a call for this role and then they did a mock shoot with me. Main isse replacement ki tarah treat nahi kar rahi. This role is a fresh start for me. I am hoping that the audience will love me in this role. I got to know on my birthday (April 11) that I will be playing the role of Angoori. So it’s like a birthday gift for me. My daughter is really happy to see me playing this role,” she told us.
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This character is not jinxed
Before Shilpa stepped in as Angoori, Rashami Desai was supposed to do the role. But Rashami quit the project before it went on air and Shilpa took up the role. So, does Shubhangi feel that this character is jinxed? “No. Many people are considered for a role, whether it is in films or on TV. ‘Darr’ was offered to so many actors but then finally Shah Rukh Khan did the movie and the rest is history.”
Koi bhi show kisi ek actor ki wajah se nahi chalta
Shilpa has been claiming that the show will shut down without her and that her fans will not watch the show. Does Shubhangi fear the comparison and criticism? “Of course, there is pressure. Being an actor, agar darr jaoongi, toh kaam hi nahi kar paoongi. I love challenges. Is show ki khaasiyat iski writing aur direction hai. All the other actors and performers have also contributed to the show. Koi bhi show kisi ek actor ki wajah se nahi chalta, aisa main maanti hoon. It’s a team effort. Usmein producer ka dimaag aur unka paisa, saare writers, directors, technicians, spotboys sabka contribution hota hai. Main khade hoke nahi bol sakti ki show meri wajah se chal raha hai. Baaki, audience hamari bhagwaan hai aur unhe decide karne dete hain ki iss show ka future kya hoga,” she stressed.
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No actor can be made to sign a contract forcefully
The exclusivity contract has been the bone of contention between the producers and Shubhangi’s predecessor. So, has Shubhangi signed the exclusivity contract that Shilpa didn’t wish to sign? “I won’t like to talk about the clauses of my contract. But yes, whenever a contract is signed, it is signed on the basis of mutual understanding. Aisa nahi ki producer actor ko pressurize karta hai ya actor producer ko. Donon ki taraf se apne clauses hote hain. Jab aap sign karte ho show, toh aapko ek amount bhi diya jaata hai. You are compensated well. If you are not okay with the terms of the contract, you shouldn’t sign it. Whenever tripartite contracts (the three parties being the actor, producer and the channel) are signed in our industry, they are signed with mutual understanding. Forecfully kuch bhi nahi kiya jaata,” she clarifies.