"Geeta is like Rakhi Sawant; she's muffat but kick-ass" - Anjori Alagh 
By Devansh Patel, May 26, 2009 - 16:59 IST
The last time we interviewed her was during her second Bollywood outing, for Vikram Bhatt's 1920. She is also the second child in her family after her elder sister Savari Alagh. What's more, this babe has got a dual personality - the good and the bad in her. Good because she took us out for a lovely dinner last year at Indigo Deli and Mainland China where we munched on some paper thin pizzas and her favourite Apple slush. 'Rings a bell Anjori?' Bad because more than the bites on her Pizzas, she often bites her finger nails. To add further, this is the second 'Seeta Aur Geeta' offering. While one was made as a movie starring the beautiful Hema Malini, this one's being made as a 260 episode tele-series currently aired on NDTV Imagine. Yesterday, the 25th of May 2009 witnessed the debut of Anjori Alagh on to the small screen and how. A private party was thrown in by the producers, Abhinav Kashyap (Anurag Kashyap's brother) and the Bohra Brothers, to mark the launch of 'Seeta Aur Geeta' at the Country Club in Andheri. Anjori had given us the time - 7.15pm. We wait for her to arrive, and as soon as she does we congratulate her. A firm shake of hands, a warm hug and a little whisper in the ears saying, "Please be honest and tell me how you like my first episode" makes you want to sit more and enjoy the battle of the goodies and the baddies in the form of 'Seeta Aur Geeta'. So pristine is Alagh that we noticed she hasn't changed a bit. She looked half cute and half sexy. In fact, she looked double the thrill last night in her sleeveless sky blue tee and skirt. No gaudy make up, no fake smiles, no over the top saying 'I always wanted to venture into television' and all. We sometimes wonder, 'Was there any sense in us calling her Alagh?' Didn't we say she was pristine? Anyway, the double role fever had just started to sink in for us as the lights dim and our eyes are forced on to looking at the big screen for the small screen masti to unfold at a brisk pace. UK's Harrow Observer columnist and Bollywood Hungama's London correspondent Devansh Patel was a special guest last night to witness the first of its kind tele-series based on a full length feature film 'Seeta Aur Geeta'. So as soon as the curtains come down after the launch, the cute and sexy Seeta and Geeta walks towards us saying, "Please tell me how did you like it?". The answer was too obvious, "Wait till you read it tomorrow morning sweetheart." Though we didn't want to make Anjori Alagh waiting for more, we decided to give her something else in return. No review but an interview was waiting for her round the corner. With a diet cola drink in her hand she orders one for us too in case we started to sweat in the summer heat. So with two gulps down, we started talking about her two dream roles, twice the fun, too much hard work and her double act - from cinema to television.
The amount of effort gone into playing Seeta and Geeta has surpassed all my previous film efforts
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Do you still think you're a part of a film because the serial is based on one?
Yes, I think so because it's been shot so differently. It's not shot like a regular television show. It'll feel like a T.V show once we start churning our episodes. But the amount of effort gone into playing Seeta and Geeta has surpassed all my previous film efforts too, and I'm being honest here.
Are you honest because here you've got more screen space than your films?
No. There are no expectations from the past in playing something which Hema Malini has already played because it's going to be very difficult. A lot of work went into playing the role of Geeta.
How was the workshop you've done in 'Seeta aur Geeta' different from the film workshops you've done in the past?
Guess what, I've never been a part of a film workshop. Normally it's the other way around. We did less grooming for the role of Seeta because it was easy to play the character that had less dialogues. We carried out different scenes from the script. Rehearsed on Seeta's and Geeta's body language, how she walked and talked. The kind of language they speak, etc. Abhinav Kashyap and my director Maqbool Khan sat for two weeks at a stretch for the workshop to brush up on my double act.
There will surely be a love-hate relationship here. I mean, the viewers are going to love or hate either of the two characters.
I think both might be liked. Most of our Indian men love the docile, sweet, gharelu ladki. And then the women will like Geeta more because she fights back. She is more kick-ass and muffat.
Did you get some feedback on the show from Hema Malini?
No. I didn't get to interact with her much. I wanted to but till then the Press came and took over. But she was really supportive and I didn't want her to be upset. She did say, "Don't get worried about your characters Anjori. Play 'Seeta Aur Geeta' the way you would like to play them". And that's exactly what I'm doing on screen.
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Women will like Geeta more because she fights back
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But there will be comparisons we're sure.
Yes there will be. But a lot of things that Seeta and Geeta were back then, people don't identify with today. The style is the very late seventies and eighties but the situations are very much in sync with today.
What are your expectations?
I am not expecting drastic changes to happen overnight. The TRP's and all. It's going to have a bit of a snowball effect because even when I watch a show sometime and I like what I see, I'll start watching it again even though I started seeing it from the third or the fourth episode. That's why there are repeat shows in television which is an added advantage.
And what about your return back to Bollywood?
I will return back to Bollywood in 2010. I've got stuff in hand that I want to work on which I will after I finish the entire shoot of 'Seeta Aur Geeta'. The only reason I chose to be a part of this was because it was based on a film. I've sent text messages to a lot of my Bollywood celeb friends who will be also be giving me their honest feedback. 'Seeta Aur Geeta' is going to be a one off serial I'll ever do in my life.
What about your brother-in-law, Sameer Nair, the head of NDTV Imagine. The media says that you got this opportunity because of him.
What rubbish! A channel cannot be run on relationships. I went and auditioned and Sam, as I call him, didn't even know till Sunil Bohra called him and informed him about me being chosen for the serial. This credit is not going to Sameer Nair. It's all mine.
Will 'Seeta Aur Geeta' give a lot back to you in return when you again jump back to films next year?
Yes. It's a great grooming process I'll take back. I've done two films in my career and I've had many flaws in it. I need to work a lot on it and this is a golden opportunity I can ever get. I am shooting every single day till the end of the year and I'm sure it's going to help in the long run. There are no breaks in serials like in films.
So are you prepared for your best and the worst feedback?
Yes I am. I have already started getting the feedback. It's not like everyone is patting my back and saying that I've done a wonderful job. No. There is feedback I get from NDTV Imagine, there's feedback which my producer and director gives me. It's a constant learning process on what to do and what not to.
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It's not like everyone is patting my back and saying that I've done a wonderful job
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Any surprise celebrity guest we'll be seeing on the 50th episode?
Unlike other tele-series which does that quite often, we don't wait for the 50th episode. We do that even sooner.
In real life, we are today witnessing a lot of your crew members pulling your leg. Show some of your Geeta traits here.
(Laughs) They all do. Yes, speak to my ADs, my director, my producers and even my cameraman. They like pulling my leg because I can take a joke and laugh at myself.
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"I am really thankful to God that I have done my first film with Vikram Bhatt." - Anjori Alagh
