Being a desi at heart

SAVVY & SASSY

Why the extra ‘h’ in Chhavi, I ask, snooping around for numerological prompts, and she retorts, “It’s the correct spelling in terms of pronunciation! No other reason. So ‘ch’ is like ‘chacha’, and ‘chh’ is like ‘chham chham’!” Actor Chhavi Mittal spells sheer fun and sass as she gears up for the launch of her next rib-tickling show Game of Thorns – The Desi Hustle (GoT) on her madly creative digital channel, Shitty Ideas Trending (SIT).

The YouTube channel was born two years ago because the telly simply refused to give Chhavi that creative freedom she craved, in an exciting, challenging, non-monotonous way. Feeling hemmed in by the limited scripts and roles they brought along with them, Chhavi took to the web with SIT. And with her latest outing in Game of Thorns – The Desi Hustle, a crazy spoof on the famous show Game of Thrones, Mittal has hit the bull’s eye.

“It has been a whimsical ride, shooting for GoT. I would say Murphy’s Law was absolutely in play throughout the shoot. We were shooting in Naigaon (very far from Mumbai), and it was pouring like there was no tomorrow. The car broke down, the special make-up took up half a day, and the costumes were perfected at the last minute. But I guess all’s end that ends well. The end result is absolutely hilarious!” says Chhavi, who herself plays the role of the mother of the king in GoT, along with a smashing motley of actors who play out the remaining roles.

Though Chhavi’s movies Ek Vivaah... Aisa Bhi and Kaisay Kahein earned her a coveted space on the silver screen, she confesses that “television has made me what I am. I have learnt everything that I know from television. In movies, the best part is that you work on a different project each time, so there is no chance of getting stagnant or complacent. But I have reinvented myself with my foray into the digital medium as an actor and producer, and the reaction that I have received here is absolutely unbeatable. The power of the medium imprints you online for eternity. It is a fabulous way of experimenting with new tactics, looks, humour, stories...”

Soaps like Bandini, Naaginn, Teen Bahuraaniyaan, Tumhari Disha, Ghar Ki Lakshmi and Betiyann made Chhavi Mittal a household name. Rising to the fore to meet the web challenge, Chhavi has co-founded the digital production company, Shitty Ideas Trending. Clever businesswoman genius on display, this.

Teaming up with her husband Mohit Hussein is the best thing Chhavi could have possibly done, by her own admission. “Without him, I would shatter to pieces every day,” she exclaims. “He is the one with a crazy sense of humour. Mohit comes up with amazing punchlines at the spur of the moment and makes everyone simply crack up. I think this stems from his intrinsic chilled-out nature.”

The duo is busy working on their new web series, The B(e/i)tter Half, for SIT. The script pivots itself around the stories that unfold in every household, between every husband and wife. “Full of bickering, love, one-upmanship, and the ‘sorry’, this web series spotlights humour in everyday situations, which otherwise seem mundane and rather annoying,” says Chhavi. That’s what hooks the viewer, the easy connect and the natural flow of the script.

What makes Chhavi stay connected to herself is her passion for singing. “Music is definitely genetic for me. I started singing at the age of four. I was a child who was destined to be a singer. So, I never miss out on a chance to sing. I do it for the love of music and not for money,” she says.

What more could she possibly want? “Well, I believe that I am blessed in every way, and I cannot thank god enough for my beautiful family, budding business, and a great life. As for my anthem, I believe, if you can fix it, do it. If you can’t, there is no point stressing anyway. I subscribe to the philosophy that whatever happens, happens for the best. So, I do my best and leave the rest,” sums up the savvy actor, businesswoman and television anchor.