Mother of all roles

There are very few television actors who remain in our memory long after their shows go off-air. And Gautami Kapoor is undoubtedly one of them.

The actress, who is married to actor Ram Kapoor, has consistently wowed viewers with her versatile acting. In her latest serial — Tere Sheher Mein — she plays the doting mother of three daughters who relocates to India after her husband’s death.

Speaking about her return to the small screen, Gautami says, “This is the first time I am working with Rajan Shahi. I always wanted to work with him but somehow it never materialised. He is a brilliant producer. He gives full freedom to his crew, and at the same time oversees everything.”

Despite all of the hype, the initial response to the show has not been encouraging. Gautami deals with this slightly differently and says, “Ever since the show came on air, I have been getting very good responses. Recently, I went to a mall and a few girls came up to me and congratulated me for my role. They liked my way of portraying Sneha on-screen. For me it’s a big achievement as what matters to me is the personal interaction with your viewers and not numbers.”

Gautami also shares a wonderful bond with the young cast of Tere Sheher Mein. As she adds, “On-screen, yes I am a doting mother and work on some heavy emotional scenes, but off-screen, I am a normal person and gel well with the young cast.” This is also the first time my kids are watching my show and they are quite critical of me for scolding my on-screen kids.”

How did husband Ram react to her performance and her new show? “What matters to Ram is my happiness and satisfaction. He always sees to it that I enjoy my work. As long as I am doing that, he is happy. And he has noticed that in me while I am working on the sets,” the lissome actress says.

Gautami looks very fit but Ram does not! Is this a point of discussion at home? “Not really, because this is something which he has to feel from inside. One cannot force a mature person to lose weight. Ram only listens to his daughter. Maybe one day she can force her dad. I feel the way Ram has carried himself, people have started liking him in this look. Few of my friends called me and told me that their husbands can also relate to Ram as they too have a paunch!”

So, does the couple discuss work at home? “Yes, we do that because we both belong to the same industry. But of course, these days we discuss kids a lot whenever we are at home.”

Sometime back, a few cosy and intimate scenes between Ram and Sakshi Tanwar in Bade Achche Lagte Hai had created a huge controversy. How does Gautami, the wife, react to that? “I must admit that initially it did shock me a bit. But we are actors and this is a part and parcel of our jobs. Ram and Sakshi were both comfortable doing that and the show has also been a landmark entertainer.”