Don’t know why Maa Durga is not invoking her powers to protect women in India: Piyali Munshi

Bengali TV and film actress Piyali Munshi is quite kicked about playing the title role of Durga in Colors’ show Jai Jag Janani Maa Durga (Sagar Arts).

“It is matter of great pride to essay the most important goddess of my home state on the small screen’” she quips. Her selection was quite humane and not by any spiritual designs, although she is a big Maa Durga devotee.

“Recently some production houses including Sagar Arts had come down to Kolkata and were looking for lead actors. I auditioned for the same and was selected. So simple,” she exclaims while talking of how she got to play the goddess.

“One more interesting aspect of doing this show is that the makers have attempted to show Maa Durga in a different light unlike what we in Bengal have generally known about her. Hindu scriptures have so many varied interpretations and this is the uniqueness of our great culture. Also, since I have heard the entire story and screenplay, I think they will not go down the normal mytho route,” Piyali observes.

Since Durga represents female power, we ask the actress as to what would the great goddess have done to protect women who are being abused today in India, had she been on Earth at this point of time? “I think that she would have stopped all this from happening either directly or through some human form. But the same is not happening and I don’t know why,” she wonders.

When asked to compare the working styles between the directors of Bangla and Hindi TV serials, she avers, “While the shooting pattern is more or less the same, the Mumbai industry is slightly larger in style and scale. Also, I feel that guys here are more professional in their approach to their work compared to their counterparts in Kolkata.”

She also does not have problems living alone in Vadodara, Gujarat (Sagar City). “Originally I hail from a small town in the interiors of Bengal and hence have already been solo in Kolkata for years,” she maintains.

The only fear that is haunting Piyali is that with the coming summer she will have a tough time wearing heavy duty costumes (sari) and props. “But, I have already acted in a Bengali mytho, so I think I will be able to endure the same here with a smile,” she chuckles.

Piyali who has already rocked the Bengali film industry with films such as Magno Mainak (2009),Keno Kichhu Kotha Bolo Naa (2009), is game for a innings in Bollywood as well. “TV is my first step in the larger Hindi entertainment world.”

We wish you all the best Piyali.