From Sucheta (Khanna), I have learnt to be patient – Shubhangi Gokhale

SAB TV’s Lapataganj Ek Baar Phir (Garima Productions) takes a five year leap from the first season but Mishri Mausi (Shubhangi Gokhale) is still the overprotective mother of the pretty and young Surili Pandey (Aditi Telang). At the recent press conference of Lapataganj Ek Baar Phir we met Shubhangi and had a talk with her.

In the second season you will see that though Surili is now Biji Pandey’s (Abbas Khan) wife, her possessive mother hasn’t allowed her to go to her sasural. She insists on Surili staying with her parents till Biji’s earning increases. Previously Preeti Amin was playing the role of Surili. The most obvious question journalists asked Shubhangi was if she was missing Preeti. She replied in a very predictable way, “I will obviously be missing Preeti. We were co-stars for three years at a stretch. Our chemistry was wonderful. Both off screen and on screen it was wonderful to be with her. She did great justice to the role. We tried hard to persuade her to be a part of the second season. Maybe as an actress she has grown out of the role and does not want to come back. She is nevertheless a part of my life now. Aditi who has stepped into her shoes is also a very good actress who will do justice to the role too.”

A journalist then asked her if the creative team had taken the permission of writer Sharad Joshi from whose writings her serial had been inspired. She informed us, “We had taken the rights of the four books of his this serial has been inspired from. We are yet to complete even the first book. About 400 to 500 stories have been used from it till date.”

She added that the small town of Lapataganj has technically upgraded itself. After all technological advancement all over the world is rapid. “Every small village now has telephone, ATM and a bank and that includes Lapataganj.”

When Shubhangi was asked about Sucheta Khanna, the leading lady of the show who plays Indumati, she replied graciously, “From Sucheta, I have learnt to be patient. She is a very kind and a hardworking girl.”

Shubhangi avers that at times she is partially living Mishri Mausi. “The role has grown into me. For instance at times I cannot speak in the normal way that I would do.”

A reporter asked her as to why she wasn’t acting in films of late. She replied that she was solely focusing on Lapataganj Ek Baar Phir. “A lot of opportunities have come my way. However it is Lapataganj which is in my blood. When we look out for opportunities we seek for a combination like a nice pay package and good work which Lapataganj provides. I do not have the time after shooting anyway to take up other assignments. I just get the time to wash my hair and then go to bed.”