“I had been approached for Mahadev thrice” : Rubina Dilaik

It was third time lucky for the makers of Mahadev who had earlier offered the role of Parvati and Vrinda to Rubina who finally said ok to playing Sita!

Telly town actress Rubina Dilaik who recently bid an adieu to Zee TV’s show Punar Vivaah Ek Nayi Umeed, is all set to be seen in an all new mythological avatar. The talented actress will be essaying the role of divine Sita as part of the Ramayan track, in Life OK’s much-loved show Devon Ke Dev. Mahadev…

As we reveal the first look of Sita, in conversation with us, the beautiful actress talks about her first mythological show and more about her character…

The hunt for Sita’s role was going on since a long time. How did you bag this role?
I had two reasons to consider the role of Sita. Let’s say, after Punar Vivaah, things have fallen into place coincidentally. This is not the first time that I was approached for Mahadev. Even before the show started, I had been offered the role of Parvati but I wasn’t sure of it because at that moment I was associated with Chhoti Bahu. Secondly, when they offered to portray Jalandhar’s wife- Vrinda’s role, I was out for my US trip. Now, when the offer came for the third time for Sita’s role, I gave it a thought and accepted it.

Have you been following the show Devon Ke Dev. Mahadev off late?
I used to follow the show when the plot of the story was revolving around goddess Sati.

What kind of homework did you do to portray Sita?
Since everything got materialized a few days back, I did not have much time in my hands to do any homework. In this situation, to prepare for such a strong role my acting career till date has been my homework. Also, the correct body posture and the fluidity in dialogues develop when you completely get into the character.

There have been repeated portrayals of Ramayan shows on Indian television, so how is this Ramayan going to be different?
Frankly speaking, I was amazed when I heard the entire concept of the forthcoming Ramayan track. We all have the basic knowledge of Ramayan, which has been showcased in many epic shows. Yet, the Ramayan track which is introduced in this show is mainly going to focus on the pre-historical era, wherein Sita was a princess who looked after the people of her kingdom. At this juncture, the three deities Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are the creator-destroyer and Mahadev is the central figure. And in view of these facts, the story of Ramayan is beautifully connected and woven from Mahadev’s point of view. As a result, many unheard chapters of Ramayan will unfold in this show, and the audience will get a crux of Indian mythology.

Recall your first shot at Mahadev?
Well for my first shot, I had to walk gracefully along with a ‘Shiv Dhanush’. Needless to say, the whole aura of Sita as a princess, her fragile innocence, a little tenderness, and the care she has for her kingdom and the people was quite pleasant and enjoyable. For me, it is a great honor to play such a strong epic character.

Can you share something about your look and how are you managing the heavy jewellery?
As Ramayan belongs to Satyug, all the characters ought to look similar to that era. For that reason, there is a lot of effort and perfection to be put in while getting ready. It is simply not a typical over dose of costumes; in fact the entire look is moulded in such a manner that it appeals and reaches out to the contemporary folks too.

Did you put in any extra effort to the look and costume?
Ramayan is a costume drama and keeping that in mind, it took us 6 hours to decide on the final look. The creative team has worked very earnestly to set things at the right place. There has been a lot of study and research work done to derive at the correct appearance of the divine character Sita.

Being a mythological show, how are you managing with the language and diction?
This show follows a complete different genre as compared to the Indian daily soaps. Therefore, the language and diction involved here is very different. Memorizing the script and a perfect dialogue delivery is not a cakewalk, as it requires a lot of efforts and concentration. However, before I got into the shoes of this character, I asked the production house to mail me the script prior to the shoot, so that I can get a knack of it. Moreover, I even had an extended telephonic conversation with my Dad, Mr. Gopal Dilaik, who is a language writer, so that I can get the pronunciations, notations and the pauses accurate. As an actor, it will be my endeavor to get a hold on my body language, performance, the dialogue delivery and diction right.

How is it working with your new co-stars?
Its just been 2 days that I’ve started with my shoot. I haven’t got a chance to shoot with Mohit Raina as yet, but I have shot with Pooja Bose and it was good as she is a phenomenal actress.