Reena Wadhwa

It feels nice to be a winner

“I am basically very strong-willed and that makes me seem pretty aggressive”

That her serial Aatish would be nominated in the Best Drama category was something Reena Wadhwa was always sure of. She was also expecting a nomination for Best Actress. What she hadn’t expected was to actually win the Screen Videocon Award for her power-packed performance in this sister vs sister strife. "It took 24 hours for me to accept the fact that I had won. I’m elated, it feels nice to be a winner," she says simply, disbelievingly.

Who wouldn’t be considering that it has taken her just three years to be acknowledged as an actress? When Reena entered the show world she didn’t know a soul. And was too self-respecting to go around asking for work. So she did the smart thing and produced a serial, Neeyat to realise her dream of becoming an actress. She was lucky she had a rich and supportive husband in Ashok Wadhwa who was only to happy to start a production company for his wife. In the three years, since Karnik Communi-cations has produced six serials.

Reena started with Neeyat that sparked off interest thanks to its intriguing subject. It took us behind-the-scenes into the lives of glamourous film stars and detailed their love-hate relationship with journalists. Reena played the role of a promising actress, Shefali Rane and was encouraged by the success of her small screen venture.

Neeyat was followed by Ek Mulaqat set against the backdrop of colourful Rajasthan. Though the serial was lavishly mounted and shot in location in Rajasthan and Gujarat, it was not well received. "Perhaps it was too Rajasthani in its feel at a time when serials like Amaanat set in Punjab were in," reasons Reena.

However, the unexpected failure of this serial didn’t deter her from producing two more, Arth on Zee and Aatish on STAR Plus.

Arth depicts the contrasting viewpoints of two women. While one believes in live-in relationships, the other women is all for commitment and ends up tying the knot with a much married man. Reena who’s usually so very glamourous opts for a change of image and plays a docile, middle-class, saree-clad housewife in the serial. However, despite her deglamourised appearance Reena hasn’t really managed to break out of the mould. "That’s probably because of my commanding voice," she laughs. "Also I am basically very strong-willed and that makes me seem pretty aggressive."

Interestingly, the serial that has got her recognition as an actress is the one in which she plays an assertive, aggressive, glam-glam go-getter. Aatish is about a girl born under the influence of Saturn whose sole aim in life is to destroy her grandmother. Reena’s enjoying herself playing this evil character.

What very few people know is that when Zee launched Sawaal Dus Crore Ka to counter STAR’s Kaun Banega Crorepati they decided to stay with Reena’s mega fantasy, Thief of Baghdad on Wednesdays. "It was a compliment to the serial’s quality. "I knew it was a good product but I wasn’t very comfortable about it being pitted against KBC," Reena admits. Thief of Baghdad did well in the time between 8.30-9 pm but in the latter half when it was up against KBC the ratings started falling. Now the serial is being aired on Sunday morning and the ratings have picked up, says Reena sounding much relieved because she’s spending almost Rs 9 lakh per episode on the serial.

Reena’s latest offering is Panaah that began telecast on DD1 last week. It’s about two women who share a strong bond. Ironically, it is their friendship that ruins their lives. Reena plays Prerna who shelters her friend Shreya when she’s trapped into a loveless marriage only to stumble upon her having an affair with her husband.

Another serial that Reena has lined up for the near future is Kahin Jiya Jale, Kahin Diya, a daily soap that has Reena in "a very different role".

The actress has only been acting in her own productions. Is she averse to working with outside banners? "Not really, but I don’t want to get bogged down with too many projects because I want to devote equal time to my children," says Reena, who’s balancing her act as a mother, wife, producer and actress perfectly. Films are on her agenda too but only if the role is similar to Renuka Shahane’s in Hum Aapke Hain Kaun or Shefali Chaya’s in Satya. "I want to do strong character roles," she asserts.

For an actress who began with a small role aeons ago in the laugh-riot Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi and then got married and quit working for several years, it’s been a remarkable co-meback. "This award has made me so happy but my husband is happier," she says with a fond smile, basking in her much-deserved glory.

Chaya Unnikrishnan

TOP