Arvind Babbal has been watching Priya Thakur, who plays the titular character in his show Vasudha, closely since before the cameras rolled. As the director of the show, he knew exactly what he was looking for in his lead, and when he found her, it wasn’t in the usual places.
He said, “When we first met, one thing I really liked about Priya was that she is Pahadi, not from a city. Because of that, she had a certain straightforwardness and a strong sense of self-respect in her. That is exactly what I wanted in Vasudha as well, someone who is from a village and cultured but does not compromise on her values and principles.”
That quality, he believes, translated directly to the screen. But what has kept Priya going isn’t just who she is; it’s how hard she has been willing to work.
He said, “Apart from that, she is a very hardworking girl. When we started shooting in Udaipur, I still remember the very first day of shooting. Everyone has worked extremely hard for their characters, and that hard work pays off in return. Priya has worked very hard. She started from zero, and all of us moved forward alongside her.”
As the show has grown, so has the standard on set. Arvind describes a team that has quietly raised the bar on itself, week after week.
He said, “Even today, no matter how much success you achieve, taking things for granted is very wrong. Earlier, if we used to do two readings, now we do six. Everyone comes prepared from the makeup room and practices thoroughly, and no one forgets their lines here. Our actors are so responsible that they come fully prepared.”
“Looking at their preparation, it feels as if they first appeared for an 8th standard exam, then moved on to the 10th standard exam, and now they are preparing for the 12th board exams. Right now, the atmosphere on the entire set feels like everyone is preparing for their 12th board exams. Everyone is putting in extra effort and doing extra preparation. Seeing that feels really good,” he added.
Behind the scenes, though, is a schedule that demands everything from its cast. He doesn’t shy away from acknowledging just how much these actors give up.
He said, “Priya has worked very hard because nobody reaches success this quickly without putting in a lot of work. These people leave for home at 9 or 9.30 at night and then have to reach the set early again the next morning. They have to take care of themselves, take care of their character, and keep up with their preparation as well. It is very tough. For any actor, doing a daily soap is not an easy thing.”
It’s a reality that weighs on him. He said, “Many times, I feel quite sad because sometimes that child just wants three or four days off, and I am unable to give her that. I feel like sending her away for ten days so she can meet her parents and relatives, but what can we do? We have to deliver 30 episodes a week. Even then, we try to give one or two days off whenever possible, but still.”
What makes it all work, he says, is something that goes beyond professionalism. The bond on this set is real, and it shows.
“The family you see onscreen is just as strong offscreen as well. Everyone lives like a family. If Dadi says something, everyone listens to her. During the scenes she is Dadi, of course, but even when she is not acting, she continues to be everyone’s grandmother offscreen as well,” Arvind added.
