Whenever I see my kids bonding with their grandparents, it brings tears to my eyes

•    What made you accept the show? How does it feel to be associated with Sony SAB again?

o    Wagle Ki Duniya- the name itself was enough for me to accept this show. We all know that it’s an iconic show and I have grown up watching it. It’s a great feeling to be a part of the show but the expectations are also very high from each one of us. Initially, I was very worried because this is one of the epic shows and no actor or writer would want to put any wrong step forward. With Aatish Kapadia being the writer of the show, everyone on the sets is assured of the quality and essence of the show to be the best.

o    I feel that the best part of Wagle Ki Duniya – Nayi Peedhi, Naye Kissey is that we have one story per episode, and I think this is something that the audience will enjoy a lot.

•    What makes ‘Wagle Ki Duniya- Nayi Peedhi, Naye Kissey’ special?

o    The first thing is that the show is on a channel like Sony SAB, which has always come out with enriching content. Wagle Ki Duniya is a slice of life show, with a portion of tongue in cheek humour and there are some beautiful emotional moments as well, which everyone including the production, the channel and the actors will explore together. The second special thing about the show is senior Wagles, Bharati Ji and Aanjjan Ji being a part of it. The third most important and special thing is that 2021 is the centennial birth year of RK Laxman, who created the characters of Wagle Ki Duniya.

•    What can the viewers expect from Wagle Ki Duniya this time?

o    The show originally aired 32 years back, which is almost four and a half generations ago. My generation, along with my parent’s generation have seen Wagle Ki Duniya but our kids didn’t know about the show. So, it’s a show full of nostalgia and memories for us, whereas the new perspective makes it relatable for the current generation as well. The coming together of three generations in the show, makes it a complete entertainer for today’s audience. They will get a mix of every emotion in the show.

•    Please share something about your character and do you relate to it?

o    Rajesh Wagle represents today’s common man, who has graduated from middle class to upper-middle class. We are unearthing a lot of our values which have gone away, lying dormant somewhere. While majority of people prefer living in a nuclear family in today’s time, Rajesh, being a doting son, a loving husband and a caring fatherbrings his parents to his building to be closer to them. The show is a mix of nostalgia, lots of love, humour and emotions.

o    I relate to all the characters I perform and don’t select a particular character if I don’t relate to it. There needs to be some kind of quirk which is appealing to me and I especially like characters that give lots of reactions. They may not be a part of much of action, but they react to everything and I feel I fit into those roles pretty well.

•    Wagle Ki Duniya will now feature three generations of the family. What are your thoughts on importance of Joint Family in today’s time?

o    I think a joint family is very important and plays a vital role in our lives. We should not forget that we live in an Indian society, where we have a long list of family members, who are our core. Whenever I see my kids bonding with their grandparents it brings tears to my eyes, the way they hold and touch each other. So, even though we are living physically apart, we can never be away from each other mentally and this is the core of our show, Wagle Ki Duniya, as well.

•    You have some great shoes to fill in, is there any kind of pressure that you are facing right now?

o    I was a little worried initially but then I realized that more than anything, it’s a matter of pride for me and I am rest assured as far as script is concerned, and the actors I am working with for this show. So, I am fully satisfied on the Creative side and feeling happy and proud to be a part of Wagle Ki Duniya.

•    How has the experience been shooting for the show with the entire cast and crew?

o    Every set of Hats Off Productions is always full of fun and enjoyment and I have known this entire production unit since over 15 years back. My association with Bharati ji goes back to 30 years back, but this is the first time I have an opportunity to share the screen with Aanjjan Ji and Pariva. Our Director, Sameer Kulkarni, is a very lively director and I worked with him 20 years back, so there’s a special kind of comfort and rapport with him. It feels great working with the entire team, and the atmosphere on the set is very healthy.

•    Any message for your viewers?

o    Trying not to sound pompous and cliché, but believe me, 2021 is going to be a beautiful year after the dreadful year we suffered. So, we bring this ‘Laughter Vaccine’ for all our viewers and I assure that everybody will love the show, identify with it and have a smile at the end of every episode. Please watch Sony SAB and be a part of our Duniya, Wagle Ki Duniya.