Aasif Sheikh: Aasif Sheikh of ‘Bhabhi Ji…’ spilled pain, said- people used to pick up my phone, used to consider me as ‘Nalla’ he was nalla

‘TV is missing the soul of content’

There is a difference between the content of Doordarshan and today’s time. At that time more work was done on the content. Where is the time now? Nowadays the soul of content is missing in TV shows. Now content is created faster. Earlier, 5-6 days were spent on each episode. These days the episodes are made in a day or half. Now even that time is not available as TV shows have turned into daily soaps from one or two days a week. In such a situation, the quality will take a beating somewhere. Because of this, the performance also takes a hit. An actor needs time to perform, a director to think and a writer to write. Now everyone is running according to the trend. On the other hand, technically speaking, TV has become very advanced.

‘Who would sleep at night wearing false eyelashes’

Of course, TV needs improvement. The more it should grow, the more bad content of mother-in-law was shown. If we tried to show something different, our audience would have evolved a bit. They got stuck in the mother-in-law-daughter-in-law or got trapped in the snake’s round. These are things of such a backward era. How can they be called progressive? Show the life you are living. These things must have started earlier. Now mother-in-law has no time and daughter-in-law has become a job. Who has time to fight over small things? Well, who would sleep at night with false eyelashes on? We didn’t just show intelligent shows to the audience. Even if it doesn’t work, you should have tried. Now internet is everywhere. People are watching global content. TV now has to match them all.

‘It should be understood that not good but bad times only teach’

I had a very difficult time from 2011 to 2014. During that time my mother had heart and kidney problems. He used to keep coming and going to the hospital. I even gave up work to take care of him. Learned a lot in those four years. Slowly things became clear that what is the reality of life. That time gave the manners of good and bad. Taught who is ours, who is a stranger. It is known who lives with you and who picks up the phone. People didn’t pick up my phone. He used to think that due to lack of work, I should not ask him for money. Everything became known in those four years. A major part of my mind was spent only worrying about him. When my mother passed away, my mind went completely blank. It took me a long time to get over it. Well, time is the most powerful and what it teaches should be learned. Anyway, it is not good but bad time that teaches.

‘Now I want to do a comedy show or film for OTT’

I have done around 100 films. He did so many roles. Now my desire is to do a good show or film on OTT. Anyway, where do you find good comedy shows on OTT. There is no comedy content there. I need a platform to showcase my growth and learnings in the last 8 years. Now the time has come to present what I have learned on a bigger scale. But there is a problem with OTT. TV actors are given less attention there. They have their own separate people. It will take some time for TV actors to enter OTT. We will have to work harder to get there. Work is given time in OTT. There are month-long workshops. He has the advantage. what do we have. Half an hour ago the scene would come and it would be said, ‘Let’s perform and show’. As an artist, we don’t have a chance to think and understand. We don’t get as much time as them, but still we manage to perform average.

‘Kimi Katkar first met me, then got ready for the film’

My debut film was ‘Rama O Rama’. ‘Yaara Dildara’ was my second big musical film. Its song ‘Bin Tere Sanam…’ became a huge hit. Even today its remixes come and it is heard somewhere. Everything was new at that time. We shot it at Shera Ghat, which was a valley. Used to go to the mountains for shooting. There was no light etc. there. I was new, so the hotel etc. was not found. All our food used to come from the mountains. Those roads were very difficult. Sometimes breakfast was seen coming in front of him and while coming, the pot was seen falling. Then egg bhurji on one side, parathas on the other. That was a memorable time. My first film was Kimi Katkar in Rama O Rama. Earlier there was a plan to do it with Govinda but he did not have time, then a new actor like me was given a chance. Kimi met me before doing the film Katkar, we talked, then she agreed to do the film.

‘Salman and my friendship is 30 years old’

Salman Khan and my friendship is 30 years old. Mine and his first film were coming simultaneously. He treats me like his family friend. Earlier, when we used to work together, we used to eat together, go home, work out etc. In my view, he is a very good person. No matter what anyone says to him in the defense mechanism, I have known him closely. If someone in need comes, he doesn’t say anything, he just secretly helps him. His soul is pure. When I get a chance to work with him, I don’t miss it. I did two of his films with ‘Bhabi Ji…’. First India and second ‘Kisi ka Bhai, Kisi ki Jaan’. Salman bhai already tells you to come and do the film because no one else will play that character except you.

‘That old lady started crying holding my hand’

Aasif Sheikh explains that a TV show becomes big when people love it. Looking forward to seeing him. Many spectators have started crying after coming to me. I got a call from someone that there is an old man who is on bed and I am his favorite actor. She wants to meet me. I went to meet him. Will not agree, she started crying holding my hand. She started telling that her whole day is spent waiting for my show ‘Bhabi Ji…’. Similarly, a call came from an elderly aunt from Delhi, who told, ‘My husband and I are ill and both are on bed. Our children are abroad, because of which we live alone. The moment of happiness comes in our life when we watch ‘Bhabi Ji…’. We sleep only after watching your show at night. Her name was Manju Aunty. I stayed in touch with him for a long time. Similarly, my friend’s sister came from London, who also brought her 13-14 years old daughter. She started telling, ‘My daughter is crazy about you. There was a time when the daughter and her grandmother used to get glued to the TV at a fixed time. I checked what they see. When I saw, I also kept on watching. In this way the whole family started watching this show at night. I have seen other big shows, but I have never seen the kind of connection people have with our shows.