“I always had a bit of Shailaja left in me so my job was only to stimulate that side a little bit and I was all set to make a comeback”…says Supriya Pilgaonkar

Supriya Pilgaonkar – a name known to many as a renowned artist and personality in the Indian entertainment has recently seen making a come-back with one of her famous shows Sasuraal Genda Phool 2 as Shailaja on Star Bharat.

An artist who is known to many for her stint right from the Marathi industry to the Indian Bollywood and television – this famous star is known to don many feathers in her hat. When spoken to her on excitement on making a come-back in Sasuraal Genda Phool 2 she said…

1. Tell us what new the viewers will witness in your character Shailaja in Star Bharat's’ upcoming new show Sasuraal Genda Phool Season 2?

There is so much in store for the audience this season. The show redefines joint family dynamics, educates you in terms of values and most importantly, celebrates love.

There are some things that the makers haven’t changed about the show because as they say, old is gold, but even then, major changes will be seen with regards to Ishan’s way of living.

Though how Shailaja deals with all of the Kashyap family with great grace and dignity has not changed one bit over the years.

I would say there is a lot of Shailaja still left in me as we are quite similar with regards to keeping our families together against all odds.

So the new twists playing along with Shailaja’s poise and ethics will be like a breath of fresh air to watch on screen.

2. What preparations did you do for your role in the show?

Like I said, I always had a bit of Shailaja left in me so my job was only to stimulate that side a little bit and I was all set to make a comeback!

To portray the wiser Shailaja, I had to mentally become her by getting myself to be in her shoes and acting accordingly.

She hasn’t changed a lot over time so essaying Shailaja once again was like a homecoming to me and not that much of a task to pull.

3. Tell us something about your bond with Jay Soni?

Jay and I share a very special bond. We especially bonded over food. If there’s food on the sets, our eyes always pop out.

Though he has been taking great care of me and is always after me to go on the right diet. I always listen to him in that regard.

We also have a very unique way to greet each other. We baby talk with each other every time we are on the sets.

We share the sweetest memories as we’ve known each other for quite some time now.

He is always looking for chances to pull my leg and our fun banter has forever been a part of our shoots so in many ways.

4. Tell us what makes this show different compared to your previous shows?

The show is coming at a time when the world is just resurrecting from losing too much to the pandemic and looking to re-establish their bond with their respective families and what better than a show like ‘Sasuraal Genda Phool 2’ to tell the audience about family bonds and togetherness.

This show can make you want to be a part of the Kashyap family yourself and bring a smile to your face at the worst of times and that is what makes this show so different from the others.

Though every show has its USP and it isn’t essentially a competition. This is a show that showers positivity and hence is all the more special to me.

5. How do you manage to keep yourself fit in todays’ time?

I was the last person to be fit. Although I am very concerned about my family, even my dog’s fitness but I have forever been careless towards mine.

With the constant support of my daughter Shriya, Shaheer my on-screen son and my SGP2 family, out of which Jay is the most concerned one, I am now becoming very health conscious and making sure to follow a stable diet.

I prefer a simple home-cooked meal and I eat a lot of salads in the due course of the day. To keep myself going through the day I practice yoga.

I begin my morning with five soaked almonds and five walnuts whereas on my cheat days I enjoy a lot of chaat food and Chinese too.

But on a serious note – to keep myself fit in these Covid Times I have a lot of warm water and have my tea at regular intervals. I make sure to keep myself well hydrated and try and eat most of my meals at home.

6. How does it feel shooting in these current trying times?

Of course, while shooting we are in very close proximity without masks and it is pretty risky.

There is always the thought of getting sick lingering in the back of our heads and the pandemic has made us all get a little bit too sceptical about these things but, we are all extremely happy and excited, more grateful to be working even amidst such a dreadful time for the entire industry.

The risk is real but we are taking all the necessary precautions such as maintaining social distancing protocols as much as we can, timely sanitisations on the sets, sporting masks at all times and trying to get doubly vaccinated as soon as we can.

Nevertheless, we have to give in to whatever the scene is demanding of us. When the pandemic first hit us, it was all pretty scary; though now we’ve all begun to get used to the new normal

7. Do you feel that the viewers and fans will respond to Sasuraal Genda Phool 2 with the same amount of love the show received when it first aired?

I am sure that the viewers will love the second season as much as they loved the first season of the show. It’s the same Kashyap Parivaar that will be coming on your television screens.

We are working very hard to keep up the entertainment level of the show in the same enthusiasm as in the first season.

We can just hope and pray that the viewers accept us with open arms and continue to support us on this new journey.

8. After a successful career in both television and movies what made you say yes to this show?

Working with the cast and crew of Sasuraal Genda Phool 2 is like working with family and one can never say no to family.

This was one main reason why I said yes to the show. Secondly, the entire script and storyline of the show are so beautifully written that I said yes to do season 2 of Sasuraal Genda Phool in the blink of an eye.

It was also a very emotional moment for the entire SGP2 family as we really missed Ravi Sir and the show is kind of a tribute to him.

Mitali Di Is such a great person and also, we have seen Romit as a young boy who is now doing so well in life. So, it was a collective decision to make SGP2 and now it feels like our prayers have been answered.

I am truly excited as I partake in this journey and I hope the viewers and fans support us and show the same love and appreciation as they did in the first season.

Tune in to watch Supriya Pilgaonkar as Shailaja Kashyap in Sasuraal Genda Phool 2 at 8pm only on Star Bharat