Going back to TV: Shweta Tiwari

Shweta Tiwari, known for her days on Balaji Telefilms classic Kasautii Zindagii Kay, is back to the mainstream with a web series for ALTBalaji called Hum Tum and Them. The show covers the life of two single parents, Shiva and Yudi, who try to help their respective teenage children accept their new relationship.

The actress reveals that working on an OTT platform project has been challenging and different from what she is used to, “especially the bold scenes of smooching. This is not my world though; I hail from the television background.”

Among the challenges was letting go of her inhibitions, and making sure she was on the same page as the team. She says: “It took me a long time to shell out my limitations, and I must confess that it was tedious for my co-actor Akash Oberoi and the technicians, including the director and producers, to make me feel normal. While hearing the script, I did not feel much, but on set, I felt totally lost when I had to do these bold scenes. When you are not acquainted with the opposite sex and you are asked to kiss him, I felt this was a big step for me to take. I did not throw tantrums, but I was not able to perform it initially. I was feeling very upset and sad.”

Another challenge came in the form of her fans being upset with her for taking on a brazen role. “They have seen their Prerna (from Kasuatii Zindagii Kay) in such a homely avatar, so it was difficult for them to see me in this changed bold avatar. All my die-hard fans even un-followed me. I would only request them to tolerate me in this as this is the life of an actress that I am leading. As an actor, we have to live different characters on reel. Apart from Prerna, please start loving me as I am,” Shweta shares, adding that she will stick to what she knows: Television.

“I promise that after this, I shall never go so bold and glamorous. I belong to television and I will be going back on television, my next show being Meri Dad Ki Dulhan. I don’t think I can ever do such bold web shows,” she concludes.