Zarina Wahab Is Smriti’s Mother-Article

Zarina Wahab is Smriti's mother

BT speaks to Zarina Wahab about entering Virrudh, playing strong characters on screen and being a tolerant wife in real life

ROSHNI K OLIVERA

There's a lot of hype surrounding a character called Shalini in Virrudh past few days. She is yet to make an appearance. Clearly it's a powerful role because the woman is playing Smriti Iraani's mother. So who's Shalini? That's one question on viewers' minds. BT found out that it's yesteryear's Bollywood heroine Zarina Wahab, who'll be making an entry in the next two days.
Ask Zarina about her role and she prefers not to reveal much. "It's a powerful character. She is a strong woman who, due to circumstances, gets weak both physically and mentally. In fact it's one of those roles that leaves a lasting impression on your mind even after you pack up for the day. After the serial Naya Zamaana, it's this role that I'm really glad to play," she says.
Zarina is currently part of SaharaOne's
Zaara —Pyaar Ki Saugat, where she plays a negative role. "Actually it started on a positive note, then I turned negative and now I'll become positive again," she reveals. So does the TV serial trend where a character can go positive or negative in no time bother her? "Not really. I'm used to it now. I've been doing it for five years," she laughs. What does bother her a bit is the "dialoguebaazi" in the tele world. "There's too much dialoguebaazi in TV serials. There are such long dialogues that the focus on expressions reduces. But I discuss things with my
directors and ensure that I can focus enough on my expressions," she says. And how does she manage time for family? "That's not a problem because I'm an early riser. I'm up by 4.30 or 5 am. I tell my directors that I don't mind coming on the sets even at 6 in the morning. But I prefer to wrap up by 8 at night. On those occasions when we have to shoot late they inform me a little in advance. So it's fine." Work apart, Zarina's personal life too has been in the news, where she is often looked upon as a liberal and very tolerant wife to hubby Aditya Panscholi, who's recently been linked with actress Kangana Ranaut.
Ask her about it and she smiles, "A lot of people say 'Oh! His wife just doesn't bother.' It's not like I don't feel. I'm a human being too. But, I don't need to show anybody whether some thing bothers me or not. At the end of the day, what matters is peace in the family. Todna ek minute ki baat hai, jodna bahut mushkil hai. And I prefer jodna."