Jayati Bhatia talks about staying in headspace of her extremely negative role for 12–14 hours a day

Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Actress Jayati Bhatia has opened up about the challenges of portraying the manipulative and negative Sharda, aka Shalini Batra, in her TV show, ‘Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile’.

The actress stated that remaining in the character’s dark mindset for long hours every day has tested her as a performer.

Speaking about playing the negative character for over one-and-a-half years, Jayati said, “Playing Sharda, aka Shalini Batra, for over one and a half years has been one of the most challenging yet fulfilling journeys of my career. With every twist in the story, Sharda’s negativity has only grown, and staying in that headspace for 12–14 hours a day pushes me as an actor.”

The actress further added that she consciously separates herself from the character once shooting ends.

“But the moment I pack up, I make it a point to leave Sharda on the sets and become Jayati again. My co-stars have always understood that Sharda is just a character, so off-screen we’re constantly laughing and enjoying each other’s company,” she said.

Jayati also shared that criticism directed at her on-screen character is something she takes it as a validation as an actor.

“As for the audience, when they get angry with Sharda or criticize her actions, I take it as a compliment because it means they’ve completely accepted me in the role. I never take those reactions personally. Instead, they motivate me to portray Sharda with even more conviction and honesty. For me, that’s the biggest reward of playing a powerful negative character,” she added.

The current track of ‘Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile’ sees Sharda once again emerging as the mastermind behind Raghav and Reet’s heartbreak after secretly kidnapping their newborn.

For the uninitiated, Jayati Bhatia has been a familiar face on Indian television for over three decades. She is best known for her performances in popular shows such as ‘Sasural Simar Ka’, ‘Shakti – Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki’, ‘Kasautii Zindagii Kay’, ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’, and ‘Jhansi Ki Rani’.

Besides television, she has also appeared in films including ‘Devdas’, ‘Koi… Mil Gaya’, and ‘Fiza’. She currently essays the role of Sharda, also known as Shalini Batra, in Zee TV’s ‘Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile’.

–IANS

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