Period dramas better than soaps: Jaya Bhattacharya

Jaya Bhattacharya, who is currently seen as Maham Anga, foster mother of Akbar in Bharat Ka Veer Putra-Maharana Pratap has bagged an important role in Devon Ke Dev Mahadev. She is playing Diti, wife of Rishi Kashyap and the mother of Asuras. Says Jaya, “I play a character who feels she has been short-changed in life. Her sister Aditi is the mother of devas — Indradev while Diti is not even allowed in heaven. She feels it’s not fair and asks for justice.” Jaya, who is best remembered for her role as Payal  in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Gayatri bua in Banoo Main Teri Dulhann is now seen in period dramas.

And, Jaya prefers it that way. “In social soaps the roles are more or less the same. If I play the heroine’s mother, it will be positive and if it’s the hero’s mother who is against the girl he loves, it will be negative! At least, in period dramas actresses like me, Shilpa Tulaskar etc, who have made a mark in the industry, have something significant to do,” says Jaya, who has several serials to her credit. Ask her if her track in Maharana Pratap has reduced and she avers it has derailed a little. “Unfortunately the boy (Sahil Deshmukh), who was playing Akbar earlier, got sick and our track got stunted. So, when I got the offer for Mahadev, I took it up,” explains the actress who has just made an entry.