But the time was right to catch up with him and chat about many other things. Don’t forget to watch the video below. Rakhi is talking after a long time. This is a very engaging conversation.
You are in the news and you know why. A few hours ago, you put out a post denying that you have been approached to play the role of Dayaben (earlier played by Disha Vakani) in ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’…
The media is calling me. I don’t know where this rumor originated.
But you didn’t deny it when the news first started coming out…
I came to know about these news a day before yesterday. I thought this rumor would end but it kept on increasing.
Have you seen the show?
Tell me one person who hasn’t. It is iconic like ‘Hum Paanch’ which I did in my younger days.
How much of this have you seen?
Kaafi dekha hai. I love watching comedy.
Will it be too challenging for you to replace Dayaben?
Comedy comes naturally to me. But of course it will be challenging. However, it won’t be too difficult.
That distinctive Gujju tone of his…
I’ll have to educate myself on that. We are actors who get into characters. Like recently I did a Bhojpuri character. But you know what! There are many people in my building who are Gujju.
Would you like to do it your way?
I have to take a lot of nuances from her style and include Mary. I’ll have to do a good merge. If I do it completely my way, it can be difficult for the audience to relate to.
Have you ever met Disha Vakani?
No, I haven’t met him in my life. It’s a pity that I didn’t.
Are you friends with anyone on ‘TMKOC’?
No, I don’t know anyone from the show.
We saw you in some movies and TV shows, but on and off. Where have you been?
For some time now I have been working, but not every day. I have a mother and I love spending time with her. I started working at the age of 14 and a few years ago I realized that I have not given any time to my family.
Breaks are of two types- one is that the work that comes in these days is not as good as it was 20 years ago and second is that senior actors do not get the same salary as the actors of today’s era. Asking for very low fee…
I disagree with the first part of your question. I think there’s still a lot of good work that comes along. It all depends on what you add to it, what you bring to the table. If you don’t add to it, it shows. As for the second part of your question, yes the remuneration is not as much as it should be, but if you love your craft then I don’t think you will shy away from it.
You said in one of your earlier interviews that you took this break because you wanted to save your marriage from falling apart…
I wasn’t in great shape when I didn’t get married. I needed time to come back. Any kind of breakup is heartbreaking.
Are you in touch with your ex-husband Rajeev Tandon?
No, not at all.
In touch with Raveena Tandon (former sister-in-law)?
nobody. I believe that in such circumstances you need to move on.
Sources reveal that you have found a new man in your life…
I have been dating this man for 7 years. A common friend introduced us. He and I both have a past. We decided that we will go with the flow and decide later whether we want to get married or not. Now we have decided to get married. Actually, we were about to get married last year but my father passed away. So yes, we are going to get married soon.
And may we know his name?
Sure, this Farid is Karachiwala.
When are Farid and you getting married?
Maybe December 2022, but the month is not fixed. Maybe a month or two after that. We are waiting for a year to pass after the death of our father.
more about that?
He is a builder. He is the sole supplier of eggs in Mumbai. He has a big farmhouse in Pune. I am blessed to have such a great human being in my life, especially after the fact that my life had become so messy. He is a wonderful person.
So, you must be spending a lot of time in Pune?
Yes. He has a house in Mumbai and hence he also visits Mumbai frequently, especially on weekends.
Will life be in Pune or Mumbai after marriage?
Mumbai, but we will shuttle.
What happened to your father all of a sudden? If I’m not wrong, he was only 71/72…
Yes, he was 72 years old. Nothing, he came back from work one day and never woke up. He always used to say that ‘I will leave the seti market in a hurry’.
What else is happening in your life?
Preeti Sinha (daughter of Vinay Sinha who produced the unforgettable ‘Andaz Apna Apna’; she recently produced a web show ‘Six Suspects’ with Ajay Devgn) is a close friend of mine. She is working in many web shows. He has promised me a role that will erase my comedy image. It’s been 25 years since ‘Hum Paanch’, yet people remember me as Sweety Mathur. They still come and say ‘she used to open the door by singing you songs and I used to do the same’.
I also did ‘Naagin’ recently. Ekta Kapoor and I went down memory lane and talked about the days of ‘Hum Paanch’. Ekta was only 16 then.
Are you in touch with the ‘Hum Paanch’ gang?
Yes, and we also met recently on Ashok Saraf’s birthday. I learned comic timing from him.
Saraf is a wonderful actor. And, Ekta is a wonderful producer and now a very good mother too…
Salute him He is simply wonderful.
