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INTERVIEW: Sunny Pancholi and Shiju Kataria on Balika Vadhu 2: ‘There is pressure, but we are trying our best’
Sunny and Shiju play the role of Prem Ji and Sejal in Balika Vadhu 2 and insist that the sequel has got nothing to do with the original, but is instead a new story with different characters.
As the second season of Balika Vadhu is round the corner, Pinkvilla got in conversation with Sunny Pancholi and Shiju Kataria, who play the character of Prem Ji and Sejal in Balika Vadhu 2. The two actors insist that there is a lot of pressure, however, they are trying the best to deliver their best. “We are trying our best to live onto the expectations,” says Sunny.
He further adds, “There shouldn’t be any comparisons because it’s a complete new story with different characters. But still, we are truing to deliver our best.” Shiju on the other hand insists that the entire cast is working on the series without taking any additional pressure. “We are giving our 100 per-cent. I know there is a legacy, but we are looking to create a new legacy.” She informs that the brand of Balika Vadhu was enough for her to come on board the show. “The story is so damn beautiful that I couldn’t say a no to it. The basic plot revolves around the concept of child marriage, but the treatment is difficult.”
Sunny at first was taken aback by the idea of being a part of a sequel to something as loved as Balika Vadhu. “I needed the courage to match the legacy of first season. People will be a little slow to accept us for the first few episodes, but then they will treat it as a new show. Trust me, it’s a very modern approach to the story,” he explains adding further that the plot is set in Kutch. “Sejal is the backbone of Prem Ji. He is everything today because of Sejal.”
Anup Soni and Smita Bansal played the character of the protagonist’s parents in the first part, and one can draw parallels of that with the track of Sunny and Siju in the reboot. “Actually not,” is all that Siju says, asking the viewers to watch the show and pass a judgement. The show was shot amid Covid pandemic and both the actors spoke highly of the production team for ensuring a smooth shooting environment by abiding to all SOPs.
