Shruti Sharma has spent nine years building a reputation for serious, intense roles. When she was approached to play the lead in Umesh Mehra’s Office Office Chali Musaddi Ki Beti, a comedy show rooted in one of Indian television’s most beloved franchises, she knew exactly what she was walking into, and she chose to walk in anyway.
The decision was not made lightly. She said, “We have all seen Office since childhood. When I came to know that a new version was being made and the producers approached me, they gave me the whole narration and explained that while the concept and baseline remain the same, everything would be done freshly.”
“As an actor, I love taking challenges. I was nervous too, because in today’s time, drama is working so much that bringing a comedy show itself is a challenge. But as an actor, I always want to experiment because only when you perform in different genres do you discover your range,” she added.
The character she stepped into, Anokhilal Musaddi, daughter of the iconic Musaddi Lal, is both familiar and entirely new. She said, “I’m playing Anokhilal Musaddi, who is the daughter of Musaddi Lal, the character originally played by Pankaj Kapur. She is a fighter, intelligent, witty, humorous, and very proactive. She never gives up.”
“In the original Office Office, Musaddi Lal often had to lose in the end, but Anokhi is different. She doesn’t lose. She makes sure she wins and teaches others a lesson instead. That’s what makes Anokhi special,” she added.
For the look, she made a deliberate choice to resist the temptation to go big. She said, “I wanted to keep it very simple. Her personality can be larger than life, but her look had to represent a normal girl. I made sure that whenever someone saw her, they would instantly feel that she’s just an ordinary person, simple, real, and original.”
On what comedy actually demands from a performer, she has a clear and considered view. She said, “Comedy is a serious business because when you are doing comedy, you cannot lose your timing or your character, but at the same time you have to make sure that the people watching you laugh, which is not easy.”
“The irony of comedy, especially situational comedy, is that when somebody is suffering, you somehow have to make it funny in a way that makes other people laugh. So honestly, comedy is a very serious business and cannot be taken lightly, but it is my favourite genre, and I enjoy it thoroughly,” she added.
Her approach to preparing for Anokhi came from a place she always returns to. She said, “I made sure that I stayed honest with my craft because that has always been my acting agenda, to stay honest with your performance.” I kept thinking that if I were not an actor and watched this character as an audience member, how would I connect with her? I also wanted to show a different shade of myself to the audience because most of the time they have seen me in very serious and intense roles. But this is the first time they will see me making people laugh.”
She also has a strong opinion on why good comedy has become so rare on Indian screens. She said, “Bringing something that is practical, situational, and belongs to the sitcom genre is quite challenging.” I think the reason is that people have stopped taking challenges. Earlier, people in our industry were very brave and experimented a lot, whether it was with music, stories, or anything else.”
“I believe artists and creators should take more challenges because if we do not, then who will? I hope Office Office can make people realise that we can bring more good comedy shows like this,” Shruti ended.
