For the longest time, Tanishaa Mukerji was best known as the daughter of a famous mother and the younger sibling of a superstar. And when she tried to carve a niche of her own, debuting in Yash Raj Productions’ Neil ‘N’ Nikki, neither the film fraternity nor the audiences warmed up to her. A few years later, she became one of the celeb inmates in the Bigg Boss house.
Tanishaa faced all the machinations inside and the critics outside who believed she’d shamed her family. “I grew up in a hostel. So even if I look otherwise, I am actually a toughie. I can survive,” she says. “I don’t let things affect me too much and I laugh at most stuff.” Now, as a judge on the Zee TV show Gangs of Hasseypur, Tanishaa is bracing up to laugh out loud on the idiot box.
So you are back on TV, this time as a judge. Tell us a little about the show.
Gangs of Hasseypur is a comedy reality show. It deals with current topics such as politics with a variety of comedy acts, and it blends a lot of styles such as stand-up comedy and satire. I find comedy an extremely challenging genre. So I thought, ‘why not?’
So you are back on TV, this time as a judge. Tell us a little about the show.
Gangs of Hasseypur is a comedy reality show. It deals with current topics such as politics with a variety of comedy acts, and it blends a lot of styles such as stand-up comedy and satire. I find comedy an extremely challenging genre. So I thought, ‘why not?’
Read: My mom and sister have taught me a lot, says Tanishaa Mukerji
Comedy is a tough genre. Do you think you’ll be able to do justice to it as a judge?
Comedy is definitely a challenging genre. I studied film comedy as a genre at college in Australia and have been following comedy for a long time. The one thing about comedy is that you either find it funny or you don’t. As far as doing justice to it, the audience will do that.
Having done Bigg Boss, are you more comfortable with television now?
In Bigg Boss, all the cameras were hidden and in TV, the cameras are in front of you. I enjoy being in front of cameras, be it TV or film.
Do you feel there was a backlash against you after Bigg Boss?
I don’t feel any backlash. In fact, there’s been so much positivity. It’s just that people think you are part of their family so they can order you around, but that’s the fun side of it. So I am just appreciative!
You said in an interview that Bigg Boss was a life-changer. Elaborate.
Once you go into the house you will know why. You are isolated from the world and so you can’t expect that there won’t be any change. I came out stronger. That’s how I have changed.
What next? Are you open to doing more reality TV or acting?
I don’t know about what is next but I do know that I am open to anything that challenges me and anything that people don’t expect me to do. Expect the unexpected!
From HT Brunch, May 4
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