Ashwini Kalsekar as Mahamanga with Rajat Tokas, who plays Akbar, on the sets of Jodha Akbar

 

Jodha Akbar may continue to rule the TRP charts but viewers miss the imposing presence of the emperor’s wet nurse. Weeks after her on-screen death in the arms of her tearful “Jalal”, Ashwini Kalsekar, one of the most formidable “villains” in Hindi soaps, is caught between looking back at life as Mahamanga and looking beyond.

She still remembers when her name was announced for the role in Ekta Kapoor’s serialised reprisal of Akbar’s life within years of Ashutosh Gowarikar’s big-screen venture with the same title. “‘Ila Arun had done so much as Mahamanga. What can you do?’ Every time I heard such comments the ground shifted beneath my feet. It was like a daily examination. Learning Urdu seemed easier.’”

But she had faith in her producer. “I always take the narration from Ektaji, even if it means delaying the shoot. Wahi rassi pakadke chalti hoon main. If you can prove yourself in her eyes, she will give you at least one scene where you can show the story from your point.” That saved Mahamanga from being just the ever-conspiring hag, keen to control Akbar and create a rift between him and Jodha. Her last episodes behind bars after her son Adham is brutally killed by Akbar poignantly brought out a mother unable to cope with the loss.

Mahamanga is clearly up there among her favourite roles, alongside Inspector Asha of CID. “For the latter, I was taught for months how to stand like a cop.”

The former air-hostess (on Air India and the now-defunct East West Airlines) has been around for long, since Shanti of pre-cable era Doordarshan vintage. Her husband Murali Sharma is also an actor. “We have done only Golmaal 3 together.”

Talk of Golmaal 3 brings up Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty, with whom she has done a number of films. “During the shoot of All The Best (2009), my mother had a heart attack and my brother was out of town. The whole crew waited for me for seven days. Rohit sir asked me not to worry. Ajay got his make-up man to call me up to enquire if I needed money and which doctor was treating her.”

Days after she canned her last shot on the Jodha Akbar set, she got a call that cheered her up. “It was from Kalpana Lajmi. She is a history student. She took me and my husband for dinner and we talked of nothing but Akbar.” And she treasures what the award-winning filmmaker said about her interpretation of Mahamanga.

“Can she be back on the show?” one asks. After all, soaps are prone to return characters from the dead on public demand. But can she defy history? Ashwini smiles at the suggestion. “Ekta Kapoor can create miracles. Who knows if she will come back!” Ahem.