Utkarsha Naik Embraces Complexity in New Role
Veteran actress Utkarsha Naik has never shied away from taking risks. Known for blending comedy with complexity, she has built a career on characters that exist in moral gray areas and command attention. Her latest role as Chandrabhaga in Prateek Sharma and Parth Shah's Oh Humnava Tum Dena Saath Mera is no exception. In fact, it may be her most multifaceted portrayal yet.
A Shift from Siddhi Mata to Chandrabhaga
“This character is definitely quite different from Siddhi Mata, whom I'm currently portraying in Tumm Se Tumm Tak. But as an actor, a character is a character. I enjoy both of them, but if I'm being honest, I prefer playing negative roles. My forte has been a little grey with comedy,” she said.
For viewers following both shows simultaneously, the contrast is stark. Siddhi Mata is unconventional and spirited, reflecting the actress herself. Chandrabhaga, however, is manipulation disguised as sweetness.
“When it comes to Siddhi Mata, she's quite unconventional, actually, and I love portraying her. Personally, I feel she's much closer to who I am in real life. I relate to Siddhi Mata far more than to a typical saas who's trying to control her daughter-in-law because of money and those negative traits. That's just not me. I'm a very liberal person, and I believe everyone has the right to live freely. So I can't relate to Chandrabhaga in my personal life at all,” she explained.
Third Collaboration with Studio LSD
The role marks her third collaboration with Studio LSD, following Pukaar and Siddhi Mata. Each project has pushed her into a different performance space. “As for LSD, it's an amazing production house, and we have two shows on air right now,” she said.
“My first show was Pukaar, where I played a grey comedy character. It was incredible, and I absolutely loved it. Then came Siddhi Mata, which was a very different shade compared to Pukaar. And now there's Chandrabhaga in Oh Humnava, again, a completely different shade than what I've done before,” she added.
Gratitude and Hunger for Performance
Her gratitude toward the production house is evident, but so is her ambition. “I'm really grateful to Prateek and LSD for trusting me with such varied characters. I hope I'm doing justice to their vision and living up to what they expect. I'm giving it my best shot.”
“And honestly, I'm thoroughly enjoying Chandrabhaga too. Because she's a grey, negative character, she's closer to my heart. I love doing those smoking looks and bitchy smiles. There's so much scope for performance,” she added.
The Duality of Chandrabhaga
The scope lies in the duality. “Chandrabhaga is a very naughty character, really naughty. With her son, she shows her true self. She's even beaten her own grown son, so you can imagine what kind of woman she is. But the moment she's in front of her daughter-in-law and the rest of the world, she's all sweetness and manipulation. She's an expert at fooling people. So it's a really interesting character with that double-sided nature. Both sides are amazing to play; they're just a lot of fun,” Utkarsha concluded.
