Ritika
It is about the evening of 21 November. Got a call that the next day actor, director Ajay Devgan wants to release the teaser of his new film ‘Bhola’ with media friends. There was a party at Juhu PVR. Everyone took their 3D glasses and froze on their seats. As soon as the teaser of ‘Bhola’ started, a familiar voice was heard and in the next few seconds the first face that flashed across the screen was Seema Pari. I first met Seema Pari while directing a reality show ‘Nakli Number One’ for Zee Network. It was a competition of star mimicry artists and Seema Pari was involved in it because of her ability to mimic Kajol’s best. And, now some two decades later, Kajol’s husband Ajay Devgan was directing her. Although sporadic talks continued with Seema Pari, but the long journey that Seema has traveled from the small screen to the big screen, was talked about for the first time. Further story, in the words of Seema Pari herself…
Took the responsibility of the house from 10th
I start my Ram story from the beginning. I belong to Bijnor district of famous producer director Prakash Mehra. I was born there in Chandpur town. Don’t know whether God was happy to see my hard work or wanted to make me a strong-willed person from the beginning, put the responsibility of my mother and three younger sisters on me from class 10th itself. Now when I think about it, what has passed seems like a dream. Teaching tuition to children by going door-to-door, teaching dance to girls and recording audio advertisements if given a chance. My voice was a bit different, it came to my understanding from the very beginning. Mimicry etc. started much later, but in between job and studies in Bijnor, I started getting work at local news channel and Akashvani Kendra. The story of news anchoring came from the reporting of Aankhon Dekhi to the reality show ‘Nakli Number One’.
When I had come to Delhi from Meerut, the first thought that came to me was that using my graduation in media, I should work in a news channel. But I got a chance to act in Doordarshan serials. I have done so many serials that I can neither remember their names nor count them. Meanwhile, I also acted in a play called ‘Ghalib Ki Wapsi’ and the first turning point of my career came in the year 2012 when I got the serial ‘Airlines’ on satellite channel Star Plus. Directed by Supavitro Babul, this serial helped me a lot in gaining recognition and I got a call to act in Aamir Khan’s film PK. This was my first break for the big screen but as much as I was happy after the shoot, I cried after the release of the film. And, because of the fact that in the final edit my character did not remain in the film. A similar incident happened with me in the film ‘Pink’ as well. The shooting took place but my character did not reach the screen. It is very sad for any actor when the director even takes a close up shot of your face and then removes it from the film in the final edit.
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Got a lot of work on satellite channels too
Well, the car kept moving forward. Got work in Punjabi cinema’s superstar Diljit Dosanjh’s film ‘Mukhtyar Chadha’. And, at the same time serials of satellite channels started. Apart from working in ‘Agar Tum Saath Ho’, ‘Dahleez’, ‘Shastri Sisters’, he also worked in ‘Aladdin Naam Toh Suna Hoga’, ‘Shaadi Ke Siyape’, ‘Mere Sai’, ‘Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram’. . He also did a lot of work in the stories of ‘Crime Patrol’, ‘Savdhaan India’, ‘Crime Alert’, ‘Mauka e Vardaat’, ‘Lal Ishq’ and ‘Dar Ki Dastak’. But, whatever work I did on television, it was always on my own terms. I didn’t believe in doing too much from the beginning. I did only that much work in which my dignity was maintained and my ability could be properly respected financially.
Let me tell you one more interesting thing and that is that more people recognize me from my advertisements than small screen and big screen. Microsoft’s ad film was Mera’s first break into a TV commercial. Since then I have appeared in advertisements for so many products and companies that it is hard to remember. Also did print ads for Google Pay, Faviquik, Spotify, Grofers, Kaun Banega Crorepati, Yaari App, Edelweiss Mutual Fund, SBI, SIDBI, Apollo Munich, Malnutrition Quit India, Jio Digital. But the advertisement that made me reach every house in Mumbai was the advertisement of Adani Electricity which the electricity company printed on its bill. And, the ad that I did for Bigg Boss 11 became a worldwide rage. Actor Jatin Sarna one day sent me a photo of a hoarding in which I was seen with Salman Khan. And, then these photos did not come to me from where.
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