Grandmother’s tale

Gurnaaz Kaur

You’ve seen her as the adorable dadi in Kumkum Bhagya. She has, in fact, played the favourite granny in many shows and has been in the industry for more than a decade. No prize for guessing that we are talking about Daljit Soundh. 

This native of Amritsar was a theatre artiste way before she joined the television industry. “I did theatre for 11 years with Amritsar Natak Kala Kendra. I still remember playing Loona and being appreciated by Shiv Kumar Batalvi himself. I really enjoyed the craft but had to leave it when my mother fell sick. I needed money and back then one couldn’t pay the bills by being theatre artiste,” she says. 

Daljit earned a living through singing and other stage performances such as nukad natak, variety shows, etc organised by Song and Drama Division of I&B Ministry. Even after losing her mother, she continued doing the same work until one day when she met with a major accident. Life changed once again for her. 

“I was all by myself in Amritsar. My sisters and other relatives lived in Mumbai. One of my sisters did come for a few months to take care of me but being alone didn’t feel right after that fateful accident. I moved to Mumbai, not to find work but to have someone around when I die.” 

On recuperating, others suggested she explored avenues in Mumbai and Daljit did get lucky. “It began with small roles and soon enough channels recognised me and I started getting serials. There has been no looking back for me. Kumkum Bhagya has been my longest show and I have been signed for another show on Zee TV named GuddanTumse Na Ho Payega. It is a light-hearted story of a 20-year old girl, Guddan (played by Kanika Mann), who finds herself becoming the youngest mother-in-law to three older daughters-in-law by a quirk of circumstances. It would be the first time on Indian television that such a role reversal of a typical saas-bahu relationship is being shown. I play a grandmother, who is always making efforts to keep her family happy.”

Daljit has also acted in movies such as Chalte Chalte, Kal Ho Na Ho and Kasamh Se, but she prefers TV to films. “TV has made me a household name. In films, I would only get small, insignificant roles but I’ve had a full career in TV. Also, when you are doing daily soaps, you are working daily and taking out time for movies becomes challenging.”

Acting for the sheer love of it, Daljit says she has enjoyed her journey thoroughly.

gurnaaz@tribuemail.com