"The success of 'Dear Aajo' has given my writing a strong fillip" says Mayuri Deshmukh

Mayuri Deshmukh, as a popular film and television actor, is known to bring characters to life but the teleplay Dear Aajo marked the beginning of her journey as a writer.

The Zee Theatre offering will now be screened on Airtel Spotlight. Mayuri wrote Dear Aajo as a contemporary drama that explores the relationship of an Indian grandparent with his American granddaughter.

Mayuri, who will also be acting in the play, says, “I play Shanaya, a 17-year-old American-born Indian girl, and a lot of her mannerisms came from my own NRI cousins. The portrayal of the grandfather came from my own longing for the time when I was a child. As we grow older, it becomes impossible to spend as much time as we want with our elders. The story progressed seamlessly once I had established who the protagonists were going to be.”

Mayuri loved playing a character that she had created and says, “Because I had written and conceived Shanaya, it wasn’t very difficult to portray her. The picture in my head was very clear about how Shanaya would evolve from a brat to a woman who has adapted to the Indian milieu and yet retained her individuality. I would love to write more and see many more of my stories come to life just like Dear Aajo. Apart from Mayuri, veteran actor Sanjay Mone also stars in the play.