Pehli aurat & dusri aurat have been our canvas for 20 years: Manasi Salvi

Manasi Salvi doesn’t mince words when it comes to sharing her thoughts on the physical and emotional pressures of show business. In a recent social media post, she addressed how women navigate hormonal changes while being expected to look flawless. When we spoke to Manasi about this, she said, “Pressure is a part of showbiz and I think ageism has been most brutal to women. An actress is expected to look her best all the time and that is taken for granted. We often have to make multiple sacrifices in order to stay relevant in the long run.”The actress, who is back on TV with Mahadev and Sons, says the show marks a small but significant shift in how women are portrayed on Indian television.The Ghum Hai Kisike Pyaar Mein actress believes Indian television has long boxed women into limited emotional spaces. She says, “The content on TV mostly brings in two flavours — a positive woman and a negative woman. Pehli aurat and dusri aurat have been our canvas for a good 20 years now. While we take pride in presenting the all-cultured protagonist, we equally demean our gender by showing the other woman as filled with jealousy, envy and crass behaviour, often without an agenda or backstory.” According to her, television being a writer’s medium makes half-baked characters even more disappointing. “Having a vile antagonist just for the sake of numbers is a convoluted approach.”About her work, Manasi hopes to explore new platforms. “I am open to every medium — television, OTT, films — within the boundaries of my work ethics and conditions. I work hard, and with Mahadevi’s blessings and my audience’s love, the support has been steady.”Box‘Gender doesn’t matter. Being a parent does’On the personal front, Manasi is a single mother to daughter Omisha. “Single, double, triple — it’s irrespective. I brought Omisha into this world, so it’s my unsaid responsibility to back her with everything material and immaterial. My father was the single earning member of our family. He helped me and my sister stand on our feet emotionally and financially. I am doing the same for Omisha,” she shares. “Gender doesn’t matter. Being a parent does. Just the way I fall back on my father even today, I have an unsaid promise to my daughter that the doors of my home will always be open for her, and I will stand by her unconditionally if she ever stumbles.”