Meenal Padiyar: Madhavi Tai is an amalgamation of all good human qualities

Actress Meenal Padiyar says that goodness of her Dhadkan Zindaggi Kii character rubs off on her. 

"I am playing Madhavi Tai in this series. She is a very dedicated, hard-working and experienced head nurse. She is a soft-spoken and homely person who cares for her patients and shares cordial relationships with them. She exudes a lot of warmth and positivity which brings Dr. Deepika Sinha closer to her. She is like a mother figure to Dr. Deepika Sinha," she said.

According to her, Madhavi Tai is an amalgamation of all good human qualities.  "I am also soft-spoken, caring and homely like her, so I have many good qualities in me. That way I relate to her in many ways. I think the goodness of her rubs off on me whenever I play this part," she said. This is for the first time that she is playing this type of character in a medical drama. "As a performer, I find it more exciting and challenging. As an actor you always wish and try to do different characters which you had never done before. I can say that this role gives me an opportunity to fulfill my wish. And when you play different roles, many things come to you as a revelation which makes your experience very refreshing and thrilling," she said.

She thinks the title is very apt for the show as it is based on doctors' lives and their relationships with patients, their equations with subordinates and staff members, highs and lows of their personal and professional journey. Dhadkan means heartbeat. This word directly connects to medical science," she explained.  The show is produced by Nilanjana Purkayasstha and Herumb Khot  (Invictus T. Mediaworks and Studio Next)

"It's a pleasure to work with them. They are very passionate and dedicated to this project. Though I have not interacted much with them, I can say that they are very professional and one of the finest producers in the TV industry. I wish good luck to both of them," she said.

The TV industry has evolved in terms of content. "This show on doctors is a validation to the fact that Dhadkan is not run-of-the-mill or typical saas-bahu drama. Through this show, we try to tell the story of people in a manner hardly shown on TV before. Now channels and producers are also willing to take risks as far as content is concerned. Some shows with good content are making their way to the hearts of people. They are willing to watch shows with newer concepts. We are almost at the end of the transition phase," she said.

She feels that people have almost got used to the new normal by now. "Corona has not gone yet. It is still there, but it's a huge relief that now we are managing normal life with COVID-related precautions. I hope and wish soon we get to lead the normal life we used to have before Corona," she said. She has been in the field of performing arts for more than two decades.  "I have done theatre and TV serials. I can say that I have learned a lot, personally and professionally, by being on stage and on sets. First and foremost are discipline and punctuality. Then patience and perseverance which, I think, is a big virtue for an actor. You learn a lot by observing people around you. You just need to keep your eyes and ears open," she said.

"Being human to other technicians, workers and co-actors... respect to seniors and elders, being honest to your craft... I can go on and on. In fact, I have evolved as a person working in this industry. Actually, I am still learning. As they say, learning is a continuous process, so one must keep learning," she adde