‘Hello Pratibha’ traces married woman’s struggle

A woman who forgets her own interests, goals and talents while fulfilling the responsibilities of a wife, mother and daughter-in-law and how she eventually tries to discover herself after 16 years of marriage is the story of Zee TV’s forthcoming show Hello Pratibha, which was launched here with much fanfare.

Actress Binny Sharma has returned with her third stint on the channel with this show where she is playing the protagonist named Pratibha, a 36-year-old woman based in Jhansi and a mother of two.

Pratibha was filled with hope, ambition and talent of her own, and has now been married for 16 years and has devoted her entire life to her husband, children and in-laws, thereby facing an identity crisis.

The actress is excited about the role.

“She is a difficult character to play. She is a bit mature compared to my real age. I think there is one Pratibha inside every girl. She is not a fake character,” she said at the show’s launch in Mumbai on Monday night.

The show is all about exploring Pratibha’s journey of rediscovering her identity and gaining her lost confidence. Does it sound similar to the Sridevi-starrer English Vinglish?

This soap opera is different, says Sachal Tyagi, another member of the show’s cast.

“I was asked many times whether this show was inspired by English Vinglish? I say ‘not at all’. This is the story of every Indian household where a woman is too busy managing household stuff that she loses her identity and this is what we are trying to bring out with this show,” he said.

Namit Sharma, programming head of Zee TV, too says that it is the story of every middle-aged Indian housewife.

“Our protagonist represents every woman, who post marriage, prioritises the needs of her family over her own. She doesn’t do any of this grudgingly — all she asks for is to be acknowledged for the person she is. But, in caring for her loved ones round the clock, she loses touch with her own identity. The show is all about the soul-searching of Pratibha,” he said.

The new show will go on air from January 27.