Not only is it different from all of my shows, but it is different from all the television shows: Sargun Mehta delves into her upcoming production, ‘Badall Pe Paon Hai’ on Sony SAB

Sargun Mehta, the dynamic producer and talented actress, is set to launch her much-awaited new show, ‘Badall Pe Paon Hai’, on Sony SAB. This unique show, headlined by the talented Amandeep Sidhu, promises to captivate audiences with its fresh storyline and interesting characters. Unlike traditional narratives, this show explores the relatively untapped domain of women in stock market trading, presenting a fresh and progressive perspective. Through the character of Baani, the show asks a pertinent question – if life has given us limited means, why are we content with it and not making an effort to go the extra mile?

Here, Sargun Mehta shares her insights on the making of this show, the thin line between greed and ambition, the significance of its setting in Punjab, the exceptional cast that brings it to life, and more.

1. How did you come up with this unique concept of Badall Pe Paon Hai and how does it stand apart from your other shows?
   I have wanted to learn stock market trading for a very long time and all my friends, my father and brother, and even now my sister-in-law do stock trading. While I was learning about stocks, this idea popped into my head and I went back to thinking about why I wanted to do it and what kind of people are into stock market trading. That’s when the character of Baani came into being.
   Not only is it different from all my shows, but it is different from all the television shows. Firstly, it is a completely different world. For the longest time, women only did stitching or cooking because there was a lack of career options for women. So whatever skill set they learnt, they turned it into a career. But today’s generation is not bound by a certain skill set. They have opened up new career paths for themselves. Women are doing everything today, so why not stock market trading?

1. Can you shed some light on Baani’s character?
   Society has always told us that we should be content with what we have. Whether it is more or less, we should be content and thankful for what we have. It is a good thing as well. But sometimes being content can also become the cause of laziness as we stop working hard. Many times in my life also I have heard people saying jitni chaadar hai utne hi pair pasaarne chahiye. But I think times have changed now. People want to manifest big things in life. My mom used to say ‘think big, only then you will achieve big things in life.’ The character comes a lot from how I have been brought up and how my mother is. We are people who dream really big. So we have a girl who is questioning everyone who says that yahi hamari kismat hai, aur ham isi mein khush hain. So she is challenging that societal norm.

1. What made Amandeep Siddhu the right choice for Baani?
   I instantly connected with Amandeep when we saw her first audition. My director and I became 100% confident when we did the mock shoot with her. However, I hadn’t met Amandeep till then. But when I met her for the first time and narrated a few scenes to her, I saw a spark in her eyes. She gave me instances from her life where she also behaved like Baani. That moment I was convinced that she was Baani. Amandeep was so close to Baani and I feel she was just waiting for this character to fall in her lap. I can confidently say that she has a Baani of her own.

1. Punjab is a backdrop for a lot of your shows and movies. Could you explain its significance in your stories?

This is simply because that’s the culture I relate to the most. I was born and brought up in Chandigarh and I do Punjabi films, so that’s something that I stand for. It comes easily and naturally to me. Since I write organically, it becomes easy for me to set a story in Punjab though I would read about more cultures but for now, this is it. So in Badall, there are two types of Punjabi families, one is the boy’s family, who are content with what they have, and then there’s Baani – who is aspirational and wants good things in life.

1. The stock market is typically associated with men. How did you envision Baani being a part of it?
   Yes, the stock market has been associated with men and continues to be. That was the whole point of making a show like this. After lockdown, I read a lot of articles and interviews that every year the number of homemakers investing in stocks increases, and they are becoming good at it. In fact, my best friend’s mother has also been doing this. So, I sat down and talked to her about the same and I realised that so many women are using the concept of trading for their savings. Now, how will Baani realise the importance of stock marketing and get into it, that you will have to wait and watch.

1. Can you explain how the show explores the thin line between the ambition of wanting better things in life and greed?
   I am also very ambitious, and I think there’s only one thin line between ambition and greed. Greed is when you are marching ahead in life by pushing someone down or harming someone or without caring about its outcome on others. Ambition, on the other hand, is wanting luxury, wanting a comfortable and better for ourselves. This is wanting to achieve great things by working hard.

1. You are a successful actress and producer. What lessons or learnings from your journey as an actor have you applied in your shows?
   I think I keep telling my actors that when I started my journey, I would talk a lot about my future. I will do this, I will do that. But a lot kept changing over time. So, the best learning to apply is to be in the moment and do the best that you can for the role that you are currently in. Whatever you do with honesty, it reaches the audience’s hearts. So be honest at every step of your work. As an actor I have realised that there’s no set template, so you have to break the mold and be out of your comfort zone.

1. As you juggle roles as a producer, actor, and music videos, how do you manage your time and creativity?
   I wonder about this every day. Sometimes I feel I am overworked, sometimes I feel I am underworked. Also, I think I am a workaholic and I have been fortunate enough to have platforms where I can tell the stories that I like. It’s a combined effort of Ravi and me, and I think God has been kind and he is showing us the way forward.

1. Could you shed light on your approach to selecting stories for TV? What criteria do you consider most crucial in this process?
   When I write a story, I narrate it to Ravi to see if it piques his interest. If it doesn’t, I stop it, If it does, then I narrate it to a few of my friends. If they ask me what’s going to happen next, then I start fleshing it out but if they can predict what’s going to happen, then I stop it right there. So basically, if my friends are invested in the story, I take it ahead.

Tune in to watch Badall Pe Paon Hai from 10th June, Mon-Sat at 7.30 pm