MUMBAI : Mitu has been a part of showbiz for almost/over two decades now. Looking back to a fulfilling journey so far, the content creator, storyteller and producer feels thankful and wants to keep working hard as she has much more to achieve in coming times.
“This industry works on relations. Today, if you are good to someone, tomorrow they will be there for you. There are just so many of us and we bump into each other every now and then, and every time it feels amazing. Also, I think the relation comes from a place of professional respect and wanting to work with someone whose work you have heard of, someone you respect and admire,” says Mitu, whose YouTube series’ Smitasha and Ssup Maa have been doing well on her channel Positive Thinkerz official.
On her way to success, she had many who extended support. Talking about some of the actors who have been there for her always, she shares, “Top of the chart is Jayati Bhatia. She is a great professional support always, always ready to give me content at the drop of the hat. She is closely followed by Smita Bansal Mohla, who unconditionally supported and collaborated with me on Smitasha. She allowed her elder daughter Stasha and then the younger Anaagha to work with us. Sakshi Tanwar, of course, is my best friend. Had she not been there, two of my featurettes (Kahaani and Bade Achhe Lagte Hain) would not have been possible. Rohit Roy and Gaurav Gera, who in spite of not being close friends, came forward to give me video content during the lockdown. Mehul Nisar, who not just gave me content, but taught me how to use social media and also led me to other actors and lobbied with them to make content for me. Then there was Mazher Sayed and Mouli Ganguly who scripted a sketch with me and shot it and sent it. Not just that, they promoted my channel wholeheartedly. I was really humbled when during the lockdown, 80 actors of our industry came together to make SEIZE THE DAY into a bigger series than I had envisioned it to be,” she says.
It takes years to develop good will. And, Mitu knows the value of it well, the reason why she says all that matters is supporting each other.
“A lot of actors remember stuff I did with them when they were starting out. The other day Aparna Dixit was telling me ‘Ma’am in my first show, we shot an entire night and you stood on the set the whole night. No other creative had done that’. I was really touched. Then Jatin Shah is someone who always works with me because I was his first creative and got him his first break with Kasturi. We share a good professional and personal rapport. I had no idea of the good will I still have till my lockdown series SEIZE THE DAY worked out,” she adds.
Mitu then goes on to talk about her work and the genres she enjoys. “Slice of life shows, romcoms and relationship stories are my favourites. Slice of life shows because of the humour that is needed to tell the darkest stories. I believe life thodi khatti thodi meethi hoti hain and telling a story with humor makes the message go far. Romcoms, because they are light and talk of romance and who doesn’t like a happy ending? Again, a story that can make many smile. Relationship stories because we are all complicated human beings with layered thinking and POVs. Today’s truth can be tomorrow’s lie. In life, as we live it, s*&$ happens, boundaries get crossed and new paths are drawn. There is no right or wrong and portraying that grey area is what challenges me creatively,” she explains.
Mitu also enjoys the casting process. She is totally hands on while choosing the actors she wants to be a part of her stories.
“I have a team who is in sync with me. Another reason is that I know a lot of actors personally and know their strengths, weaknesses etc so I know how to use them. If writing is the skeleton of a project, the actor is the skin. Casting is the packaging and the branding of the project. Therefore getting it right makes all the difference,” she says.
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