Two peas in a pod

Woh…Apna Sa lead pair Ssudip Sahir and Ridhi Dogra knew each other well before they had a chance to share screen space together. Incidentally, their respective spouses also get along like a house on fire whenever they meet on the sets. In a candid conversation, Ssudip and Ridhi share their journey as co-stars and more. Edited excerpts:

You guys have bumped into each other before you started working together. Tell us about your meetings.
Ridhi: Yes, it’s strange that we had attended social gatherings a couple of times but never really got talking to each other. The fact that we met before working together really helped while shooting though.

Ssudip: Ridhi and I met each other on social occasions, but the ice broke only when we started shooting for the show together.

Both of you have been in the industry for a long time, but never got a chance to work with each other. Why do you think that is?
Ridhi: I think things happen when they are destined to happen. This is the first time that we got paired together as lead. I am glad that I have got the chance to work with someone as talented as Ssudip.

Ssudip: I have been in the industry for a long time now and have had the chance to work in some amazing shows. I feel it is destined, since you don’t choose the show but the show chooses you instead.

How would you rate as a couple on the count from 1 to 10?
Ridhi: I think we look great together on-screen. I would give it an eight on 10 because we don’t have a romantic track. If we did, I would rate it a 20 on 10.

Ssudip: I cannot rate our pairing, but I like that the audience has accepted us. It is this recognition that makes us work hard as actors and continue doing good work.

I’ve heard that your spouses also get along well when they come to visit you on set. Tell us about the bond you all share.
Ridhi: Yes, of course Anantica (Sahir) and Raqesh (Vashisth) get along. The four of us do not get time to hang out as much as we would like, due to our hectic schedules.

Ssudip: Absolutely, both Raqesh and Anantica are easygoing people. We have a great time when we meet up.

Is there a sense of competition between you two when it comes to delivering a better performance on-screen?
Ridhi: There is no competition between us. I love working with Ssudip because we get along each other and I get to learn a lot from him. When I improvise, he is open to it and when he improvises, I immediately catch on and adapt to the changes. If there is a scene on paper and he wishes to take it differently, we take it ahead with his vision.

Ssudip: It is always motivating to have healthy competition with your co-actors. I am glad that Ridhi and I have that healthy competition.

What has been the toughest scene for you guys till date?
Ridhi: I think all the scenes which Ssudip and I have done together have been interesting because they are difficult and challenging. In the show, we are in a relationship where the husband and wife do not get along. They both openly hate each other. My character is possessive, mean, obsessed, selfish and these are very hard characteristic traits to portray. We do not just say our lines; we go above and beyond to deliver the perfect scene.

Ssudip: My first scene with Ridhi was the toughest scene I have done till date. The scene involved having a heavy-duty argument with her. Since, we did not know each other that well, it was challenging to speak to each other in that tone.

How much do you guys relate personally to the characters you play on-screen?
Ridhi: I am very different from my character. If anything, I can empathise with her as I know her back-story and the situations she has been through which make her who she is. Everyone just sees her on the surface and I feel that people like her are misunderstood. It is their defense mechanism, which makes them the person they are.
Ssudip: I relate a lot to my character in the show. Aditya (my character in the show) is a  thorough family man and in real-life too, my family is everything for me. So, we are very similar in that aspect.

With practically no romance in place wonder what makes your on-screen chemistry work?
Ridhi: We work on each scene in tandem, keeping in mind our limitations. We try to make each scene interesting by communicating through body language, which is very crucial. This creates a sync, which makes our scenes very powerful. Moreover, we look amazing together on-screen.

Ssudip: What makes our on-screen chemistry work is our mutual passion for work. Every scene is important to us and it is our job to make it believable and better from the last one.

Rapid Fire
Your favourite corner on the sets:
Ridhi: My make-up room.
Ssudip: The corner couch in the hall.

Your favourite food on the sets:
Ridhi: The halwa, which Ssudip’s mother-in-law makes.  
Ssudip: Though I carry a lot of snacks from home but there is a dosa stall outside our set. Once in a week, I look forward to binge on those yummy dosas.

Your 2 am buddy on the sets:
Ridhi: I have 2 am buddies outside the sets.
Ssudip: Amit Behl and Buneet.

Things you cannot do without on the sets:
Ridhi: My hair and make-up team because without them I will not manage looking as fabulous as I do.
Ssudip: Coffee, coffee and coffee!

Your favourite line on the sets:
Ridhi: “It is lunch time!”
Ssudip: “It’s time to pack up.”

Your dream date:
Ridhi: A date with Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney and Shah Rukh Khan.
Ssudip: Any place is good with Anantica.