Before celebrity stylists, designer vanity vans and organised costume departments became common on television sets, actors often had to administer every little thing on their very own. TV Actress Smita Bansal recently opened up about those early days of the TV industry and revealed how actors carried their very own clothes, modified inside jeeps and worked without proper washroom facilities. Smita, who’s widely loved for enjoying Sumitra in Balika Vadhu, shared these memories during an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Bubble. Scroll on to know what the actress needed to share.
Smita Bansal Recalls TV Actors Carrying Their Own Clothes For Shoots
Recalling how actors earlier handled costumes themselves, Smita Bansal revealed that they used to bring complete wardrobes from home for shoots. She revealed, “Hum ghar se kapde leke jaate the. Roz subah usko dikhate the director ko aur jo costume stylist hoti thi, phir woh bolti thi ‘achha ye yellow wala is scene mein pehen lena, ye green wala.’ Apne ghar se kapde, bag bhar ke kapde, uske saath ki choodiyan, bindiyan sab hum ghar se leke jaate the.”
She further explained that actors were often expected to already own clothes matching different character requirements before being forged. She said, “Aaj ki date mein agar koi creative ko hum bol dein ki major apna… toh bolenge ‘nahi nahi ma’am stylist aayegi.’ They usually are so particular in regards to the look now. But we used to have a wardrobe at the moment. Kyunki agar bola hai ki character suit pehenta hai toh aapke paas suits bhi hone chahiye. Pata chalega jeans pehenta hai toh aapke paas tops bhi har type ke chahiye. Party kapde hone chahiye, ye hone chahiye. Kyunki kitni baar woh poochte hain ‘aapke paas ye kapde hain toh hum aapko forged karenge.’”
Smita Bansal Reflects On The Early Days Of Television
The actress also reflected on how different shooting conditions were throughout the early days of television. In keeping with Smita, vanity vans weren’t a part of the industry back then. “Shuru mein toh vanity van ka concept tha hi nahi. Vanity Van may be very latest to the industry. Ye jo vanities aa gayi hain na abhi and usmein bhi vanities mein bhi you understand there are standards aisi aisi aisi. So you understand that’s luxury.”
She added that actors needed to consistently adjust because proper facilities simply didn’t exist during outdoor shoots. “But uss time pe mujhe yaad hai National Park jo yahaan pe hai apna, toh wahan pe hum log shoot kar rahe the. Aur kuch horror show tha. Aur open jeep thi ek. Toh open jeep mein humne aise parde lagaye, matlab dupatte lagaye chaar aur uske andar hi baith ke change kiya humne because no makeup room, no chairs.”
Comparing those times with today’s organised sets, Smita admitted the industry has evolved tremendously through the years.
Watch Full Interview Here:
On the work front, Smita Bansal recently bid an emotional goodbye to her long-running role as Neelam Oberoi in Zee TV’s Bhagya Lakshmi. The actress is now gearing up for her OTT debut with The Pyramid Scheme on Amazon Prime Video. Produced by TVF, the comedy-drama explores multi-level marketing scams and their impact on middle-class families, with Smita playing the vital role of Goldy’s mother.
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Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Smita Bansal Recalls Knocking On Strangers’ Doors To Use Washrooms During Outdoor Shoots; Says, “Dar Ke Paani Nahi Peete The”
Varsha Tiwari is a budding content author captivated with Bollywood, popular culture, and the stories behind the highlight. She enjoys breaking down trends, celebrity moments, and film narratives into engaging, reader-friendly content. All the time curious and observant, she is currently pursuing a Master’s in Communication and Journalism. Outside of writing, she enjoys painting because storytelling doesn’t all the time need words to make an impact.