In a recent interview on the Siddharth Kannan Podcast, actress Bhavana Balsavar opened up about her debut show, the cult sitcom Dekh Bhai Dekh, recalling the professionalism of Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan, Shekhar Suman’s insecurity, and her thoughts on comedian Sunil Grover.

How Jaya Bachchan Brought ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’ to India

Dekh Bhai Dekh is one of India’s most iconic sitcoms from 1993, starring the talented Shekhar Suman, Farida Jalal, Navin Nischol, Sushma Seth, Bhavana Balsavar, Deven Bhojani, and Urvashi Dholakia.

Speaking on this, Bhavana, who was also part of the show, shared that the show was originally made for a channel (TV Asia) in London. She revealed that Jaya Bachchan approached director Anand Mahendroo and told him about the launch of a new channel in India called DD Metro at a party that year in February. Impressed by the idea, Mahendroo agreed with Jaya and helped facilitate the show’s transition; in no time, the sitcom became a cultural phenomenon in India.

Jaya Bachchan And Amit Bachchan’s ABCL Crisis

Addressing the financial hardships the Bachchan family faced in the years that followed, Bhavana lauded their ironclad professionalism.

Bhavana shared that despite Jaya Bachchan and Amitabh Bachchan facing massive financial setbacks, the actors and crew members never felt even a fraction of that stress on set.

Produced by Jaya Bachchan’s banner, Saraswati Audio Visuals, the sets of Dekh Bhai Dekh remained incredibly lavish, payments were cleared strictly on time, and the hospitality was unmatched, Bhavana revealed. Bhavana praised Jaya Bachchan and Amitabh Bachchan’s professionalism and even referred to Amitabh Bachchan as a fatherly, “God-like figure” to her.

Shekhar Suman’s Insecurity On Sets

When asked if the outspoken Shekhar Suman ever overshadowed his co-stars, Bhavana revealed that the exact opposite happened during the initial days:

Speaking about him, when asked if he overshadowed people on the sets of Dekh Bhai Dekh, she said he has always been an outspoken personality. Bhavana shared that the opposite happened on the set: he was hardly called for the first six days, and on the seventh day he came himself.

She revealed Shekhar was going through a highly challenging phase in his career at the time and that he came to the set on the seventh day to ask director Anand Mahendroo whether he was still part of the show. She emphasized that she had seen Shekhar Suman’s insecure side, while also appreciating his work and art.

Shekhar Suman And Anand Mahendroo’s Showdown Rumors

Reflecting on that, Bhavana shared that Dekh Bhai Dekh was a special set where everyone was like a family and very good. She noted that while many showdowns happened on the set, because Shekhar and Anand were both powerful, passionate personalities, minor creative differences easily caught the media’s attention.

Sunil Grover’s Reaction After Fight With Kapil Sharma

Bhavana spoke warmly about her former Gutur Gu co-star Sunil Grover. When asked about her reaction to Sunil’s highly publicized professional split from Kapil Sharma in 2017, Bhavana clarified that while she can call Sunil Grover a good friend, she didn’t know what happened at the time because she wasn’t in touch. She isn’t in touch with him now.

However, she appreciates him and genuinely feels for him. She also said that if she had been in touch with him then, she would have stood with him.