/> Smriti Irani Speaks For The First Time On Her New Show

It's been two years since Smriti Irani's production company Ugraya went into theatre. "We've been producing for theatre, then we moved to television.

For me every production on tv has to be different from what I've done so far, and also from what audiences have been used to so far. My Thodisi Zameen Thodasa Aasman might be have a Saas and Bahu in it. But the relationships, language and situations are purposely different."

Smriti's new serial Virrudh which goes on Sony from end of January or beginning of February takes soaps to the next step.

"We've Kamlesh Pandey writing the film for us. Normally after a hit like Rang De Basanti a writer would've done another big film. That Kamleshji is as committed to Virrudh as to his movie projects shows how the home medium has grown. All my actors Sushant Singh and Vikram Gokhale, Achint Kaur, Ashwini Kalsekar, Govind Namdeo —are very choosy. They all immediately said yes."

Smriti herself plays a pivotal role. "I play a woman of today in Virrudh. She's able to draw a very fine balance between tradition and family. She isn't an ablaa nari weeping at the drop of a hat. But she loves her family intensely.

For her family she can go to any length. The cast is an amalgamation of the choicest and the best talents playing characters they're suited to play. The channel Sony liked the story and we immediately started work. I've another project in the pipeline with Zee which the channel said yes to immediately.

Today it's very important for me to do quality work. The idea is to come up to the Channel's requirements and yet do work that takes one away from the norm. By the end of 2007 we've 5-6 projects happening."

Smriti is very excited about the coming year. "As a producer I've to be all there. From the cast to the crew to the set designs....they're all my responsibility. I feel once you've a good story on hand everything falls into place. Virrudh gets there.

It will take me away from my image of the reclusive person. But now as a producer I was able to show my cast and crew that I'm not the unfriendly soul they've been hearing about. Seriously, I'm not the serious soul I'm perceived to be. "

Smriti wouldn't be acting in all the serials she produces. "But we'll have two new productions on air on Sony and Zee. You know, once upon a time there was only Doordarshan and everyone had to watch it.

Today viewers have choices. And I want to provide a variety of soaps to choose from. At least as a creator, I'll sleep peacefully if I do the work I believe in. I'm prepared to tell a good story, as long as you're prepared to watch it."

Interestingly Smriti had to get the title Virrudh from Mahesh Manjrekar who made a film of that name. "He was generous enough to part with it."