Deepti Naval, who has essayed a melange of powerful and memorable roles in Indian showbiz, will be seen playing a singer in the forthcoming TV show "Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai". She says that if given a chance, she would love to portray the Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar, in a movie.
"Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai", which also stars Zarina Wahab and Amrita Rao, among others, tells the story of two sisters, Kalyani and Ketki, whose bitter-sweet relationship turns into rivalry.
The show's narrative bears an uncanny resemblance with the story of real life sisters and Bollywood's legendary singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle -- but Deepti begs to differ.
"The show is not based on Lata ji and Asha ji. There seems to be a similarity between the two stories, but the story of the show is totally different. Though, if given a chance, I would love to play Lata Mangeshkar some time, may be on the big screen," Deepti told IANS.
A prominent face in the entertainment industry for the last three decades, Deepti is best known for her roles in films like "Kamla", "Chashme Buddoor", "Angoor", "Bawandar" and "Freaky Chakra".
Her natural flair for acting, she says, comes from the fact that she is "greedy" about observing others' life.
"I like to observe others a lot. I'm very greedy about that. I like to read people's gestures and implement them into my acting. When I take up a role, I start believing that I'm that person only," said the 59-year-old.
Talking about "Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai", she said: "It's high time that something like this is coming to take us back to our roots. It's a very well-timed show. It's coming at a time where we have these pop albums which have no content at all and instead have a lot of faffing.
"We have gone away from our basic background and heritage in music which is so rich that the whole world can look at us to learn."
Deepti believes that the show will remind viewers of the value of Indian classical music, which is something every countryman should be proud of.
"We can't belittle ourselves. We are losing out on our own Indian classical music while copying them (western musicians). Today, sound is being replaced by metallic buzz. It's not something that actually reaches our soul. Everything has become superfluous," Deepti said.
So will she sing in "Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai"?
Deepti said: "No, I don't think I'm in a position to sing. I just keep humming every time though. I really envy singers... they can sing and that itself is an expression of every mood. I feel envious of people who have been connected to music throughout their lives.
"As an actor, you are expressing somebody else's thoughts about life, but as a singer you bring forth what your soul is saying," she said, adding that while she is happy to come on board for the show, television is not something she wants to put most of her time in.
"Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai" will be aired on TV starting March 7.
