Sapna Thakur on Replacing Richa Sony in Gharwali Pedwali: “Comedy Is a New Space for Me”

Mumbai: A month after Gharwali Pedwali went on air on December 5, actor Richa Sony, who played the character Rita, exited the show due to health reasons. The makers subsequently brought in Sapna Thakur to step into the role — a character she had, interestingly, auditioned for earlier.

Recalling the sequence of events, Sapna shares, “I had auditioned for the role initially, but it didn’t work out then and they went ahead with Richa Sony. Perhaps she was the right fit at that time. I later joined Binddii, which wrapped up in mid-January. After that, I got a call from the Gharwali Pedwali team asking me to play the same character, as Richa had to leave due to health issues.”

What drew Sapna to the project was the opportunity to explore comedy, a genre she had never attempted before. “This is the first time I am replacing another actor in a show, and I was genuinely excited. I have mostly played negative roles so far, and comedy is completely new territory for me,” she says.

To prepare, Sapna watched several episodes of the show to understand Rita’s portrayal. “Richa has already established the character, so I observed her body language and performance closely. It will take time for the audience to accept me, but I’m confident I’ll connect with them. I’ll take cues from what’s already been done and slowly add my own touch,” she explains.

Although she joined the cast towards the end of last month, Sapna says she has settled in quickly. “From day one, the co-actors welcomed me warmly. Everyone is positive and supportive. We eat together, joke around, and enjoy being on set. The team behind the camera has also guided me through my track, which helped me adapt faster. It’s been a very pleasant experience working with the Gharwali Pedwali unit,” she adds.