Producer Preeti Simoes reflects on the success of the ZEE5 show Maa Hai Na and confesses that the show has gone extremely viral on social media because of its casting. In an exclusive chat with mid-day, she reflects on her association with Sunita Ahuja, breaks her silence on her relationship with Govinda, her feud with Kapil Sharma, and much more.
Preeti Simoes on working with Sunita Ahuja
Speaking about Sunita Ahuja, Preeti Simoes said working with her is always an unpredictable experience. She explains, “With Sunita ma’am, you never know what will happen next. It’s a surprise even for you. That’s what’s lovely about her. But that’s also very scary about her because she can say anything at any time.”
Recalling her first collaboration with Sunita and Govinda, Preeti shared that she has always admired the actor and was happy to work with the couple together.
As Sunita quit Maa Hai Na for Lock Upp, Govinda filled her spot by coming in for Tina in the show. Preeti revealed that she had hoped to bring Govinda, Sunita, and Tina together on one platform, but the circumstances did not permit it.
Praising Govinda’s gesture, Preeti said it reflected the strong bond they continue to share despite their differences. She also expressed hope that the couple is working through their issues and may reconcile soon.
“For him to come and take her place for Tina, it just shows how strongly bonded they are together. Ups and downs happen in every relationship. I think they have gone through a really, really bad phase. But at least now they are reaching a point where they can be respectful towards each other. And I guess they are also working it out. So, I am hoping by the end of this year, we will just hear great news of their coming together.”
Preeti reflects on celebs’ unfiltered nature on Kapil Sharma show
Preeti serves as the creative director on Comedy Nights With Kapil. Reflecting on what made the show so popular, Preeti believes the show’s biggest strength was the spontaneity it offered. She pointed out that celebrity appearances on reality shows have changed over the years, with guests now arriving much more prepared and conscious of what will unfold.
She remarked, “A lot of do’s and dont’s are given to us on how we should be functioning, what we should do with them, and what we should not do with them. But when we started that show, there was no such thing. It was new for the PRs, the managers, and even the celebrities. So, that was the beauty of that show.”
Asked about her favourite celebrity memories from the show, Preeti fondly recalled several iconic guests whose episodes remain close to her heart. She recalled Jackie Chan’s appearance and the iconic Happy New Year cast gracing the show.
She added, “Most of everything that we did, all our episodes with Irrfan sir are memories that we will keep forever. Even the episode with Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor was wonderful. We have some amazing memories. Diljit, at that time, wasn’t as huge as he is today when he came on our show, but he was so much fun. These are the people we always remember.”
Preeti on feud with Kapil Sharma
In 2018, Kapil Sharma and Preeti Simoes had a bitter fallout. However, they are cordial and have gracefully moved on in their lives now.
Addressing her equation with Kapil Sharma and the much-discussed feud, Preeti said, “I’m not a celebrity. So, for me, if I ignore certain things, it’s better because then people will take me far more seriously as a producer and a creator. Usually, everyone knows I can give extremely controversial statements, but I try to curb myself. Even though sometimes, in anger or hurt, you want to say certain things because you’re going through it, as a human being, you have to look at the larger picture and understand the repercussions of what you’ve worked really hard for.”
Emphasising that everyone has moved forward, Preeti said there is little value in dwelling on the past.