Mumbai,
13th
Nov
2025:
Sony
SAB’s
Itti
Si
Khushi
follows
the
emotional
journey
of
Anvita
(Sumbul
Touqeer
Khan)
and
her
siblings
as
they
navigate
life’s
struggles
with
resilience
and
hope.
With
their
father,
Suhas
(Varun
Badola),
weighed
down
by
addictions,
debts
and
impulsive
choices,
Anvita
takes
on
responsibilities
far
beyond
her
years.
As
the
story
unfolds,
Neha
SK
Mehta
steps
into
the
role
of
Hetal
Divekar,
Anvita’s
estranged
mother
whose
unexpected
return
to
the
family
stirs
their
world.
In
this
conversation,
Neha
SK
Mehta
sheds
light
on
stepping
into
the
vibrant
character
of
Hetal,
a
woman
whose
bold
energy,
unapologetic
individuality,
and
dramatic
comeback
have
added
a
powerful
new
dimension
to
the
show’s
storytelling.
1.
How
would
you
describe
Hetal’s
personality
and
her
role
in
Itti
Si
Khushi?
Many
people
tell
me
that
Hetal
is
completely
unlike
who
I
am
in
real
life,
and
that’s
absolutely
true.
She’s
the
total
opposite
of
Neha!
I’m
quite
subtle,
loving,
quiet,
and
thoughtful
by
nature,
while
Hetal
Divekar
is
a
complete
bomb,
unstoppable,
fiery,
and
bold.
She’s
known
for
her
power,
speed,
and
that
untamed,
unrestrained
spirit.
Her
character
is
colourful,
over
the
top,
and
full
of
life.
She’s
the
kind
of
woman
who
refuses
to
conform
to
how
society
expects
a
wife
or
mother
to
behave,
she
lives
life
on
her
own
terms,
unapologetically
and
authentically.
2.
What
drew
you
to
the
character
of
Hetal?
What
drew
me
first
to
Hetal
is
her
bold
outspokenness.
I
tend
to
internalise
my
feelings
and
perhaps
sulk
or
carry
the
weight
of
the
world
quietly.
Hetal,
on
the
other
hand,
compels
others
to
confront
their
faults,
whether
through
laughter,
blunt
truth,
or
simply
refusing
to
tolerate
nonsense.
What
I
love
about
Hetal
is
that
she
maintains
her
own
identity
and
personality.
I
believe
that
when
a
woman
preserves
her
individuality,
she
can
truly
be
a
daughter,
sister,
wife
or
mother.
That
fresh
angle
of
“aaj
ki
naari”
excited
me.
Additionally,
returning
to
Sony
SAB
felt
like
a
homecoming.
When
family
calls,
you
go
back
and
their
belief
in
me
and
in
this
role
convinced
me
to
return.
3.
Hetal
is
an
unapologetically
grey
shade
character,
how
do
you
prepare
to
play
this
role?
Playing
a
character
like
Hetal
requires
creating
a
clear
distinction
between
her
world
and
mine.
On
set,
I
often
receive
instant
reactions
because
people
find
her
boldness
and
straightforward
nature
striking,
which
to
me
is
a
sign
that
the
character
is
connecting
strongly.
From
my
workshops
with
veterans
like
Anupam
Kher
and
Naseer
Sir,
and
through
years
in
the
industry,
I’ve
learned
to
enjoy
that
process
without
taking
it
personally.
The
real
fun
lies
in
portraying
someone
so
different
from
myself.
My
preparation
starts
with
reading
the
script,
understanding
her
motivations,
and
practicing
her
accent
and
energy,
since
Hetal’s
tone
and
rhythm
are
very
different
from
my
own.
I
warm
up
by
spending
time
with
my
hair,
makeup,
and
costume
teams,
and
the
directors,
which
helps
me
ease
into
her
mindset.
For
me,
Hetal
isn’t
a
negative
character,
she’s
vibrant
and
full
of
layers,
and
that’s
exactly
what
makes
her
so
exciting
to
play.
4.
Does
playing
such
a
negative
role
ever
get
emotionally
exhausting,
or
do
you
enjoy
the
challenge?
I
do
enjoy
the
challenge
very
much.
Yes,
sometimes
it
is
emotionally
exhausting,
shifting
between
multiple
shades
in
a
single
day
can
be
taxing.
But
I
believe
real
growth
comes
through
challenges.
Doing
something
different
from
everyday
life
brings
immense
satisfaction.
My
audience
has
mostly
seen
my
subtle,
docile,
nice
and
soft-spoken
side,
the
typical
beautiful
Indian
woman,
and
now
I’m
showing
them
a
louder,
bolder,
more
assertive
facet.
It
feels
refreshing
to
break
that
image.
The
character
has
been
received
so
well;
people
are
surprised
and
excited
to
see
me
play
someone
so
uninhibited
and
strong.
I
often
tell
my
creative
team,
directors,
costume
designers,
this
success
is
like
a
box
of
sweets
I’d
love
to
share
with
everyone
who
made
Hetal
possible.
The
love
from
the
audience
and
the
faith
of
my
team
make
me
feel
truly
grateful
and
happy.
5.
What
can
viewers
expect
from
Hetal
in
the
upcoming
episodes?
Viewers
can
expect
genuine
variety.
Our
show
brings
together
young
talent,
seasoned
actors
and
newcomers
and
everyone
is
giving
their
best,
and
that
creates
rich
diversity
in
both
performance
and
story.
I
regularly
tell
people
back
home
that
Itti
Si
Khushi
is
going
to
bring
a
lot
of
happiness
into
their
lives
because
it
carries
many
shades,
the
show
is
fun
and
lively,
yet
it
carries
a
message.
What
is
special
is
that
it
caters
to
all
age-groups,
not
just
one
demographic.
While
the
show
asserts
that
most
people
have
goodness
in
them,
it
also
acknowledges
that
sometimes
life
forces
you
to
become
strong,
or
even
a
bit
selfish
and
that
is
okay.
6.
How
has
your
experience
been
working
with
the
cast
of
Itti
Si
Khushi?
Every
experience
in
my
career
is
a
treasure,
and
this
one
is
no
different.
The
set
is
beautiful,
the
people
are
fantastic,
and
I
consider
this
project
a
meaningful
feather
in
my
cap.
I
view
challenges
as
opportunities
for
growth.
My
vision
is
expansive
and
I
am
committed
to
rising
further,
this
is
one
step
forward.
Working
here
allows
me
to
learn,
to
grow,
and
to
push
myself
every
day.
7.
After
portraying
different
roles,
what
keeps
you
motivated
and
passionate
as
an
actor?
What
keeps
me
motivated
is
the
daily
experience:
audience
reactions,
their
love
and
support.
Acting
is
my
bread
and
butter,
my
life’s
journey.
People
often
tell
me
that
when
I
play
a
role,
it
touches
their
heart.
If
I
can
be
part
of
someone’s
life
and
contribute
positively,
that
is
deeply
fulfilling.
I
believe
in
destiny,
in
prayer,
in
the
wisdom
behind
human
life,
progress
and
happiness.
The
aspiration
to
do
work
that
impacts
society
and
people’s
minds
keeps
me
passionate.
Tune
in
to
watch
Itti
Si
Khushi,
Monday
to
Saturday
at
9
PM
only
on
Sony
SAB