Sonal Jha says her comments on Balika Vadhu ‘misinterpreted’, issues clarification

Actress Sonal Jha, popular for playing a part in Balika Vadhu, had spoken out against the 'regressive' nature of Indian daily soaps in an interview. Sonal essayed the role of Balika Vadhu's lead character Anandi's mother-in-law in the long-running drama that aired on Colors TV. After her comments on the work culture in TV and her show went viral, she issued a clarification on the matter. 

In the interview, Sonal had shared the reason behind distancing herself from the TV industry. " I feel that their agenda is not showing progressive content," Sonal had said. Furthermore, she also targeted producer Ekta Kapoor for 'making her serials on kitchen politics' and called it 'regressive' content. She also spoke out against how her character in Balika Vadhu was made to be non-consistent.  

Now, Sonal has cleared the air on her comments and said that her statement was not 'targeting any individual show or any producer'. 

Clarifying her stand, Sonal said, "The statement that I previously gave was completely misinterpreted and presented in an inappropriate manner. I was speaking within a broader context. I said that sometimes television content can be either regressive or progressive. I was not targeting any individual show or any producer like Ekta Kapoor. Obviously, I did not mean to target or slam anyone. All I really wanted to convey was about my TV journey and my choices. It was completely my personal interpretation about a range of roles but from a generic perspective. I clearly did not mean to offend anyone."  

Earlier, Sonal, who features in the web series Jehanabad - Of Love & War, said, "To be honest, I stopped watching TV. After 2016, I have not switched my TV on so I may not be able to talk in detail about this. TV is a wide medium and a lot of content is being made simultaneously. So, I am sure good stories are still there but maximum stuff just the same as what has been going on (all these years). If there is any change visible, it is too frivolous. There are times when I get calls offering me ‘a strong and progressive character’. I feel that their agenda is not showing progressive content. TV is a dificult medium to work with, if you want to work with a particular ideology or something."