Sayantani Ghosh on Ali Baba going off-air; says, “Bidding adieu to a show hurts”
Launched in August 2022, Ali Baba: Dastaan-e-Kabul, which is known as Ali Baba: Ek Andaaz Andekha Chapter 2, is all set to go off-air in the second week of June. The fantasy show has been through many challenges, including the tragic death of the original actress Tunisha Sharma. Soon the lead actor Sheezan Khan was arrested for abetment to suicide. The makers then roped in Abhishek Nigam and Manul Chudasama as the new lead couple. However, the one actor that has remained constant from the beginning is Sayantani Ghosh, who plays Simsim on the show.
Sayantani talked about the show going off-air in a recent interview and shared, “I hate goodbyes, as I get attached to everything very easily. Even after two decades in the industry, it still hurts, but it’s a pain I am used to. A show will end sooner or later, and that’s the nature of this profession,” she says, adding, “For me, it’s been a year-long journey as Simsim, and the character has become a part of me. I appreciate that the makers called me to their office to inform me about the development. Now, that rarely happens on television.”
The show suffered a major setback after Tunisha’s death. Talking about the tragic incident, Sayantani said, “What happened on the show was unimaginable. We didn’t know what to do after the unfortunate incident last December. I thought the show would end in January, but we sailed through the challenging phase. My heart still aches to think and talk about what happened, and I still wish Tunisha was around us. It wasn’t easy to resume shooting and return to the original set. However, it is in immense pain that you realize your strength. We have shown resilience as a team because many people depended on it for their livelihood. Every show of mine contributes professionally to my growth, but Ali Baba has contributed personally. It has made me more resilient and patient.”
Sayantani takes pride in the fact that she will be known as the original Simsim on the small screen. She said, “After being the first Naagin of Indian television, I will be remembered as the first Simsim of Hindi TV. I am the OG (smiles).”
