It took Dice Media nearly three years to finally come back with the season finale of What the Folks. And it was nothing short of a reunion for the entire cast who last met in 2019 during the shoot of season three. “We were told that we were getting a season four. The show is usually shot a little before Diwali, but [back in] 2020 it wasn’t an option,” says Eisha Chopra, who plays Anita Sharma in the franchise.
What the Folks is a journey of how urban families are breaking stereotypes, overcoming generation gaps, and growing to love one another, despite having starkly different world views. The third season ended with Chopra’s character and Veer Rajwant Singh, who plays Nikhil Solanki, debating about children. The season finale is now focussing on the couple’s journey through adoption and the wedding of the youngest Sharma daughter — Akshata (played by Anula Navlekar). “We’ve been talking about [filming the series] since January last year, but it still took the end of the year to be able to come together,” explains Navlekar.
The on-screen sisters say that they have adapted to the changing arc of their roles. “Season one’s Akshata was a lot closer to how I am as a person,” says Navlekar, adding that she had an “in-depth discussion with the director” in the first season on how to mold herself as the character grows. “Coming back this season, after such a long time and seeing how they’ve changed the character arc a bit [gets me excited]. She is a lot more mature and different from how I am. So, I had to work on finding these moments,” she adds. Chopra remembers a lesson she learned from her acting coach that helped her adapt to her character. “He had said, ‘Every character you play, is like finding a Venn diagram — where one circle is you and the other the character you play. Wherever they intersect, that is your portal into the character.’ That is the vision I employ when I play Anita. She is confrontational, but what happens to her when she no longer has anything to prove to the world and has no more fights to fight,” explains Chopra.
While Chopra was aware that the fourth instalment will serve as a conclusion to the family sitcom, it came as a surprise to Navlekar. “I found out halfway through the show [that the series is ending],” says Navlekar adding that she can see her character in all stages of life. Chopra, however, hopes to see What the Folks as a movie on OTT some day.
