Mugdha Godse to judge Marathi TV show

The show will be aired on Zee Marathi.

Mumbai: Bollywood actress Mugdha Godse, who has made her television debut as a judge in a Marathi talent show says it has given her an opportunity to go back to her Maharashtrian roots.

Mugdha, a former model who debuted on celluloid with Madhur Bhandarkar`s `Fashion`, said her school education was in Marathi medium. "As a young girl, I struggled to speak English. Now, I am struggling to speak Marathi. This is the irony of life," she said admitting that in the glitz and glamour of the fashion world, her fluency in her mother tongue had suffered. Initially, she was undecided on doing television but when she saw the auditions of folk artists from different parts of the state, she decided she had to be part of the show on Zee Marathi. Talking to reporters, Mugdha, who hails from Pune, said the main aim of the show `Marathi Paaul Padte Pudhe` was to provide a platform to folk artists who are driven by passion for the art, to showcase their skills. "Competition and elimination is just part of the show," she added. According to the 24-year-old actress, two episodes of the show have been telecast so far and the feedback has been good. "TV is about reaching out to the people, especially in rural areas who have not seen my movies," she said, adding that the show was modelled on the lines of reality show `India`s Got Talent`. Speaking about her wardrobe on the show, Mugdha said earlier she thought she would wear traditional clothes, but decided otherwise as she was taken on the show for being a Marathi girl who had carved a niche for herself in the fashion industry. "Hence, I have decided to have a mix and match and keep a balance of traditional and modern outfits," Mugdha said adding that she has shot seven episodes so far out of the total 34. She described her two years in Bollywood as a "learning curve". "I learnt that I would like to be myself, do my own thing rather than be inspired by others," Mugdha said. To a question if she would be a contestant on a reality show if offered, Mugdha said she has already been a contestant on Miss India and Gladrags. "I know the tension and pressures a contestant has to face. I have made a name for myself and would like to grow further," she added. Mugdha said her forthcoming film "Will You Marry Me?" opposite Shreyas Talpade was due for release mid-2011. "It’s a romantic comedy. I don`t want to be a glam doll in every film even though it is a good project," she added. Producer of "Marathi Paaul Padte Pudhe" noted art director Nitin Desai said the show was an ode to the art of Maharashtra. He said 5,000 artistes from all over Maharashtra were auditioned out of which 56 have been selected. He said 70-year-old Sheikh Riyazuddin Abdul Kareem alias Raju baba danced on a small plate singing devotional songs of Meerabai while a two and half year old boy played tabla in the first two episodes. "Art does not know barriers of language and age," he added. PTI