Patralekhaa: Hope Badnaam Gali changes mindsets

Patralekhaa on challenging disgrace attached to surrogacy as she slips into the act for next Badnaam Gali

In a society that continues to stigmatise surrogacy, few revered faces would be willing to risk the role in a commercial offering. However, for Patralekhaa, playing a surrogate mother in Zee5's Badnaam Gali is an attempt at distancing the taboo attached to the act.

"While people accept [surrogacy] more than they did in the past, we need to still change mindsets, and hope our show will do so. I haven't met any surrogate mothers, but have read about them, and the process that they go through," says the actor of the show, also starring Divyendu Sharma. As part of her prep, she says she researched about the reason behind couples' decision to opt for surrogacy. "For the mother, it is not about seeking monetary [benefits] every time. Sisters do it for their brothers or family members. It's beautiful to give your womb to someone for their happiness; is a big deal."

Certain that her role will be one that can change opinions, the actor says she hopes people can eventually treat surrogate mothers the way they do every pregnant woman. "I wish to see a change in the way people respond to surrogacy, and treat it as normally as they would any pregnancy. It's physically and mentally challenging. Using prosthetics to [show] a [bump], was a challenge."

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