Trashing the stereotypical trope of a conflict-ridden relationship, actor Sameera Reddy and her mom-in-law, Manjri Varde, make viral videos of quick food tips, full of banter.
The chemistry has translated well on social media, with their videos going viral. If one shows them making a homestyle frankie, another has them exploring their weekend style, often wearing the same type of garment. They make fun of each other, but the videos show genuine mutual affection. "It started off with Manjri making fun of the way I cut onions. We have a banter that's real. She would say 'didn't your mother teach you anything' and I would say 'OMG, I love what you are wearing. I wouldn't wear that'. She likes loud colours and it takes a personality to wear any of what she wears. She has 12 pairs of boots! But we don't feel bad about anything we say. We wanted to change the old-school narrative of what a bahu and saas should be like. I don't even call her mom," says Reddy, and Varde adds, "She still calls me aunty!" Varde also has adapted to the social media platform effortlessly, "I like it. I don't have to leave the house to do anything!"
They are now headed to greener pastures, having shot their first advertisement together, this month. "Manjri is a natural. Even the director of the ad said she is amazing. She delivers all the lines perfectly. When I am directing her in the videos, I don't even see her as my MIL. I see her as the 'talent'." Right now, they just want to keep creating content—"We wanted people her age thinking, 'I can still sass it up'. We want people to see the saas-bahu relationship in a positive way. We just go with the flow. Everything you see is very real, and that's what makes it fun."
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