EXCLUSIVE: Smita Bansal Recalls TV Actors Carrying Their Own Clothes For Shoots; Says “Hum Kapde, Choodiyan, Bindiyan Sab Lekar Jaate The”

Before celebrity stylists, designer vanity vans and organised costume departments became common on television sets, actors often had to manage everything on their own. TV Actress Smita Bansal recently opened up about those early days of the TV industry and revealed how actors carried their own clothes, changed inside jeeps and worked without proper washroom facilities. Smita, who is widely loved for playing Sumitra in Balika Vadhu, shared these memories during an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Bubble. Scroll on to know what the actress had to share.

Smita Bansal Recalls TV Actors Carrying Their Own Clothes For Shoots

Recalling how actors earlier handled costumes themselves, Smita Bansal revealed that they used to bring complete wardrobes from home for shoots. She revealed, “Hum ghar se kapde leke jaate the. Roz subah usko dikhate the director ko aur jo costume stylist hoti thi, phir woh bolti thi ‘achha ye yellow wala is scene mein pehen lena, ye green wala.’ Apne ghar se kapde, bag bhar ke kapde, uske saath ki choodiyan, bindiyan sab hum ghar se leke jaate the.”

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She further explained that actors were often expected to already own clothes matching different character requirements before being cast. She said, “Aaj ki date mein agar koi creative ko hum bol dein ki main apna… toh bolenge ‘nahi nahi ma’am stylist aayegi.’ And they are so particular about the look now. But we used to have a wardrobe at that time. Kyunki agar bola hai ki character suit pehenta hai toh aapke paas suits bhi hone chahiye. Pata chalega jeans pehenta hai toh aapke paas tops bhi har type ke chahiye. Party kapde hone chahiye, ye hone chahiye. Kyunki kitni baar woh poochte hain ‘aapke paas ye kapde hain toh hum aapko cast karenge.’”

Smita Bansal Reflects On The Early Days Of Television

The actress also reflected on how different shooting conditions were during the early days of television. According to Smita, vanity vans were not part of the industry back then. “Shuru mein toh vanity van ka concept tha hi nahi. Vanity Van is very new to the industry. Ye jo vanities aa gayi hain na abhi and usmein bhi vanities mein bhi you know there are standards aisi aisi aisi. So you know that’s luxury.”

She added that actors had to constantly adjust because proper facilities simply did not exist during outdoor shoots. “But uss time pe mujhe yaad hai National Park jo yahaan pe hai apna, toh wahan pe hum log shoot kar rahe the. Aur kuch horror show tha. Aur open jeep thi ek. Toh open jeep mein humne aise parde lagaye, matlab dupatte lagaye chaar aur uske andar hi baith ke change kiya humne because no makeup room, no chairs.”

Comparing those times with today’s organised sets, Smita admitted the industry has evolved tremendously over the years.

Watch Full Interview Here:

On the work front, Smita Bansal recently bid an emotional goodbye to her long-running role as Neelam Oberoi in Zee TV’s Bhagya Lakshmi. The actress is now gearing up for her OTT debut with The Pyramid Scheme on Amazon Prime Video. Produced by TVF, the comedy-drama explores multi-level marketing scams and their impact on middle-class families, with Smita playing the important role of Goldy’s mother.

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Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Smita Bansal Recalls Knocking On Strangers’ Doors To Use Washrooms During Outdoor Shoots; Says, “Dar Ke Paani Nahi Peete The”

Varsha Tiwari

Varsha Tiwari is a budding content writer passionate about Bollywood, pop culture, and the stories behind the spotlight. She enjoys breaking down trends, celebrity moments, and film narratives into engaging, reader-friendly content. Always curious and observant, she is currently pursuing a Master’s in Communication and Journalism. Outside of writing, she enjoys painting because storytelling doesn’t always need words to make an impact.