Zee TV has been a trend-setter in shaping television content over the past three decades. After introducing audiences to several relatable characters who have emerged as the country's most sought-after dinner-table companions and their inspiring stories, the channel is all set to introduce another narrative that will question the traditional roles set aside for women in every Bharatiya household. The upcoming primetime drama, Meet, lets viewers in on the journey of a spirited young girl from Haryana - Meet who, contrary to a popular perception that only a son can be a Ghar ka Chirag, is the Ghar 'ki' Chirag for her family. Not only is she the sole breadwinner, but also breaks societal rule books of gender roles by serving as a delivery agent and generally being the 'fixer' in any and every situation that typically a guy is expected to be. The show starts on the 23rd of August, airing every Monday to Saturday at 7:30 PM on Zee TV.
Essaying the titular character of Meet will be popular television actress Ashi Singh, who is all excited to begin her journey with this new role. However, she observed that there are people in today’s world who still believe that a woman should only look after the house, cook and take care of the family. To prove this notion wrong and to make people realise that there is no such job that a woman is not capable of doing, Ashi met three amazing ladies recently. These women from different walks of life have not only been an inspiration to many, but they have also proved that women have it in them to make a mark of their own in typically male-dominated spaces.
In fact, these females didn’t fear or care about society’s perception of 'men being capable of doing a certain job,' just like Meet. During her research, she came across Kashish Sharma from Ajmer, who is an Inspection Engineer and works for the Bharatiya Railways. She also got to know about Shirin Ansari who drives an autorickshaw in Mumbai as well as Deepali Panchal who is a delivery partner with Swiggy. After reading about them, she wanted to know more about their journey, the kind of difficulties they had to face while they were working in such a male-dominant job, amongst other things.
Ashi caught up with them to draw inspiration from these real-life Meets so she can apply her observations while portraying her character authentically. Hence, she invited all these wonderful women to the sets of Meet and asked them about their journey and how they became real-life Meets by breaking stereotypes around gender roles and being successful in so-called male-oriented jobs. All three women shared their heartwarming stories. While talking to Ashi about her journey, Kashish Sharma mentioned, “When I first started working for Indian Railways, it was quite different, everyone looked at me like I was some alien on the site. It was very difficult for people to accept that a young girl has joined their team and will be working on the site with them. I was always told that this is a field job, it needs a lot of strength and it’s not safe and comfortable for women, but that did not stop me from taking it up and as a few days passed, everyone started appreciating my work. They also started considering me a part of their team and I think people have now opened to change and I am happy that Zee TV is coming up with a show like Meet that will break these gender role stereotypes, and I am really excited to see the show."
One of the few women autorickshaw drivers in Mumbai, Shirin Ansari, also mentioned, “I started driving an autorickshaw after my husband left me and my family went through some major financial crisis. It wasn’t a smooth journey and I had to face a lot of ups and downs. During this time, I also met a lot of people, some supported me and appreciated what I did, and some made bad comments and made me feel like I was doing something wrong. But I didn't let it stop me. Over time, I got the tag of ‘Dabbang Lady’ and I am proud of it as I stand out from the rest. I truly feel there is no such job that a woman is not capable of doing, my family also supported me in every decision I made, and I am so glad that Zee TV is coming with a show, Meet, that might change the mindset of people who think that only a son can be the Ghar ka Chirag.”
Deepali Panchal who works as one of the select women delivery agents with Swiggy added, "I started delivering food as a delivery partner because I wanted to help my husband financially. During the pandemic, we were facing a lot of financial issues and that’s when I decided I would take up a job and help my family. I am very grateful to Swiggy as they are now giving an opportunity to women as well to work as delivery agents. In fact, whenever I go out for deliveries, people are surprised to see a female delivery agent and they always ask me about my journey. I must say that I love my job, I love to deliver food to people, it really makes me happy. My family has also been very supportive when I made this decision, I have a 2-year-old daughter and my mother-in-law looks after her while I am off to work. My journey so far has been amazing, and I am so glad that Zee TV is coming up with a show where they have their lead actress who also works as a delivery agent. I am sure I will relate to it and so will several working women. I can't wait to see Meet on TV.”
After hearing their stories, Ashi was happy and inspired meeting these women. With these three ladies proving how a woman can also be the ‘Ghar ka Chirag’ and take on responsibilities that are otherwise considered a male prerogative, Ashi saluted their spirit and presented them with a small token of love by giving each one of them a wonderful hamper and an exclusive sneak peek of the shooting of her show, Meet.
Talking about her experience after meeting these three superwomen, Ashi revealed, “I truly loved meeting these three ladies who are proving to be their ‘Ghar ka Chirag’. In fact, it is truly amazing to see that they are so happy with their jobs and that their families have also supported them throughout their journey. We have hardly seen any female rickshaw drivers or delivery agents, or inspection engineers working on railway tracks. I am truly impressed and inspired by their stories and their confidence. This is the kind of change we need in our country, and which is precisely why Zee TV is bringing audiences a show where a woman proves, through her personal example, that there is nothing women aren't capable of doing and it is high time we reviewed our own thinking about gender roles and responsibilities. I am glad that I got to meet Kashish, Shirin, and Deepali and present their stories in front of so many people.'"
To see her journey, watch Meet starting from 23rd August, every Monday to Saturday at 7:30 pm, only on Zee TV