Mithila Palkar and actor-writer Dhruv Sehgal’s on-screen chemistry is loved by many, but the actress says dating each other was never on their minds.
“We had not thought of dating each other. We didn’t even think of talking to each other to start with. I think Dhruv and I only became friends in the second season (of Little Things) though we have known each other for the last three years,” Mithila said.
The second season of Little Things which premiered on Netflix on October 5, features Mithila and Dhruv as a young unmarried couple.
“It took us time just to know each other as people instead of two people working together. In spite of knowing each other for three years, it’s only this year that we made an effort to talk to each other and know each other off camera,” she added.
The series shows how they navigate the complicated world of relationships, careers and aspirations in the fast-paced city of Mumbai, while always cherishing the little things that make life worth living.
Recalling the day when they had an “awkward” conversation, Mithila said: “When he had just started thinking of Little Things, Dhruv said ‘Let’s meet for tea just to have a conversation’.”
“We never really followed it up. We met and thought ‘Okay, this is awkward’. The conversation probably lasted for half an hour. Then one of the co-founders of Pocket Aces joined us.”
For them, the importance was the show and its characters.
“Dhruv takes a lot from reality…stories happening around him. So, it was important for him to know me if he wanted to incorporate that. But it happened organically.
“It’s just that one meeting which didn’t really work out the way it was meant to. But when we started reading the episodes together, that felt more natural. Now, we are better friends,” she said.
Talking about the thought behind the digital series, Dhruv said: “One of the logistical reasons was to have a show with minimal production hassle.
“Also, to have a show which was not dramatic. A show which is about everyday us. ‘Oh, I tried a new cup of coffee.’ And they will have a conversation about it for two minutes.
“Then she will say ‘I tried a new kajal’. So, it’s about trying new things. It was about ensuring that the show is about everydayness,” he added.
This isn’t their first project together.
“The first thing that we worked together on was for a show called ‘News Darshan’. Dhruv had auditioned me for it. Dhruv wasn’t acting in that show. He was shooting it.
“After the season ended, we did a couple of sketches together which he had also co-written called the ‘Confusing Things Girlfriends Say’.”
They got a positive feedback for their chemistry. “People enjoyed our chemistry which came as a pleasant surprise for both of us because we didn’t really know each other well.
“People wanted to watch more of us on screen together. Then Dhruv wrote ‘Little Things’,” she added.