Few cult characters on Indian television have left a mark quite like Maya Sarabhai. Known for her sharp tongue, classy style, and a strong dislike for all things “middle class,” she quickly became one of TV’s most iconic figures. When Sarabhai vs Sarabhai aired in 2004, it didn’t just entertain, it gave India a new pop-culture reference point. And at the heart of it all was Ratna Pathak Shah, delivering every line with perfect comedic rhythm.
Ratna’s portrayal of Maya was so believable that viewers often found themselves wondering how much of Maya was actually Ratna? This question has followed her for years. And recently, in yet another interview, she gave an answer that was as honest as it was delightful. “Oh, no, a lot of me has gotten into her. I’m Maya Sarabhai, and very happily so,” she said, with a smile.
Though Ratna credits writer-director Aatish Kapadia for Maya’s razor-sharp vocabulary, she admitted the character’s thoughts and energy echo her own. She confessed that her real-life reactions sometimes feel very Maya-like. Especially during one everyday situation, air travel.
Ratna described what goes through her mind when a plane touches down and passengers rush to grab their luggage. She said it’s one behavior she simply cannot understand. She said,“The entire plane gets up and starts taking out their bags… I really feel like saying, ‘This plane ain’t going to run away, sweetie. Stop being so middle class!’ I really want to say this.” The words, wrapped in satire, instantly bring Maya back to life.
Behind the sarcasm, though, is someone who truly enjoyed playing the role. Ratna described her time on the show as magical. She looked back on those days with fondness, calling it the best phase in her acting career. “It was the best time of my life. I got to say the best lines, the wittiest lines and got paid for it,” she emphasised.
That might explain why Maya Sarabhai has stayed so relevant, even twenty years later. The wit still sparkles. The lines are quoted endlessly. And the character continues to live on in memes, reels, and memory. What also helps is the bond between the cast, which remains intact. A couple of years ago, the original team, Satish Shah, Sumeet Raghavan, Rajesh Kumar, and Aatish Kapadia came together again. Ratna was there too, reuniting with the people who helped shape something special.
In a world where shows come and go, Sarabhai vs Sarabhai still feels fresh. Much of that is because of characters like Maya, whose snobbery was hilarious, but never cruel. Her judgmental remarks were written with charm, softened by perfect delivery. Ratna didn’t just act; she embodied Maya.
And though she may not always have the writer’s sharpest lines at hand, her own life isn’t short of Maya moments. Whether it’s the way she observes human behavior or how she speaks her mind, Maya continues to peek through. There’s something enduring in that mix of elegance, confidence, and sass.
So, when Ratna says she is Maya Sarabhai “very happily,” it’s not hard to believe her. Maybe the world still needs a little bit of Maya, someone to call out the absurd, to celebrate wit, and to say what everyone else is thinking, just a little more eloquently.