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The initial reception to Aarti Mann’s Priya Koothrappali was pretty decent, as she seemed like the perfect match for Leonard until she wasn’t. Although it’s easy to see why the consensus surrounding her character became very divisive by the time her tenure in the sitcom concluded, it also didn’t help that Priya lacked any comical appeal like the rest of the cast.
Interestingly, the latter issue with her character stemmed from Chuck Lorre’s decision, as Mann later confessed that she was specifically told not to be funny in her role.
Priya Koothrappali was stripped of any comedic appeal by Chuck Lorre
Considering the prime focus ofThe Big Bang Theorywasto offer viewers a healthy dose of laughter, the decision to hire Aarti Mann for the show seemed like an off-choice, as the actress didn’t come from any comedy background. WhileThe Recruitstar herself had no answer to it, given how her character played out in the sitcom, it’s easy to see why Lorre opted to go against a comedy veteran for the gig.
Chuck Lorre Went Against CBS’ Biggest Demand to Not Cast One ‘Two and a Half Men’ Star Who Had the Reputation for Being a “Show killer”
Moreover, Mann was specifically told by Lorre to avoid being funny during rehearsals (viaDeseret News), and urged the actress to“Play it simply”.
Whenever we’re rehearsing, I’ll try to play it in a more comedic way and (executive producer) Chuck (Lorre) always comes in and says, ‘Play it simply. You’re beautiful when you’re simple.’ I’m constantly told to reel it back in. I think I’m giving them what they need for the show. Every sitcom needs their straight man or straight woman.
Although she did a great job within the confinements ofChuck Lorre‘s Cues, to this date, Priya remains a divisive figure among fans, especially because of her demeanor in the latter half of season 4.
Johnny Galecki found Priya perfect for Leonard
Opposed to the fandom’s stance on the character, her onscreen love interest had nothing but nice to say about Mann’s brief tenure in the sitcom. Even though things do eventually hit the fan because of Priya’s controlling behavior, during her initial inclusion into the narrative,Johnny Galeckifound Mann’s Priya a better match for Leonard than Penny (viaTVLine).
I thought it made a whole lotta sense. She did one episode this season, and we just really loved Aarti [Mann], and her work ethic kind of melded with everybody else’s. And it makes sense as far as the characters. She is Leonard’s sort of intellectual equivalent, so they’re able to communicate more effortlessly than Leonard and Penny, certainly.
As for Mann’s outlook on Priya’s shift as a character, the actress expressed that it was fun to see her change, even though it did leave a sour taste in fans’ mouths.
Chuck Lorre: “I think it was a writing problem” on the Real Hero Saving ‘The Big Bang Theory’ From Imminent Cancelation
The Big Bang Theoryis available to stream on Max.
Santanu Roy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2539
Santanu Roy is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 2,000 articles under his belt. He has been pursuing a degree in Animation and possesses a deep love for the medium of animation. Having spent the better part of the last two years pumping out articles for FW, Santanu excels at covering movie analysis and news surrounding Pixar, DCU, DreamWorks, and Batman’s cinematic legacy.With psychological thrillers and intimate slice-of-life dramas ranking among his favorite genres, Santanu is a big admirer of Luca Guadagnino, Shane Black, Park Chan-wook, and Brad Bird.
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Chuck LorreJohnny Galecki
