“Television needs a censor board”: Asha Parekh Director and producer

Firstly, why did you choose television rather than films?
Simple, it is a smaller headache (laughs). Plus with the current rage of big budget movies, it is not really my cup of tea.

There is a lot of talk going about women being portrayed as retrogressive in television but despite this, the same stuff is being churned out over and over. Now even you seem to adopt a softer stance. Why?
It is very funny. I spoke to some of the women who watch these serials and they say it’s just a pastime for them. But when you give them something meaningful, they just refuse to accept it.

Take the case of Dhadkan on Sony. What a marvelous story! It offered authentic depiction of the medical profession; even the characters were so well etched and aptly chosen. But look at its fate. On the other hand, look at Sanjivani. It started off trying to balance itself between being a story about doctors and their relations with patients, but look at it now. ‘The medical boon’ is an out and out love story now and people love it.

What is the real issue here?
Those dreaded things that they call TRPs… 3000 people decide what the rest of the country should be watching. We can’t really do anything. With the channels on a constant lookout to rope in more advertisers, the TRPs seem to clinch the deal. Look what happened to my own production Kangan.

It started with a TRP of nine but plummeted to two. And it is not as if we were offering the same run-of-the-mill story. We had a very strong male character and an interesting story. I went to the TAM office and the people showed me charts of how it fared. I was quite shocked looking at it.

There was yet another show about a man who gets married to a woman half his age and keeps her as a property, neglected. Later, when he has to get his daughter married he chooses a groom barely a few years younger than her mother. The guy falls in love with the mother instead. I thought it was beautifully scripted as well as enacted but there were no audiences for this show as well. Maybe, people aren’t really ready for meaningful shows. All they want is visual relief. I am disgusted with this attitude but I will keep trying to improve it.

Getting back to KPST, the basic story line gives a sense of déj? vu. Isn’t it quite similar to one of the story tracks in Aditya Chopra’s ‘Mohabbatein’?
You are right. And I am not saying that we were ‘inspired’ by the story. We have taken the story and adapted it to television.

Is there a lot of channel interference in production?
Not really, but the times are bad. Like I said earlier, they have to include these certain elements to ensure that their show is appealing. While flicking through the channels the other day, I saw a magenta bedspread in a room painted magenta. Gory was the word to describe it but later during the day I went to my set. The wall were painted blue, green and yellow… positively all the gaudy colours. Sadly, that is what sells.

Your last two projects, ‘Kora Kaagaz’ and ‘Kangan’ have been for Star Plus. Is there a specific reason why you didn’t approach Star Plus for KPST?
Star Plus either has dailies or one-hour weekly slots. Initially, I wasn’t supposed to direct but later I decided to. Since it would be too taxing for me to direct a weekly, I thought it safest to stick to Sahara. So I never approached Star Plus.

You have been on the other side of the camera for a long time and been quite successful at it too. As a vetran actor, what do you think are the shortcomings of present day actors?
They aren’t quite different from the older genereration but I have noticed that youngsters, nowadays, want instant gratification . Acting, not money, should propel the actor. It needn’t be charity work but it definitely shouldn’t be all about money. Actors lack discipline and dedication. Talent can be cultivated, but if you aim to survive on mediocrity you won’t last long. Also, they should have their feet firmly planted on the ground.

Even in our days, there were lots of actors debuting on the screen but only a few lasted. Amitabh Bachchan will be on the screen for as long as he wants to, not because he is Amitabh but because he is a dedicated actor. Actors like him and Shashi Kapoor were hard workers.

What is your view about the mushrooming acting classes? Do you think they help?
They might offer the actor some confidence and contacts but there are no short cuts. Nothing helps like groundwork. It is only with experience that actors can grow.

Is there a diffrence between the modus operandi of male and female directors?
It is hardly a surprise, but women directors can handle emotions quite well.

Your stint as the chairperson of the Censor Board had its own share of controversy. What was the real issue there?
Vijay Anand wanted to market X-rated movies. I wasn’t against it but I wanted to know who would be policing it and how. That is all what it was about.

Do you think that there should be a censor board for television as well?
Yes, absolutely. Television needs a censor board. I am appalled by the lack of decency. Just take a look at the music videos our kids are watching. Don’t get me wrong here, I don’t want to see women wrapped in six yards of sari but I want the programming to be a bit more tasteful. Even the so-called serials that showcase Indian tradition and culture are full of extramarital affairs. And since parents aren’t doing the screening, there should be somebody to police it.

What is the essential difference that you find between television and film?
Their shelf- life. People will remember Kora Kaagaz for say 10 years but a movie stays on forever.

What is your comment on the current copyright issue that’s Sahara’s ‘Karishma’ is embroiled in?
I don’t know the specifics so I cannot comment.

But I find disregard for other people’s hard work a very disturbing trend. If you are using somebody’s work, the least you can do is give the person his due credit. Music industry has, of late, laid down some rules but the film and television industry need to work on it.

Prior to my tenure with the Censor Board, I had been involved with it. There are quite a few people working on it, so solutions should be around the corner. What I was also looking at is bargaining for actors’ share if the show is re-telecast.

As a director, what is the one thing that you would never compromise on?
I would never like to show my actresses half-clad. Even if the ‘script demands it’, let’s leave somethings to imagination please.

Is there a dream project that you want to work on?
There was this story about Ahemdabad’s cart-pullers, I had talked to Kajol about it, besides other big names in Bollywood. It was about a young girl and her illusions. But it took a long time and now there are no cart-pullers there, so no point in pursuing it.

In a lighter vein, all your serials start with ‘K’. Any numerology connection?
No. They just happen to be that way. But yes, we have consulted a numerologist for the latest, the extra ‘c’ in ‘Kucch..’ is the testimony.