ITV

Tag: Astitva

  • Lok Sabha Television to air mini-series on endangered wildlife species

    Lok Sabha Television to air mini-series on endangered wildlife species

    NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Television will be airing a special series on wildlife featuring endangered species from 2 October.

     

    The daily half-hour series will be telecast up to 8 October everyday at 9 pm, except on Tuesday when the episode will be aired at 8.30 pm.

     

    The programme has been produced and anchored by Abhilash Khandekar, who also produces the Astitva series on the channel every fortnight.

     

    A different species will be discussed with an expert, and the first programme is about elephants with Vivek Menon.

     

    Experts include Dipankar Ghosh (red panda), Samir Sinha (tiger), Dr Bonal (rhino), A Andheria lion), and Jamsingh of Jaisalmer on bustards.

     

    Khandekar told Indiantelevision.com that the programme will discuss steps being taken to safeguard that particular species and the role that public or private sector can play in this. 

  • Shows that go on endlessly are really the TRP-fetchers, says Purnendu Shekhar

    Shows that go on endlessly are really the TRP-fetchers, says Purnendu Shekhar

    NEW DELHI: Writer Purnendu Shekhar said today that television channels often ask the writer to add sequences in serials that are proving popular with the masses.

    Shekhar told indiantelevision.com that he agreed that some serials had outlived their existence, but said he was asked to continue adding episodes because the respective channel felt the show was fetching TRPs.

     
    Writer of shows like ‘Balika Badhu’, Shekhar has now penned the series ‘Satrangi Sasural’ for Zee TV which is a story of a housewife who has to contend with seven mother-in-laws.

     
    Producer Bhairavi Raichura, who is also an actor said that while there is no pack up at the end of the day as it happens for an actor, but seeing a serial on screen is like seeing a new born baby. But she admitted she preferred playing the actor.

     
    Meanwhile speaking at the press meet, she denied that ‘Satrangi Sasural’ was a woman-oriented show as it involved many elements as it exists in every family.  

     
    Shekhar said the concept for the series had been given to him by the channel and he had then penned a story around it.

    He admitted that a writer had to keep the social issues in mind and taking care of elders was a major issue in this series directed by Nandita Mehra.

     
    He said he had learnt his basics in television from Zee since he had commenced his work as a writer for an earlier show with the channel. His shows include ‘Astitva – Ek Prem Kahani’ and ‘Saat Phere’.

     
    He stressed that the present series was not a typical saas-bahu story and said he would make every attempt to ensure that this does not happen in the coming episodes.

     
    Referring to the return of Farida Jalal on the small screen, he said she will be a surprise as she has always been taken as a character who brings some comedy on screen which will not happen this time.

     
    ‘Satrangi Sasural’ will showcase the life of a girl living in a Delhi-based household with seven mother-in-laws, each of them having their own individual personality traits, quirks and diverse characteristics. The show has locked in an impressive ensemble star cast to play the seven mother-in-laws on the small screen along with the main leads.

     
    The series will see a slew of prominent, popular yesteryear actors making a comeback. Viewers will see veteran actor Farida Jalal return to the small screen as the stern and stoic matriarch – the grandmother of the groom who calls the shots and runs the show.

     She gives shelter to six other women of the family who are either widows, left in a lurch by their husbands or just chose to walk away from troubled marriages. Prominent faces who have stepped in as the mother-in-laws include powerhouse performers like Bhavna Balsavar, Sadia Siddiqui, ReshamTipnis, Sheetal Thakkar, Sonali Sachdev and Samta Sagar.

     
    Shekhar said, “You don’t need to be a biological mother to know what it feels like to be a mother. In that sense, the male lead of our show Vihaan has been raised by not one, but seven mothers. So our leading lady Aarushi is posed with a most unusual scenario where she must deal with seven mothers-in-law – a prospect bound to make any girl turn jittery and develop cold feet about marriage.”

     
    The show explores the interesting dynamics between Aarushi and her seven mother-in-laws.

    Produced by 24 Frames, ‘Satrangi Sasural’ has Ravish Desai as the male lead protagonist – Vihaan, opposite Mugdha Chaphekar who essays the role of Aarushi.

     

  • “To ‘live in the role’ is an absolute myth”:Sachin Khedekar

    “To ‘live in the role’ is an absolute myth”:Sachin Khedekar

    Though Sachin Khedekar has been around in television for more than 15 years, in terms of visibility he is just five years old. Imtihaan was his first television serial. And his latest project is the big screen film Astitva by Mahesh Manjerekar in which he plays a negative character. He chose it because the story was meaty and Mahesh is a fabulous director. According to him, he ‘arrived’ with the teleserial Sailaab. His ultimate ambition is to do a Broadway musical. Because as a theatre man it is the only medium that truly excites him.

    The man loves acting. So much so that even in school his only hobby was acting. And Marathi plays were the passion. In fact in school they had their own group which organized cultural programmes. He began his stint in theatre with well known actor-director Vinay Apte and then moved on to television so he could expand his horizons.

    Born in Mumbai’s Vile Parle, he comes from an orthodox middle class family. He is an environment engineer and has two years of consultancy behind him. Very much the family man, he has been married six years and has a three-year-old son whom he loves to drop to school. Khedekar’s trademark moustache marks him out. He also happens to be a self-confessed misfit among the ‘in’ crowd.

    The ever-modest Sachin Khedekar gets into talk mode with Nupur Rekhy.
     

    You are known for your sensitive portrayal of roles. Is there a special method behind it?

    I was never professionally trained. I have learnt with practice. Whenever I have to act in a scene I remember how I used to approach that particular emotion in real life. The attitude of the character just flows in me. I just react to space and actors around me. Let’s just say there is no special method behind it. I have just improved with time. I do not believe in the myth of living in a role and in people who claim they are born or instinctive actors. I believe acting is an art form and it evolves.

    Is there some special effort that you have put in to improve your acting ability?

    Yes I have worked hard on my Hindi. I used to read newspapers loudly.

    Are you an actor by choice?

    I have no moral obligations to anyone or anything so I am very selfish and I act just for myself.

    One gets the feeling that you think that television has an upper hand over films as a medium. Is that true?

    It is a known fact that television has better actors, directors, and writers in number. And television is bigger in terms of reach. The story structure is bigger and there is huge variety. All these are lacking in Hindi cinema.

     

    How do you get over the monotony of acting?

    I do get bored at times when there is a lack of variety in roles so I always seek variety. To get inspiration I go back to theatre and do a rigorous 30 days of practice. But I don’t have the problem of living the character. I just switch on and off when I want. It has never happened that the borrowed character has personally effected me. Nerves do tighten at the end of the day when I have played some very emotional roles. Sometimes it also drains me emotionally but I just meet friends, producers, talk about films, deviate the topic towards food and always try to meet successful people.

    Why successful people?

    So that I always have the inspiration to work harder and strive for more.

    How do you prepare yourself before a shoot?

    Basically I try and ‘cook’ out the traits of the character and I do wish that I could get the script before hand but it never happens so I just ask assistants to give me an idea about the characters. When I have to act out very emotional scenes, it depends on my emotional memory, which triggers and influences that scene. Basically my preparation is always my personal experience. Plus the impression of the people around me and the director’s guidance. And I have a lot of sensitivity to my co-actors and that helps me a lot.

    Who are your favourite actors and directors?

    In theatre I like Dr (Shreeram) Lagoo, Satish Shah and Pankaj Kapur as actors and I admire Amitabh Bachchan and Naseeruddin Shah.

    What is your emotional state on a set. Are you nervous?

    I am not nervous but I am restless (I shake a leg all the time till the director says action,) and yes there is high anxiety and nerves are tightened before a shot. And I always feel that since there are such a number of ways to say my lines so I just wonder how should I say it.

    Given a choice between theatre, television and films, which is your favorite medium?

    I like all of the three but theatre is the one that truly excites me. Theatre is the only ground for an actor to prepare. The process of rehearsal is the most important for theatre. It goes on for 30 days. And after that hard work the audience response plays on the character.

    Why did you choose the silver screen finally?

    For exposure to a different medium and to a different audience. Every actor wishes for more and more people to watch him and I am no exception. Every activity has a different type of audience and you want to relate to all kinds of audience. It’s a thirst to see different audiences watching you. And naturally money is important.

    How do you react to criticism?

    It shocks me and it makes me feel I am not up to the mark and that makes me work harder.

    Is there anything in your life that you really want to do but have not been able to yet?

    I want to do a Broadway musical. In fact I would love doing anything that would allow me to travel around the world. I would love to play the character of Hamlet but there would be so much rehearsals involved that I am sure I would not be able to manage it.

    Any message for aspiring actors?

    Life is more difficult for new actors nowadays because if you are not good no one will watch you. The competition is huge. The approach should be bookish and without knowledge you should not even enter.

    There should be more acting schools. Because satellite television is growing so fast that there is no time for trial and error. I had a lot of time – some 10 to 15 years – to reach where I am but for newcomers time is the most important factor.

    And finally… who is the real Sachin Khedekar?

    He is a 35-year-old Taurean. He constantly works on himself to have more magnetism. He lacks ambition but is extremely positive and optimistic so the whole thing around him works. And he tries to induce all kinds of positivity in his life. Except ambition he does not lack anything. He likes a lot of space around him. Is religious and that is his great strength. And has no clue as to what is ‘in’ and what ‘out’ and confesses that till date he has never seen a fashion show.