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Not so long ago, Miss Rolling Eyes Annu of Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand, Sweta Keswani had told me, "Hansika Motwani literally lights up Des Mein… She will go places." Boy, this 10-year old really does! Sometimes seasoned artistes too fail to give the correct expression in a scene, but Hansika has not erred in the same frame! Hansika's histrionic abilities have been justified in just a span of two years. She has managed to make audiences sit up and take notice of her talent. An integral part of Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand and Shakalaka Boom Boom, of late Hansika has signed some new and exciting serials and films as well. On her anvil is Mehul Kumar's Jaago, wherein she plays a 10-year old girl who is raped in a local train in Mumbai. Jaago is based on a real life incident that happened last year. Plus, she has signed the Amitabh-Dharmendra starrer Hum Kaun Hai and Dheeraj Kumar's Abra Ka Dabra. Everything was going rosy for this kid, until a minor hiccup recently when she ceased to be a part of Balaji's Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Dressed in casual frock, Hansika, accompanied by her mother, spoke to indiantelevision.com's Vickey Lalwani about why she is no more in the Kyunki… family, and lots more. |
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What happened in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi? Yesterday, we saw that someone else has stepped into your shoes. Recently, I have signed big films like Hum Kaun Hai, Abra Ka Dabra and Jaago. I have plum roles in these projects and cannot afford to imagine that big stars will be available as per my availability. Also, I am doing Aruna Irani's serial Tum Bin (Zee) and Zameen Se Aasman Tak (Sahara). To add to it all, my role in Shakalaka Boom Boom has been revised. So from now on I occupy center stage in the serial. |
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But why should you wait for endless hours? Does the same happen in Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand? |
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Does this imply that you wouldn't do a Balaji tele-serial again? |
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| Are kids on television given a raw deal? I mean, is their availability taken into consideration or are they forced to comply with the dates of bigger stars? During early days, these things do happen; kids are given a raw deal at places. But nowadays, my mother is adamant and vociferous that I am not made to run from here to there, at any date and any time. |
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Rewind. How did your journey in television and films start? |
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So didn't the wheels clog? Within a short period of time, I started getting TV serials- Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Thi and Shakalaka Boom Boom. Recently, I did the film Hawa, but unfortunately it flopped. In a few days from now, you will see me in more films. The wheels are going at break-neck speed. Recently, I have been lots of ads- Ujala, Samsung Microwave, Onida AC, Bournvita… I love doing ads. |
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Did your dad have any objection to you joining the glamour world? |
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Did you enjoy Koi Mil Gaya the most as there were many other kids around you? |
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How do you adjust between school and shoots? |
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If you bunk, how do you catch up with studies? |
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How did you adjust your studies when you went to Canada for about two months for Koi Mil Gaya? |
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What difference have you felt while facing the TV lights and the film lights? |
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How do you manage the difficult scenes? |
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| The general assumption about child artistes is that their parents enact the scene and the children just copy them. How do you manage? It's a myth. Today's kids are far smarter than those of yesteryears. Besides, it's not too difficult to act. I guess that I enjoy acting so much that everything happens quite smoothly for me. |
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Don't you get tired with such a hectic life at such a small age? |
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What happens to your mother's practice if she is generally around? |
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What is the reaction of your classmates towards you? Have they changed after seeing you so much in television and films? |
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Any bad experiences? Say, you were not paid for your work? |
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| What else? Once I get into seven standard, I will stop working at least till my ten standard board exams are over. |
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What! |
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Tag: Vickey Lalwani
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“Being seen around too much as a child artiste could go against my aspirations to become a heroine”
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“If I had made my debut with ‘Kyunki …’, I would have registered with audiences faster”
He may be known today as the newest hunk on the block, but Rajeev Khandelwal did not come to Mumbai with dreams of making it big as an actor.
Unknown to many, Rajeev is in reality a documentary filmmaker who has made several docudramas on the Indian Army, the life of the aged, and women’s labour in the country.
Today, however, it is playing Sujal in Star Plus’ new late night opus Kahiin To Hoga that is keeping him busy. Not surprisingly, Rajeev has also spawned a growing female fan following, thanks to his ambitious, egoistic, hotshot dude act in KTH.
Receiving a constant stream of gushing calls has become de rigour, and he acknowledges, albeit in a slight vain vein, that the female adulation is a part of his life now.
Vickey Lalwani caught up with the ‘happening’ star of tellyland to find out what makes him tick.
Was yours a planned foray into television acting?
No way, I am a B Sc (Chemistry) from St Xavier’s, Ahmedabad. Brought up in an army background, I started my career in television as a production assistant. Soon, I began writing and directing documentary films. Till date, I have written about 30 documentaries on various subjects.Really! Tell us something about the documentaries.
Documentaries that I penned and directed were on issues like old age, women’s labour and the Indian Army, among many others. I have a special fascination for the Indian Army. After the Kargil war, I was keen on making something that would showcase the army and hence made one documentary on the subject. Most of the films I made were aired on Doordarshan and were of 30 minutes duration. I did not produce all of them, though.So, how did the transition from production to acting happen?
Well, I had shot a pilot for a show based on an army backdrop. It didn’t find approval and I ended up wasting lots of time and money.Now that I look back, I think I shouldn’t have done it at all. Not only was I vague about the tricks of the trade, I was positively clueless about the content that the mainstream channels would be interested in.
“What kept bothering me was the fact that despite starting of with KHKH, I still had to make my mark”How did you bounce back?
While I was trying to sell that project in Mumbai, I managed to sell myself (laughs). I was selected to model for a few commercials- LML bikes, Gilbey’s Green Label Whiskey, Kodak Express and Videocon refrigerators.Thanks to those opportunities, I recovered most of my lost money within no time. At this point, friends advised me to try my hand at acting. I went in for some auditions at Balaji Telefilms. Luckily, I was selected. I badly needed the money to recover the losses that I had incurred in the making of the pilot. My ad assignments were quite a boon, but they still had not wiped away the entire deficit.
Usually Balaji actors manage to become semi celebrities within no time, how did you manage to keep a low profile?
Guess it all depends on the popularity of the serial. If I had made my first appearance in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, I would have registered with the audiences faster. My cameo was in Sony’s Kya Haadsa Kya Haqeeqat. Today, this show is doing well – but I shot for the initial thriller episodes, the inaugural series. It was a great experience. I shared the frame with some great artistes like Rohini Hattangadi and Smriti Malhotra. My first shot was with Smriti. Mind you, I didn’t goof up (laughs).So that’s how you started. Then?
Offers started trickling in, but I already signed Kahiin To Hoga. Since it was a daily, that required a major chunk of my time, I didn’t want to take up more projects. I didn’t want to focus on too many things during the initial stages of my career. Besides, I knew that I was playing a character which would make an impact. Unfortunately, Kahiin… did not flag off as per schedule. That was a trying period.I was in a dilemma, unsure of what to do next. A catch-22 situation, to be precise. And, people who remembered that I had appeared in KHKH began asking embarrassing questions like ‘Kyon Bhaiya, Chale Nahin Kya? (Oh, so you didn’t click?)’
Didn’t you take a raincheck beforehand? Were and are you bound by a contract with Balaji Telefilms?
No. I am free to take up other projects as and when I please.“Late-night shows don’t generally do well, I knew the content was good, but I thought what if the people refused to change their viewing pattern?”
A still from ‘Kahiin To Hoga’You said that you knew your character in ‘Kahiin…’ would make an impact. What made you believe so?
This is something very new. The character Sujal I play has loads of attitude. Tell me one young actor in a TV show, so far, with so much of attitude.How close is Rajeev to Sujal? Do you really have an attitude? And how do you define ‘attitude’?
Pretty close. Like Sujal, I am a reserved guy. But frankly, I don’t like the word attitude, it has a lot of negativity attached. Here, people equate aloofness to attitude. They begin saying that he is proud, egoistic…. Sooner or later, they start saying that the guy has an attitude. This is unfair. How can anybody start chit-chatting, gossiping and laughing with everyone?How did you react when you first learnt that ‘Kahiin…’ would be aired in the 11 pm slot?
I guess, I was very nervous and apprehensive. According to the general perception, late-night shows don’t do well. I knew the content was good, but was afraid of viewers who may not want to change their viewing pattern?Later, however, I consoled myself and maintained a firm belief in Balaji Telefilms. The production house has a successful track record and I waited. Waited with bated breath, for nearly six months to hear about the launch. What kept bothering me was the fact that despite starting of KHKH, I still had to make my mark. I couldn’t afford a failure at this stage. It would have been a major setback.
You seem to have had a good time doing some very romantic scenes with your co-star Aamna Sharif (Kashish)?
(smiles) I know those scenes have become the talk of the town. That’s because Aamna and I share a wonderful chemistry. To be honest, I did get turned on when those sequences were narrated to me. But when it came to doing those in front of the entire unit, it was a different story altogether.
Still from Gilbey’s Green Label ad“I don’t want to copy any actor, howsoever successful he may be”Did you have any formal training in acting?
I don’t believe in formal training. Acting is an intrinsic art. These classes might polish an actor a bit, but they can’t ingrain the seeds of acting.So, do you watch serials to imbibe something?
I don’t watch any serial mainly because I know if I do, I would start imitating someone. It’s a natural thing to happen. We all get influenced by each other, no matter how hard we try to avoid it. I don’t want to copy any actor, howsoever successful he may be.How important is a director to you?
Quite important. I want him to help me get into the skin of the character. He has to keep a close eye on me in the initial stages of the show and correct my flaws as per the character demands. However, I don’t believe that the director has to enact the scenes for me. Else, I wouldn’t be able to improvise.No formal training in acting. Don’t watch much television. How do you manage to convince the director?
Since I have written and directed documentaries, I can relate to the scriptwriter and director very easily. I have a fair idea as to what they want from me as an actor. It’s a case of ‘knowledge gained does not go down the drain’. Importantly, I am not too sensitive.I don’t mind if people point out my flaws. For instance, there was this drunken scene recently where the creative guys felt that I had gone over the top and they let me know. Thanks to them, I could better my act.
Going back to your character. You don’t share a very good equation with your father (Deepak Parasher). But I guess that part has not been fully delved into…
Your guess is right. That’s because he (Parasher) has not been good to my mother.But even that aspect has not been touched upon?
You are right actually, but I wouldn’t be able to comment on that. It should be coming up any moment. But I really have fallen in love with my character. The fact that it has every possible human shade- love, anger and jealousy, makes it even more attractive. It is also one reason why I relate to the scriptwriter and director.On behalf of your female fans, let me ask you one last question. Where do you think your sex appeal lies?
In my eyes. -
“I don’t believe half-baked shows are accepted by viewers”: Aditya Singh Contiloe Films
When Aditya Singh and brother Abhimanyu started their production house Contiloe Films Private Ltd in 1996, all they had was a vision in mind. For the first three years, the duo made serials for Doordarshan. Today, Contiloe has carved a niche for itself with serials like Krishna Arjun (earlier called Krishna Sharma CA), Rahen Na Rahen Hum, Sshhh… Koi Hai and Kashmeer on Star Plus.
Together, Aditya and Abhimanyu have a agreement – while Aditya is involved in conceiving and developing concepts and marketing them to the channel, Abhimanyu takes over the production and the actual execution of projects.
However, of late, the duo admit they are broadening their horizons. Abhimanyu is getting more involved with the creatives and Aditya is focusing on evolving the company’s future plans for growth, including recruitments.
Indiantelevision.com’s Vickey Lalwani spent some quality time with Aditya to understand his views on various aspects of the television industry and his plans for the future. Excerpts from the interview:
How do you view the progress of Contiloe Films?
We are going as per plan. We have consolidated our company and have made a mark. Sometimes, however, one cannot achieve all that one has planned to. There are various fluctuations in the market besides changes in the dimensions of entertainment. All said and done, it’s been a satisfying experience.‘Krishna Arjun’ was earlier titled ‘Krishna Sharma CA’. Were you disappointed that the original comedy show, intended to tackle real life issues, did not work?
When Krishna Sharma CA started off, we planned to take up social causes on the lines of the popular Priya Tendulkar serial Rajni.But there was no question of disappointment, when it didn’t work out – we were confident that we could turn it around. Actually, we were running out of issues. So we modified it into a show which would cater to kids. Fortunately, Star Plus supported the show in its new avatar. And we succeeded in making it more entertaining and gripping.
You seem to have a special equation with Star. Any reasons for that?
We sit with ideas, we build upon them – we do everything to make the programmes better. Because we know we need to sustain the viewers’ interest. We need to ensure that the TRPs don’t drop.Today, television is all about the support a subject gets in terms of budget for execution and promotion. It’s essential that the production house and channel understand each other’s needs, thrash out their differences, meet on common ground and pour in the creative inputs collectively. It’s so comfortable and stimulating if the producer and the broadcaster are on the same level.
We don’t want innovations and inventions to take a backseat. It’s very easy to do five daily soaps without doing justice to any of the projects. I don’t believe half-baked shows are accepted by the viewers.
“Comedy requires tremendous skill in terms of writing and language. It is a very special genre, especially in India“ 
A still from Krishna ArjunYou started working with DD Metro. Currently, why don’t you have any show on Doordarshan?
For the last four to five years, DD has been trying to figure out which direction to take. Anyway, we don’t want to spread too broadly and lose control of all the good work we have done. When the time is right, we might work with DD. Not immediately.Why did ‘Kashmeer’ stop abruptly?
Kashmeer was supposed to have about 18-20 episodes. But around the13th episode, we realised that the show was getting very sensitive. So we veered a bit and kept the track going with the focus on the love angle. But after some editing, the serial was complete in 17 episodes.Would you take up production of another serial on a sensitive issue like that of ‘Kashmeer’ again?
Why not? I think we handled it pretty well.‘Krishna Arjun CA’ started off as a comedy but later changed tracks. Even generally, soaps are more in number than sitcoms, on any channel. Why this trend?
Soaps are perhaps the easiest to make. Comedy requires a tremendous amount of skill in terms of writing and language. It is a very special genre, especially in India. What might be funny for a Punjabi might not be funny for a Bengali and vice versa.Do you intend making soaps?
Yes, that’s a part of our agenda in our forthcoming round of programming. We’ll try our very best to be different. But don’t expect a total turnabout. The backdrop would be different from other soaps but the focus and thrust can’t go beyond emotion and drama. One thing I can say, we’ll definitely make it more interesting and pacy; we won’t let the show drag unnecessarily.Other plans?
We plan to make documentaries for the international market. Also, I see good scope in making short films which could initially be released in theatres, followed by a television telecast after a period of time. I am not ruling that out for Contiloe Films. But yes, short films would need a lot of content. At the end, I see myself producing a movie.Do you plan to produce telefilms?
Not as yet. Telefilms are not happening. Makers are looking at compelling viewership, which is difficult for telefilms to generate. We have to go by the current market trend. Right now, television is happening.But as and when the time is right, we would certainly indulge in making telefilms. The phase of telefilms will come back. But nobody can tell when exactly would that be.
A still from ‘Kashmeer’“Producers, who deliver on quality and don’t maximise profits by cutting costs, don’t suffer. You can’t keep a good man down; you can’t trample on good work“ What are the disappointments, if any, that you have felt along the way as a TV producer?
None as yet. I know people complain about the formation of lobbies by certain production houses which get all the work from various channels. But then, doesn’t the channel have the right to trust people who have delivered well and in time?Producers, who deliver on quality and don’t maximise profits by cutting costs, don’t generally suffer. You can’t keep a good man down; you can’t trample on good work.
Are film based shows (like ‘Jubilee Plus’) more profitable propositions than soaps?
Difficult to say. Because we haven’t ventured into soaps as yet. We haven’t sat and worked it out in detail.Last year, you had told indiantelevision.com in an interview: “I foresee a great scope for news-based programming, which I plan to get into in a big way”. Any progress on that front?
As a company, we look at short-term gains, middle-term gains as well as long-term gains. To me, news-based programming figures as a medium and a long-term gain…As for venturing into news shows, I am ready if I am supported by my broadcaster. If I get a broadcaster like Star who pays me well, never delays my payment and compensates me for something that I have shot but they couldn’t telecast, then why not?
Do you believe in TRPs?
Certainly. It’s a very scientific method.Your views on CAS…
If implemented in a slow and sure phase, it would help. The concept is good. But if implemented at gunpoint, it wouldn’t make sense.Distribution in India is a major problem. Nothing happens overnight. But I fear that when CAS is implemented, many lower-middle class viewers will be forced to opt out of the pay channel packages due to money constraints. The effects could be more traumatic than we can imagine. People have become so dependent on television now that I wonder what they would do without most channels!
Post-CAS, do you think production quality will suffer, especially if channels start granting lesser funds than before?
Maybe, but in that case, you can’t blame the channel either. Channels are doing their business. Which businessman can ignore a loss? However, in such a case, producers may even start raising the quality of their content in order to get noticed.You are partnering with Cinevistaas for post-production facilities. But you had said earlier that you would be setting up your own post-production house.
We have a very comfortable working relationship with Cinevistaas. Presently, we are doing Sshhh… Koi Hai as a joint venture with them. Our other shows on air- Krishna Arjun, Jubilee Plus etc are being done independently by us. We have also set up our own post-production unit.Are women producers more successful on Indian television?
This is a recent trend and has to do with the women-centric soaps on television, of late. But I wouldn’t read much into it. -
“In TV, there’s no point in trying to look good. It’s just how you act!”
Here’s one actor who is not just ever-enthusiastic to take up myriad roles, but also get into the skin of his character.
Yash Tonk. We have seen him in three different roles in Kaahin Kissii Roz (KKR) on Star Plus, and still are not tired of him. Presently, he plays the rich, sophisticated, business tycoon Kunal Sikand in the serial; earlier we have seen him as the rustic, uneducated Haryanvi Kuljeet and the deadly henchman Shaan in the same serial.
In his first Bollywood flick Ishq Vishk, Tonk plays a rich and spoilt skirt-chaser. To Tonk’s credit is the fact that he essays each one of these roles with remarkable ease and perfection.
Curious to unravel the real person behind this combo of looks and talents, Vickey Lalwani meets up with Yash Tonk at the Sankraman Studios during a KKR shooting.
The meeting turns out to be intriguing and pleasantly honest – with Tonk even offering an insight into the origins of his rather unusual surname.“I hail from this village called Tonk in Haryana. That explains Kuljeet’s perfect accent in KKR,” he explains. Excerpts from the interview:
How did you get into television?
I am here not by default. Rewind. Born in Haryana, I finished my schooling there. For college, I was in Delhi. I did a few fashion shows at college. Some coordinators picked me up from there and gave me a chance to participate in shows at a professional level. I developed a strong urge to get into serious modelling. My parents encouraged me for it too.Then, I came to Mumbai. I got a few modelling assignments; did a bit of theatre. I was going along all right, but nothing special had happened. Then, came my real break – the music video Jai Jai Shiv Shankar with Maria Goretti. Within a short time, I had bagged my first TV serial – Just Mohabbat.
Thereafter, life started smiling?
…Rather, I started smiling (laughs). I started getting top commercials like Vadilal, Coke, Clinic All Clear, Close Up…How important has KKR been for your career?
Tremendously. Today, I am respected, recognised and even idolised, all thanks to KKR. It has been very exciting to play Kunal, Kuljeet and Shaan – all in one serial. All the characters have been noticed and appreciated by the audiences. I can gauge this when I walk down any road.“Today, I am respected, recognised and idolised, only because of ‘Kaahin Kissi Roz’“
Tonk (third from left) in a still from ‘Kucch To Hai…’Has KKR’s roles helped you polish your acting abilities?
Certainly. I think my role has the most number of shades compared to anybody else’s in the serial. One scene, I am playing a loving husband and the second scene, I am an obedient son as Kunal.Then I change my get-up to play Kuljeet. The fourth scene, I am back to playing Kunal but now as a suspecting husband. The fifth scene, I am playing Kunal, the sad father. Even the character Shaan, who has disappeared now, gave me an immense thrill.
Please elaborate on your stance.
I’ve enjoyed playing all the three characters. They have all been very challenging for me. I’ve got a good chance to perform in this serial since there are various shades to these characters.In the beginning, Kunal was a bit negative, always suspecting his wife, then gradually he turns positive. I enjoyed the various shades, from Kunal to Kuljeet to Shaan. The biggest challenge was to precisely project the character of Kuljeet who is in total contrast to Kunal. But I guess it came easier than I expected, perhaps because I am a Haryanvi.
It was fun because Kunal is shown very reserved, his emotions are reserved, his reactions are reserved. But Kuljeet is happy-go-lucky, great fun and extroverted. I just opened up while playing the character. As for Shaan, my body language portrayed the aggressive shades very well. I think that people too have enjoyed these contrasts.
How did films happen?
Despite the fact that I was doing a daily, I had consciously kept some space so that I could take up a film if and when it came along. I have therefore been very restricted in signed up for shows.Then Ekta Kapoor offered me her home-production Kucch To Hai (with Tusshar Kapoor, Esha Deol and Natasha). It was a good role, I went ahead with it. A week later, Feroz Khan signed me for Jaanasheen (with Fardeen Khan and Celina Jaitley). The movie is due for a release next month. More recently, I have signed up for a film titled Miss U (with Sohail Khan and Ishaa Koppikar).
How did Jaanasheen actually happen?
Once, I was dropping my pictures at Anupam Kher’s office because I’d heard that Kher was contemplating on some project. That was before Kher released Om Jai Jagadish (with Waheeda Rahman, Anil Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Tara Sharma and Mahima Chaudhary). Someone from Feroz Khan’s office was sitting there. He spotted me. That time, Khan was doing the casting of Prem Aggan (with Fardeen Khan and Meghna Kothari). I was auditioned but things didn’t work out for the film. During the casting of Jaanasheen, my name came up again. This time, I did not falter.Don’t you think it was a blessing in disguise – that you were not a part of ‘Prem Aggan’? That film was a disaster.
If I would have been there, it might have been a hit! Who knows! (laughs)“Had I starred in ‘Prem Aggan’, it might just have been a hit!“You did ‘Ishq Vishk’ too.
MTV’s team was involved with Tips for the promotion of Ishq Vishk. I got a call from MTV. They knew me as I had done a music video with them earlier. They asked me to get in touch with the film’s director, Ken Ghosh. Thereafter, I underwent an audition.Is working in films easier as compared to serials?
Comparatively speaking, working in films is easier. There is no hurry. Lots of retakes ensure that there are no glitches whatsoever.A film canvas is comparatively larger, and tremendous cost is involved. More than the cost, a lot of reputation is at stake. I underline that, today, a lot of money and reputation is involved in television too. But in films you have time to turn it around, rework on it to get the audience.
Any other major differences between the two mediums?
It’s very difficult to look glamorous on television. That is due to the restriction of the medium. Television is a closed medium, centred around storytelling.Even films tell a story, but cinema is not a closed medium. The small screen cannot capture the locale visuals and the glamorous dressing to the extent that the large screen can. Simply put, a good-looking star in films, does not necessarily look good on television too.
Actually, in TV, there’s not even a point in trying to look good. It’s just how you act. TV audience are all ears – they just want to listen, but the movie audiences are ears as well as eyes. They want to see something exotic, something astounding.
You said you got a good chance of performing in KKR. But don’t you think that the focus in the serial is tilted in favour of Sudha Chandran, aka Ramola Sikand?
That’s one more drawback of television. To begin with, the programme is sketched for a certain period of time. But if does well, it is invariably stretched. And then the villain’s role starts getting prominence.Negativity in a story is like the spoke of a wheel. If the story is lengthened, the negativity has to be lengthened too.
“I categorise myself as a spontaneous or an instinctive actor. I say whatever comes naturally to me“Who do you identify with most in KKR – Kunal, Kuljeet or Shaan?
Actually, none. I cannot identify with any of the three characters. I treat them as characters and never compare them to real self.Yes, sometimes you go through the same experiences that you go through in a serial, but I consider them incidental. I’m totally different in real life. But I’m doing my job fine and the audience is loving it. (Pauses)
On second thoughts, there must be some element of similarity between the real and the reel. In that case, I think the real Yash has shades of Kuljeet, since I’m always happy and keep tension at bay.
How do you classify yourself as an actor?
I categorise myself as a spontaneous or an instinctive actor. I just read the scenes and don’t believe in learning my dialogue by heart. I say whatever comes naturally to me and try to keep my emotions correct.I just try to see the character, what the writer has conveyed, conceive it correctly and then follow it. Only if some additional inputs are required, I add. For instance, for the character of Kuljeet, some extra inputs were required.
What is the probability of your making it big in films? Only few TV actors have done it, till now.
The probability is very good. In fact, it’s increasing day by day. Today, the scenario has changed. No star guarantees a hit film. Filmmakers are looking beyond big names. Think of it, it’s happening the other way round too – big names from tinselville are getting into tellydom.A personal question. You married your costar Gauri Yadav aka Nisha of KKR…
For me, it was almost love at first sight. A few days down the line, I proposed to her. She accepted. I guess, I was a very good bachelor and she had no reason to refuse (laughs).What is it like to have your fiancee calling you ‘bhaiji’ (brother) in the serial?
(Laughs). I never thought about it. I looked at it differently, that I was getting married to Gauri and not to Nisha. Nisha was just a character. -
“All the people I have invited on my show have fascinated me”: Simi Garewal Producer
Star World's Rendezvous with Simi Garewal has climbed the popularity chart so fast for a perfectly good reason. Time after time, the Lady in White Simi Garewal, has managed to rope in filmstars and celebrities for an absolutely honest heart-to-heart, which unravels their true nature.
This time around, Garewal has pulled off a coup in Rendezvous…. In October, she will broadcast a show with the entire Bachchan family- the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, his wife Jaya, son Abhishek and daughter Shweta.
The Bachchan Special will be spread over two episodes. On 5 October, the kids will be featured – their childhood jokes, their pranks, their growing up years included. The second episode, covering the entire family, will be telecast on 12 October. The show culminates into a celebration of Bachchan senior's 61st birthday on the sets. (His birthday falls on October 11).
Vickey Lalwani caught up with this graceful woman for an insight into her interviews, that so decorously bring out the flavours of the celebs. Excerpts:
How did you manage to pull off an interview with the entire Bachchan family?
The four Bachchans together is definitely special. For the host as well as for the viewer. I have interviewed Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan earlier. I have interviewed Abhishek solo. To get them all in front of the camera on one show was enthralling.Today, Amitabh is the busiest actor in the industry and Abhishek is also working round the clock. It's really commendable that they took time off from their hectic schedules and accepted my invitation.
Shweta flew in (from Delhi) specially for the show after I invited her. This is the first time she will has face the camera. The show is special, no doubt.
What is the Bachchan Special all about?
It's purely about the family. How they interact with each other, their inter-personal equation, the jokes within the family, the difficult situations they have been besieged with and how they have stood up and faced those.Amitabh and Jaya discuss bringing up Shweta and Abhishek. They talk about everything – right from their childhood, all the way till yesterday when Amitabh celebrated his 61st birthday.
"The Bachchan Special is purely about the family – their inter-personal equation, the jokes within the family…"
So, it would be a revelation of sorts? We'd know new things about the celebrated family?
Yes. Like, Amitabh's relationship with his son compared to his relationship with his father, Harivanshrai Bachchan. We also speak about the brother-sister relationship between Abhishek and Shweta. There is a very strong bond between them.At the end, one will see that theirs is a very contemporary family but with lots of values.
Is it true that the family is very strict and conservative?
That's what people believe. In fact, Amitabh says in the show that "people think we lead a very dormitory kind of existence which is a fallacy". He says, they have lots of fun in the family – they cry, joke and laugh like any other normal family.What else did you discuss in the show that you thought was heart-wrenching?
I asked Amitabh about the accident on the sets of the movie Coolie. I asked Jaya what she underwent? Were the kids told about the gravity of the situation? And Jaya broke down. That was very moving.
"I don't insist on a certain question, if my guest is not comfortable with it"Did you talk about the failure of Abhishek's films at the box-office?
I did. Amitabh has his own view on that. He said that people keep saying Abhishek is lucky to have the Big B as his father, he has not undergone a struggle – maybe they are justified, but that does not mean he will cut down on what he gives to his son.Did you ask them about Abhishek's engagement?
I didn't. When this show goes on air, Karisma Kapoor, his ex-fiancee, would already be married.The question would have been in bad taste, under such circumstances. But in Abhishek's solo interview which came sometime ago, we spoke on this at length.
Several personalities have opened their hearts in your show and let out their inner emotions. How do you manage it?
I don't know how to answer that. You will have to ask them. There's no strategy. I think I am genuinely interested and involved with my guests. I can't interview somebody I am not fascinated with.In other words, all the people you have seen on my show till date have fascinated me in some way or the other. But I never insist on a certain question if I see that my guest is not comfortable with it, or is trying to evade it.
I strongly feel that every person has a right to his/her privacy. As an interviewer, I don't like to push, if someone does not want to answer a particular question.
"I go to extreme lengths to prepare for my interviews. I read the oldest magazines and surf for every bit of information available on the Net"
How did you actually conceive Rendezvous?
I used to see a lot of talk shows and often found the hosts to be very hard-hitting. I often felt that they are doing more talking than the guest.I decided that if I ever get a chance to interview a person, I would make the person so comfortable that he opens up. Today other hosts are following my style. Karan Thapar has adopted the Rendezvousstyle in a show on BBC.
Which show of yours do you hold closest to your heart?
I have done films, made some of the most talked about documentaries on Rajeev Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto and Raj Kapoor.I have done Rendezvous with so many personalities now. It has become difficult to choose. But if you insist, I still think the Jayalalitha and Maneka Gandhi episodes were special.
How do you manage the research for 'Rendezvous'?
Oh, I go to extreme lengths. I read the oldest magazines to prepare my questions. I don't miss even a single magazine where my interviewee's articles were published in the past. I go through everything available on the Internet about him/her. It is then that I work out my questions.My next step is to talk to the prospective guest's school teachers and friends, relatives, acquaintances and associates who can add some depth to the interview. This way, I know the flow of questions exactly, the areas of the interviewee's life which I wish to explore. Only then, I am confident that I can handle the show in my own way.
I shoot a great deal and then edit the show to the required length. My own home has a state of the art editing studio, which is fully computerised. I love computers and use them for work and leisure as well.
Is white your favourite colour?
I have always believed that white or soft colours create an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity. I designed my own home and even the sets of my show with this concept of peace in mind.The sets of the show are almost a replica of my terrace. We have recreated the terrace in a studio and kept it there on permanent basis.
What next after the Bachchan Special?
Preity Zinta and Rani Mukherjee. -
“I don’t know if ‘Antakshari’ made me famous, but I am bowled over by the love I receive from people” : Gajendra Singh
What does it take to survive in the fleeting world of Indian television? Ask Gajendra Singh, director of Antakshari, Zee TV’s long-running musical game show and he says, “Success. There is no such thing like ‘you have to flow with the tide’.”
Antakshari remained untouched during the shake-up at Zee last year, when almost every other programme was axed to make way for a new look. The show recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. The secret of their success, says Singh, is that through all these years, the show has retained its roots.
“We may be using modern techniques for shooting, but the soul is still the same,” Singh says. Antakshari, Singh observes, is not merely a song and dance show – it is a show that reaches out to the hearts of the viewers.
Pointing out their efforts to connect with the people , he says, “For one show, we had flown down non-resident Indians (NRIs) from 12 countries to Mumbai. They had come from places as diverse as Australia, Kenya, Canada and the UAE. Some were from Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius, UK, USA and South Africa. They were all selected after auditions in their respective countries.”
Singh explains how, for may of these NRIs, it was their first time in India. “Their enthusiasm was overwhelming. They were people who speak English and French, but don’t know Hindi. They learnt Hindi songs especially for this. It’s a great feeling.”
We understand Singh’s moment – sorry, moments – under the sun. We definitely want to know more about them, but also a few things besides them. Vickey Lalwani catches up with Singh at his Zee TV office to get an insight.
Excerpts:
How did you conceptualise ‘Antakshri’?
I don’t know why anybody did not conceptualise it before me. Antakshri is a game which our fathers and grandfathers played. Today we and our children play it. Tomorrow, I am sure our grand children would.And you took it to Zee TV?
Actually, I first took it to Doordarshan way back in 1987. They did not give me a favourable response. Those days, Zee TV did not exist. Much later, I took it to Zee.Straight up?
Not really. First, I joined them in their In-house Productions Department, in 1992. After six months, I told them that I need to move on. I am a creative person and was itching to do something innovative.At this point, I mentioned my Antakshri concept to them, which was still looking for an outlet. They agreed to give me a platform.
Has ‘Antakshri’ made you famous?
That question is for you to answer. But I must say, I am bowled over by the love I receive from people. For instance, once I was given a bouquet of flowers by a gentleman who said his mother made it a point to see my programme even during her last stages of cancer.Sometime ago, we had invited 10-year-old kids – who were not born when the programme first went on air – to participate in an episode. We receive nearly 600 entries for that! That’s where I rest my case.
How did ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ materialise?
The Sa Re Ga Ma Pa idea came up when I realised that many good singers kept away fromAntakshri. I have observed that good singers never take to singing as a game. They are more concerned about the sur and the music. I wanted to give them a platform.Why haven’t you tried your hand in other channels? Or are you a Zee loyalist?
(just smiles)Is your involvement at Zee restricted to being the director of your particular show?
No. Recently, I have been appointed as the creative director. My job especially involves looking into the promos.
Richa, Vasundhara, Babul Suprio, Daler Mehndi, Anil Khera, Gajendra Singh, Usha Uthup and ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’s folk singer on the sets of Antakshri’s singer special episodes“Creativity has to be built around commercial requirements. A truly creative person can do that” You talk about creativity, but doesn’t commerce overrule it?
Commerce doesn’t overrule creativity. Nevertheless, it is very important. A public limited company cannot discount commerce. So, creativity has to be built around the commercial requirement. A truly creative person is one who can successfully do that.I surely don’t subscribe to guys who claim to make a project for only personal satisfaction. Then, why release it to the public?
Do you think Zee has suffered in the recent past due to poor promotion?
I don’t think so. And even if it has, it’s just a passing phase.How much did ‘Antakshri’ help in Zee’s popularity?
Tremendously. But it was the other way round as well. It takes two to tango. The channel never let my programme down. It was always ready with suggestions, innovations and encouragement. After all, you can’t showcase your talent if somebody does not recognize it.Why was Sonu Nigam dropped from ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’?
Nigam was not dropped. He himself wanted to be out of the show. He said he wanted to concentrate on movies.Do you agree that Annu Kappor stood tall against the ever-changing faces of female anchors in ‘Antakshri’? Why?
Initially, we had Durga Jasraj. But there were a few complaints – or say, notes of dissent – regarding her singing. Also, she had problems with her dates as she was regularly travelling with her father, Pandit Jasraj.Then I approached Renuka Shahane. She instantly agreed but made it clear that she would do it for a year only. She said she had other commitments. Thereafter, I felt it wouldn’t be a bad idea to change the female anchors every year.
And thus came Shefali Chhaya, Rajeshwari Sachdev and Richa Sharma and Pallavi Joshi in quick succession.
But hasn’t Pallavi Joshi already anchored the show once before?
That’s okay. I just thought that she should be brought back. Everything cannot have a reason. Life is not science.“Zee never let my programme down. It was always ready with suggestions, innovations and encouragement” 
How did the serial ‘Awaaz’ happen?
Awaaz was initially Anil Chaudhary’s concept. I came across the script which made me sit up and pay attention. I knew the audience too would pay attention.If it was Anil Chaudhary’s script, why didn’t Zee allow him to go ahead with the serial?
Chaudhary said he would not be able to handle it alone. He gave the project for production to Zee TV. Zee, in turn, asked me to write and direct it.‘Awaaz’ has been pitched against an established serial like ‘Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii’…
… And yet, people are talking about it; they are watching it! Awaaz is not your average run-of-the-mill soap. It’s seriously different. It asks you a question – “If people on a deserted island, without basic amenities of life, can live cohesively and happily, why are we bitching, quarreling and killing despite having facilities of every kind?”Do you know the response I am getting for the serial? It’s overwhelming. I am flooded with fan mail.
Do you have an end in mind for the serial? Or is it one of those endless soaps?
I have an end in mind. It should go on for about a year.What next?
I am planning to direct a film. I am working on the script with some Pakistani writers.Subject? Communal harmony?
Under the wraps! I won’t like to spill the beans, or else others would pick it up.Would your new post of creative director at Zee stop you from taking up some project on other channels?
Nothing of the sort.A little about your personal life before we wind up…
Well, I met my wife Ashwini in a Antakshri show. She was a participant. We had a courtship period of seven years (blushes).It started when she began working in the research group behind the screens. Even today, she helps me with my work.
-
“No company which does not have an attitude can ever be successful” : Ekta Kapoor Balaji Telefilms creative direc
If she is not slogging away on the sets to shape up her TV serials, she is seeking divine protection and blessings.
“I just returned from a trip to the Kumbh Mela, Nashik, and Shirdi at 3 am last night. I had a meeting with an executive producer till 4 am. And now barely six to eight hours later, you are ready to shoot questions at me. Poor me!” she tells indiantelevision.com’s Vickey Lalwani, when he meets her for an interview.
Then suddenly she sits up straight and says, “Ask me anything connected to work. No problem, even if I am half dead. Nothing gives me a bigger high than when I see how my characters can make people laugh, cry, angry and happy.” Tea arrives, and she is all set for a tete-a-tete:
What makes Balaji Telefilms tick?
It’s very simple.My company works on two principles. One, nothing is bigger than the programme, not even the company. Two, if you believe in me and really want to share my goal and vision, please join me; else don’t show me your face. I have never told this to anybody before, but seriously, the company needs an attitude. No company which does not have an attitude can ever be successful.It’s said that you are a very tough taskmaster?
I know what you mean, even though you aren’t saying it. But I’ll answer you. Aren’t you hinting at the things you get to hear that people here are scared of me, and if they leave, they get blacklisted etc? Is that possible? About 2000 people are working for Balaji Telefilms across the country, how can so many people be scared of me and yet give off their best? I am just paying the price of being successful and famous. Therefore, you hear all this loose talk against me. It’s just that there is a strong sense of achievement in all the people who work under me.And because they achieve professionally, they achieve personally. I want only those people to come to me who believe that Balaji Telefilms can make them a millionaire. If you want Rs 3000 per month and wanted to attend office for only five days in a week, please get out. I want people who understand that working four years in my company would be equivalent to working 40 years in some other. Most of my creative heads get more money than their counterparts in any other production house. Tomorrow, if they move away to some other company, they can easily demand a phenomenal rise over what they are getting from me. That’s why they work 18-20 hours per day. They don’t work that much because they are scared of me. Believe me, sometimes this backfires on me (smiles).
“The viewer needs to be jostled, then allowed to rest and put to sleep, and then jostled again with renewed vigour. That is the secret of serial making“ How?
Sometimes it becomes difficult to retain the talent. An entry into Balaji Telefilms is considered as the criterion of your skills. Consequently, these people are offered premium salaries by my rivals. and they get lured.And those who don’t?
Those who don’t are sensible. They understand that stability in life is the most important thing. And that, they get it here. In a period of few years with me, some creative guys are drawing eight to ten times of what they were given at the time of joining.“It is likely that if I show a mother leaving her kid at home and going to office, people would come out and say that I am breaking up homes“ 
What about the raise given to actors?
Not as much as creative heads, because creative heads allot more time and energy. But yes, we have a format of first leads and second leads. An actor belonging to the first lead gets a higher rise every year, say double, unlike the second leads who get a rise of 50-70 per cent.What makes ‘Kyunki…’ tick?
Simple. Because every situation is quite real. And the same applies to Kahaani… as well. Many incidents in these serials have happened with each one of us. Believe me, there is nobody who does not like these serials. A section of self-made intellectuals are out to malign this show of mine, but have they succeeded? Even some actresses are jealous of this show. A beautiful 30-plus actress shot for a family serial of mine, but the channel strongly felt that she was looking old. Another young actress gave me dates, but later backed out. And now what are these actresses doing? They are painting the newspapers black and white saying that they are not made for the saas-bahu stuff!Tell me honestly, don’t you think that these two shows are dragging?
No. They are not dragging. If they were dragging, how would they have consistently achieved such fantastic TRPs? The basic thing is that these serials have had many peaks, and believe me, there are more to come. By peaks I mean, the high drama and the surprise element which leaves you amazed. Now surely, you can’t keep peaking a serial every week. Then, the surprise element would fade away. The viewer needs to be jostled, then allowed to rest and put to sleep, and then jostled again with renewed vigour. That is the secret of serial making.Still, some characters in ‘Kyunki….’ are shown in excess?
I agree, but do you think that things are rosy with me? Sometimes, I am helpless. Like Smriti is all ready to deliver in mid September. She is the backbone of Kyunki. She is there in at least three or four scenes every day. I have to underplay her character for a while, and shift the focus probably on to Gomzi and Karan.How were ‘Kyunki’ and ‘Kahaanii’ conceived?
There’s an old lady called Amma in my house. Looking at her, I realized how we tend to ignore and neglect the elderly people around us. That’s how Kyunki… took shape. Then I wanted to make a modern Ramayan. Doesn’t every home have a Ram? That’s how Kahaani… took shape.What makes ‘Kasauti…’ tick? How was it conceived?
Unrequited love between Prerna and Anurag. I was inspired by a real life incident. A friend of mine ditched his girlfriend to marry as per his parents’ wishes. I was disturbed. Why couldn’t the other woman be positive? Prerna was born. Why can’t the wife be negative? Komollika was born.What about ‘Kaahin Kissii Roz’?
Kaahin Kissi Roz seemed to be nearing an end… but it was resurrected. Isn’t that the first part of your question? (laughs) I wonder whether you or anybody else knows that this serial is a visual delight… I get letters from men going ga-ga over Ramola Sikand and some middle-aged wives jokingly complaining that their husbands are not paying enough attention to them! The TRPs had dropped sopme months back, but over the last few weeks, I have figures and letters to prove that the show is rocking. As to how it was conceived, well I wanted to make a highly entertaining filmi stuff. Some revenge, suffering hero, heroine, villain, suspense. that’s it!What is the source from where every serial of your’s germinates?
There is no fixed source. There are some people who relate to personal experiences only. There are some people who relate to what they read or see or even hear. I am a combo of all these people (laughs).Does a good equation with the channel help?
Of course, it helps. For instance, I have a good equation with Star Plus. But mind you, I have to deliver the TRPs. If my show does not deliver, my relationship would not help me to swim in smooth waters. I might even go for a toss.So there is no such thing called as PR?
There is PR, there is a greater degree of comfort, they know that I’ll turn it around, they trust me. They immediately come forward with ideas, we sit together, we discuss, we argue, the sole aim is to better the show not only when TRPs fall but rather, with the passing of every single day. Today, serial making is not autocracy. It’s meeting on common grounds. Why should a channel sail on a boat which does not know how to wade its way through troubled waters?Why have you shied away from Doordarshan?
I have not shied away from DD. It’s just that their policies keep changing, this creates lot of confusion, misunderstandings and stress. Anyway, I am working with them again. I hope that things will be better this time. I believe they are quite pepped up.There is a school of thought that your serials tend to focus on the denigration of women…
(Interrupts) It is not necessary that those who care for their family are the backward type of women. It is likely that if I show a mother leaving her kid at home and going to office, people would come out and say that I am breaking up homes. Think of it, my serials have so much clout (laughs). To tell you the truth, I am the favourite target of the so-called critics.How long will you continue to make soaps?
As long as they last.And how long would that be?
This genre may suffer a slight dent, but not at least for the next three years. This is my vision. Face it. Indian television is mainly catered by women. The television is on when the man leaves in the morning for his office, and often, remains so even after he is snoring in the night! Women like to see ‘saas-bahu’, ‘bhai-bhabhi’, ‘ma-beti’, ‘nanand-devrani’ relationships, the gossip, the misunderstandings, the jealousy, and above all, the unity in adversity times. KBC was a stray case. Even before KBC it was soaps all the way.Weren’t Hum Log and Buniyaad soaps? Please don’t get misguided by the look of those programmes. Keeping with times, only the look has changed, a few new permutations and combinations have come in but the gist remains the same. It would be foolish if I switch over on some other track and allow my competitors to perform a dance of victory on an empty field!
And after it suffers a slight dent?
Without stopping my soap product, I’ll dish out something else in addition. I am not a dud.You told me last time that nowadays you don’t like comedy, so how about making a theme for a social cause?
You really want me to do that? Or, are you pulling my leg? Didn’t I tell you last time how much I was panned for showing that rape scene in Kahaani? And why had I shown that rape scene? To inform the people that they should be wary of domestic rape. Alongside, films like Bandit Queen and Mirch Masala whch were more objectionable than what I had shown, were labeled as creatve pieces of art!Rajeshwari has come back in ‘Kahaani…’ but not so long ago, she had been thrown out?
Rajeshwari was not thrown out. It’s just that her track had ended and she was not required for a couple of days. It is essential to have different tracks going in a daily, else you’ll get fed up of watching the same characters every day.Rewa Babbar- the ‘Kyun Hota Hai Pyarrr’ girl who came in as Karan’s girlfriend- in ‘Kyunki…’ was replaced after seven-eight episodes. Why?
Star Plus wanted it that way. They said that Rewa looked very positive and the character is now going to acquire negative overtones. So… (shrugs her shoulders). TV-serial making cannot be autocratic, it has to be meeting on common grounds.There is a buzz that Amarr Upadhyay will come back in ‘Kyunki…’?
(Smiles). No such thing is going to happen.Why did Sweta Keswani opt out of ‘Kahaani…’?
That’s something to do with her personal life. It was her own decision. I can’t throw much light on this.The stage had been set for Ketki Dave to come back. Why it didn’t materialise?
Remuneration was the main reason. She wanted something more than my company policy permitted. But we have mended the bridge on a personal level. Recently, she even attended one of our parties.Why has ‘Kahaani…’ taking a 20-year leap?
That’s happening from the first week of September. It’s required. Doesn’t life move ahead? Mark my words, Parvati (Sakshi Tanwar) will become exceedingly popular in this new format. If you recall, the 20-year leap in Kyunki… added instant fizz to Tulsi’s (Smriti Malhotra’s) character.What’s this 15-year old girl filing a public interest litigation that your serials show women in very poor light? The girl appeared in person in court and said she feels that your serials propogate that you cannot trust yopur sister, sister-in-law, mother and even your wife!
I knew you had kept this for last. You couldn’t avoid that, could you? What can I say? (shrugs her shoulders and smiles) Let’s conclude and have some water-melon juice. -
“Channels are quite an insecure lot. A slight drop in TRPs and they start suggesting ‘yeh karo, woh karo’” : Shobha Kapoor Balaji Telefilms CEO
Her week never ends. You will find the Balaji head in her office on Sundays too.
“Now that I have a public limited company in television industry, I will never experiment and give something that the public will lampoon me about. I have to keep up the trust,” she tells indiantelevision.com’s Vickey Lalwani, when he meets her for an interview.
Excerpts:
Please outline your role in Balaji Telefilms.
From day one, I have been involved with many things. Handling cash, handling production and management, co-ordinating with people, deciding the budgets, meeting the channel heads regarding the budgets. The list is too long.And now?
The list is longer. Ever since we went public, I have to be an analyst. I have to sit in the Annual General Meeting and check the Annual Report. More importantly, I have to attend to all the calls, emails and letters, which we get from our investors from outside India. These people have shares worth lakhs of rupees and they constantly need to be convinced that we are doing well. Even they monitor our TRPs (laughs). A little drop and they panic. God forbid if there is some controversy in a serial, they panic even more.Plus, I even look into the collections coming in from the channels. I have people, but the business has expanded by such an enormous magnitude that I can’t afford to sit at home even for a day. There are no Sundays in my calendar. I am in the office by 2 pm every day and I don’t come home before 9.30 pm at the earliest.
“There are no Sundays in my calendar. I am in the office by 2 pm every day and I don’t come home before 9.30 pm minimum.” How was the decision to go public taken?
This was my husband’s decision. He always had this dream that Ekta should own a huge company in the television industry. He thought that if we go public, we would be able to garner funds to make even 20 shows at the same time. Touch wood, his dream has been realized. Today, we have the money and the people. Additionally, rather wisely, we have succeeded in building our own studios, which provide us with 14-16 sets to operate at the same time (pauses).Please continue.
As on date, we have five serials in Telugu, four in Kannada, six on air presently, and six more to come up by October (dailies). The studios play a big role in the fact that we are able to dish out so much of quantity without losing on quality. If it is cost-effective for me, it is beneficial to the artistes too. It saves them a lot of trouble. The studios are well equipped with almost all the requirements of the serials being shot there. Generally, shifting is not required. Outdoor scenes are, of course, a different story.Did the foreign investors come in easily?
I never wooed them in (laughs). Just before we went public, the media was very hyped on this. Mukta Arts and Cinevistaas had got a very good opening. But when we actually went public, the media had mellowed down. So the initial support was a little lesser than estimated. While Cinevistaas and Mukta Arts started around Rs 350-400, we did not get such a rousing welcome. They were oversubscribed, we weren’t.“A mind riddled with the day-to-day problems of cash and dates etc, would never be able to give a hundred per cent output on the creative side” Has Ekta never worked on the management and financial aspects?
I like her to be on the creative side. She has a master brain for stories and ideas. A mind riddled with the day-to-day problems of cash and dates etc would never be able to give a hundred per cent output on the creative side. There’s one more thing that I am doing.What?
I personally supervise how the studios are maintained. The moment I feel it needs refurbishing, I don’t pause to ask anyone. Like the Kahaani… set for instance, is undergoing a major revamp these days. Soon, you will see a different backdrop. I am very particular about my sets. Believe me, my Kkusum set is as nice and comfy as my own house.“Channels are quite an insecure lot. A slight drop in TRPs and they start suggesting ‘yeh karo, woh karo’” Do you even deal with the channel interference?
(Smiles) Channels are quite an insecure lot. A slight drop in TRPs and they start suggesting ‘yeh karo, woh karo’. First they get in touch with the EPs of the show concerned. If required, Ekta steps in. After all, it’s her concept. If Ekta is not convinced about their call, they get in touch with me. I am dealing with them on an almost daily basis- arranging press conferences, delivery of tapes, production values, uplinks, finance… it becomes slightly easier for them to interact with me, I guess (smiles).Do you deal with DD?
(Smiles) I prefer my husband dealing with them. Jeetuji is Jeetuji. He is a charmer. Yesterday, there was a press conference in Lucknow regarding a five-year old girl’s case. Sameer Nair (Star India COO) went, Ekta didn’t. Instead we asked Jeetuji to go (smiles). Put it this way, we three (Ekta, Jeetuji and I) do what we are best at.Your motto?
Now that I have a public limited company in the television industry, I will never experiment and give something that the public will lampoon me about. I have to keep up the trust.Future plans?
We want to make some films for channels. They would be premiered on TV, and then shifted to cinema.Do you expect the film to run in cinemas thereafter?
Why not? Do you know that the maximum TRPs fetched would be 16? Doesn’t that clearly depict that many people wouldn’t see the premiere on TV? So the focus should always be on making a good film, not on the fact that whom are you making it for. What would I need to put it on a larger canvas? Just ten lakhs (one million rupees). If that film thereafter runs for even two weeks, I would not lose.What more is Jeetuji up to these days?
Bas, he is living his dream. He is seeing it grow much bigger than he had ever imagined. Soon, he is going abroad to meet some investors (smiles). -
“Is there any formula to freeze my serial between No 1 and No 3?”
Old time cine-goers are all too familiar with the myriad roles Aroona Irani has portrayed in Hindi films – be it the typical vamp, the character artiste, or her more recent avatar of a producer in Bollywood movies.
Irani came into television to hone her directorial skills so that she can put them to use when she gets down to directing a movie. Today, Irani is giving a run for money to the Queen of Soaps, Ektaa Kapoor – courtesy Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand.
Excerpts from an interview by Vickey Lalwani:
How does it feel to be on top of the TRP ratings?
Great (smiles).But you slipped in between, for a while?
Is there any formula to freeze my serial between Number one and Number three? (smiles again).What do you think has worked for DMNHC?
I think the viewers will be the right people to ask. If I tell you, I will be blowing my own trumpet.But, still…
If you insist – It is a different show and that’s why it has worked. The romance and the emotions it throws up every now and then, have clicked. Of course, the family angle cannot be ignored because almost every viewer watching the show has a family.The viewer could be a rich man or a commoner on the streets. My serial talks about them. My story is directed at them.
But don’t you think that the family sagas, emotions, etc, are becoming a bit too much in number?
Certainly not. You cannot avoid portraying relationships, even if the story is not a family saga.Even if you are making a serial on an underworld don – doesn’t he have relatives like mother, sister, brother, friend? Having said that, let me add that relationships run deep in India, whether it’s a mother-daughter relationship or a father-daughter, father-son or husband-wife bond.
What is Star Plus’ contribution in the success of DMNHC? Your show on Zee (Mehndi Tere Naam Ki) didn’t exactly set fire to the ratings charts…
I think you are wrong. It had topped the charts, and was doing well during its time. But yes, Star Plus is a great
channel. It’s a good paymaster. It is always ready to pump in
money to make the product feel well-armed.If I tell the channel’s programming team that I need a copter to show an industrialist, they will sign on the dotted line right away. In other words, they respect the maker’s opinion.
How do you cope with the channel interference?
I don’t know what your definition of channel interference is. But if you mean that they want certain things done in some way, then my answer is ‘Why not?’. To me the serial is my daughter, but to them, it is their daughter-in-law. It stays with them, so they have every right to ensure that it is great in ‘their’ ways.And mind you, ‘their’ ways means – the ways which will attract the viewers. Today, the channel war is so hard fought that no channel wants to leave any stone unturned, in any regard.
“If the channel wants things done in some way, then ‘Why not?’. To me the serial is my daughter, to them, it is their daughter-in-law. It stays with them” The scale of DMNHC is huge. Has the large canvas contributed to the show’s success?
Definitely. You do, however, need a good script to begin with,
coupled with good performers, who can take the show forward. Everything else is a mere addition to embellish the final product. People want to see a bit of shor sharaba (noise), chamak dhamak (razzle dazzle) so on and so forth.Do we have good script writers on television?
Hardly. The tribe of good scriptwriters is fast vanishing from
films too. Touch wood, I have a good team in Anand and Ila Dutta for DMNHC.How are you going to better the serial? Once you reach the top, surely you can’t give up the position so easily…
But I have seen it all. I remember my days in Hindi cinema and the bloated egos of top heroines who were on the first, second and third spots. They couldn’t handle it when they had to play elderly roles, later in their life.I don’t want to fall into these number games. If my serial
maintains a high TRP, that’s enough for me. That does not mean that I am going off to sleep. Good work will, of course, continue. Different and interesting tracks will continue to be dished out.“I don’t want to fall into number games. If my serial maintains a high TRP, that’s enough for me” Your opinions on Ektaa Kapoor?
I admire and respect her. She has achieved so much at a young age. It’s just fantastic.Your views on CAS?
When CAS is finally implemented, I think, we will face big-time crises. The reason being nobody is sure what will happen post-CAS.If channels slash our prices, we would, in turn, be compelled to cut corners. However, this crisis will be temporary.
What do you mean by ‘temporary’?
Slowly, everyone will subscribe to the pay channels. Today, women are cooking food but their eyes are on the TV. I know of many women who tell their husbands to either finish their dinner by 8.30 pm or have it after 11 pm! How will they do without their best friend – the soap heroines? (smiles).With the channel deadlines so demanding, do you compromise on the takes in order to rush the cassettes on time?
Never. My cast says that I am very fussy about the takes.
According to them, many other serial-makers only see whether they mouth the correct dialogues or not! I, on the other hand, am a perfectionist.Why did you select Amarr Upadhyay to step into Varun Badola’s shoes?
Simply because he is good. Wasn’t he terrific in Kyunki…? I had tested several guys but could not find even one who could fit the bill.I wanted him to take over. But I knew that it will be difficult to bring him back. I had a long discussion with him. My explanation worked. He agreed. I am am used to read in some sections of the press that I brought in Upadhyay to boost up the TRP ratings of my serial.
What next?
I am doing an emotional drama Zameen Se Aasman Tak for Sahara TV. Kiran Kumar and I play the main roles. There will be three new girls too.The channel wanted me to act in it too. I hope to see it launched somewhere in September-October this year. And then I have a project lined up for Star Plus also.
I also plan to start a film titled Waapsi. But I don’t want to launch it at a time when films are flopping left, right and centre. I would rather wait. Amarr Upadhyay will star in Waapsi.
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“It’s not been instant and immense fame, but I am a very satisfied person today”
The Parveen Babi look-alike Deepshikha is on a high right now – enjoying marriage, motherhood (she has a baby nearly three years old) and a career. Be it television or films, she has seen it all. As of now, she wants to persist with both avenues. “It’s not been instant and immense fame, but I am a very satisfied person today,” she tells Vickey Lalwani, running her hand through her silken tresses.
Excerpts from a Q & A session on the sets of Kittie Party:
Was getting into the glamour world your ambition?
I know why you are asking this. Isn’t it because I am from a filmi background? In fact, I did not want to enter the glamour world. My ‘nanaji’ Vithaldas Panchotia gave a break to Ashok Kumar and Mehmood. My ‘mamaji’ was a cameraman, he did Teesri Manzil. My mom Shraddha was a heroine in Gujarati films. My dad Ashwin Kumar was a director in Bhojpuri, Gujarati and Hindi films. Since both my parents were very busy, my sister and I used to be all alone at home. The solitude was terrible. But my sister was keen to do something on the big screen. It so happened that my ‘nanaji’ took her to Dev Anand with whom he had worked in Gangster. I happened to accompany them. But Dev Anand selected me!Did you tell him that you were focussing on some other sphere?
I did. He replied, “Do this role. If you don’t intend carrying on further, just push off later.” And then you know how it is. One film led to another. Then I did Barssat Ki Raat. Then, Dannyji called me for his serial Ajnabee. I refused. I did Raja Bundela’s serial Scandal. Dannyji called me again. I complied. After that, I did several serials. Cliched as it may sound, it just happened. I hadn’t planned my career. A few months later, I heard that Rakesh Roshan was hunting for a female for a role in Koyla. At that time, I was doing Tito Tony’s film Tiger. After Koyla, I was flooded with films like Badshah, Dillagi, and Rishtey. Now, I am doing Dukaan with Rati Agnihotri. The film dwells on the subject of flesh trade.And of course, I am managing serials as well- Kittie Party, Son Pari and Doli Leke Aayi Hai Dulhaniya. Now, I am also a part of Karishma- Miracles Of Destiny.
What is your role in ‘Karishma-…’?
I play Ayub Khan’s mistress, settled in Dubai. He has married me on the sly, without telling his wife Resham Tipnis, settled in India. He and Resham have two kids. I discover he has cheated me. I fly down to India and demand my rights. I enter the serial after three months. After that, I’ll be there throughout.Did your parents forbid you from entering this line?
Never. In fact, I was the one who was sceptical. My parents would say: ‘If you carry yourself well, nobody can dare take you for a ride’.How did ‘Kittie Party’ happen?
I know Manish Goswami very well. I had done Mr Mintu (Zee) and Abhimaan (DD) for him. I was shooting for Son Pari when he called me. When I heard him out, I immediately realized that this was the role which would bring me in the public eye. I was looking for the limelight which had thus far evaded me. I thanked Shobhaa De in advance. Obviously, she must have had some say in the casting. The role is so close to my actual self that I asked De what made her think of me for this role. She just smiled. I have done one other serial for Manish Goswami Productions. It’s titled Lekin. It will be on air on Star Plus, shortly. It’s the story of two brothers and one sister. I play the sister.What is so close about the ‘Kittie Party’ character to your actual self?
Like Kuku, Deepshikha is an extremely frank and fearless person who goes out of the way to help others, but at the end of the day, gets kicked in the back. To tell you the truth, I was fed up of doing negative roles. I was screaming from the roof-tops that I could do positive stuff, but no one had heard me.Isn’t there any scope to perform and evolve in negative roles?
I agree, but anything you do repeatedly gets monotonous and boring. That way, I had Son Pari in which I play a stupid girl who never realizes that she is being misguided by her brother and mom. And I am still enjoying doing that one. Still, I could sense that Kittie Party was going to be a big thing. It was just a gut feeling. Presently, I have the best of both worlds- Son Pari is giving me what I can never be, Kittie Party is giving me what I am. And then of course, there’s the biggie for Sahara (smiles triumphantly).How did ‘Sonpari’ happen?
Neena Gupta wanted me in Palcchin. But I could not make it as I was leaving for London. She thought that I could fit in Son Pari too. The first thing I asked her was – ‘Is it a negative role?’. She said ‘No, your mother and brother are negative’. I signed on the dotted line. You would be surprised to know that the co-producer of the show, Anupam, had called me earlier for the same role and said that they had a negative role for me. I had refused point-blank. Neena realized via him that he had sent a wrong message, she called again to explain it in detail.Which have been the difficult scenes in ‘Kittie Party’ and ‘Son Pari’?
In Son Pari, I hated playing ‘Medussa’- the witch. I don’t know why I was made a witch for some time. It was terribly irritating. I want to do different things, but please, I don’t want to become a witch. That garish make-up, eeks! Then, they made me Kaalipari, which was sicker than ‘Medussa’. Let me scream: I am playing Ruby in Sonpari, please let me be Ruby. As for Kittie Party, there hasn’t been any difficult scene. Being close to my actual self, I am cruising through the role.
“There have been cases where I have had dumb directors in my career. In such cases, I have to put in extra effort. If the artiste is drained, the output has no colour”How important is the director to you?
I don’t know about me, but if the director does not know his job, he has no business to don the director’s hat. There have been cases where I have had dumb directors in my career. In such cases, I have to put in extra effort.
If the artiste is drained, the output has no colour. Like I remember once I did a scene where I was weeping. Hold your breath! The director asked the cameraman to take a long shot and the cameraman did exactly what was told to him! What sensitivity!You said you yearn for positive stuff. Would you like to play a goody-goody ‘bahu’?
I would love to. But I don’t think that someone would cast me as such.Why?
Because there’s a general feeling that I don’t look like an obedient girl. But tell me, who has it written on his face that he is obedient or disobedient? Actually, I had a good bahu’s role in a serial called Aurat. We shot four episodes and everything had been settled for telecast on Sony. Suddenly, the producer shifted his loyalty to DD Metro, saying that he would get more money. Eventually, the DD Metro deal did not happen and the show was stuck.How concerned are you about your look?
I am, but in Kittie Party at least, we are given flexible options. We have to look upmarket, that’s all. So just take a good top and a pant, keep changing your hairstyle and lenses, that’s enough. I have done mythological serials like Ramayan, there I was very particular about fine details. If you are playing a princess, you ought to look like one in all respects and from all angles.
“I consider TV like a newspaper, it has no repeat value. And I consider films like a magazine; you can read it more than once.” How do you differentiate films and TV serials?
I like doing both. Hmmm… a few extra inches for films. I consider TV like a newspaper, it has no repeat value. And I consider films like a magazine; you can read it more than once. But there is one thing about films which bugs me no end. One full day is consumed doing just one or two scenes. And there is one thing I like about films (pauses)Go on. What’s that?
Films make you famous with your own name, TV makes you famous with the character’s name. Today, people recognize me as Deepshikha. Kittie Party and other serials have played a substantial role in this. That’s simply because people know me to some extent because of the films I have done. I wouldn’t like it if I was known as Kuku or Ruby. My name is my identity.But you did have some identity crisis when people mistook you for Parveen Babi?
(laughs) Initially, I used to get angry. I almost got my hair permed so that I would start looking different. But slowly, I began to enjoy it. Parveen Babi is special. She was a real star. So, no probs on that count.You are still doing films. How do you adjust the schedules between the two media?
I tell my film-producer and director that I won’t be shooting on certain dates due to my TV commitments. All these guys are pretty cool. At least, I haven’t come across one who cribbed. They adjust without any hitch.
