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Sangeeta Ghosh aka Pammi of the Star Plus’ Des Mein Nikala Hoga Chand (DMNHC) was an extraordinary student in school. She would top her class and would lead in sports and dramatics as well. But a bookworm and a recluse she is not. Her reel existence in DMNHC is in stark contrast to her real existence. The seedhi-saadhi Pammi of the small screen tube dons trendy and sexy outfits in real life. In addition, she loves to perform mushy, romantic scenes! And she loves item numbers! Today, she would prefer a live-in relationship rather than a marriage! Sorry to destroy your illusions of a demure Pammi. Read on for her candid confessions on her life, and work in a honest tete a tete with Vickey Lalwani. |
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When did your TV career flag off? |
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Modelling? |
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When did you get into television in a major way? |
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Do you read any books on acting? |
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Is there a role on television that makes you go green with envy? |
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What are your strengths as an actor? |
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What are your weaknesses as an actor? |
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Ever put your foot down about certain dialogues? A serial is not a film which is dictated by the demands of the financers and distributors wherein there are diktats about the mandatory fight scene, hero heroine ke ‘racy-pacy’ dance numbers, etc. |
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Do you demand to know the weight of your character before you sign on the dotted line? |
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Ever goofed up a scene? |
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How important are looks to you in a serial? |
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The first episode of ‘DMNHC’ showed the lead couple, Varun and you, meeting each other in a rather filmi manner – the usual ‘ched chaad’, your hair getting tangled in the locket of his chain, he tying your almost backless choli… Was it embarrassing to do those scenes? |
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Do you forget that you are Sangeeta when you become Pammi? |
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Do you think that TV artistes are underpaid? |
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Your co-star Varun of ‘DMNHC’ is leaving the serial, shortly. What if you have some scenes like these with the guy who replaces him? |
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| Is your personal life as exciting as your television life? Right now, there’s nobody in my real life. But please don’t think that I am an unromantic person. I’m a very romantic person and I would really like my man to woo me and give all his attention. In that sense, I’m really enjoying DMNHC as the character I play peps me up, it rejuvenates me. Going back, let me reveal that I have had my share of boyfriends. |
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| Boyfriends! Were those days fun? Oh, those were the days… In between work, I used to slip away in some corner and start chatting up with them. But on the flip side, there is a disadvantage too. It drains you. Today, I am more focussed on my work. |
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Don’t you want to get married and settle down? |
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How satisfied are you at this point in your career? |
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But what? |
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Is it easy for a TV actor to make it in films? |
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| How is it working with Aruna Irani at the helm in ‘DMNHC’? I’m not so experienced that I can talk about her. But one thing about her, she really goads you on to do your best. She gives some amazing cues while shooting. When you see the scenes, you know how much those little things have highlighted it. In short, she can easily extract out from an artiste whatever she wants. |
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| Ram Gopal Varma is taking a keen interest in you. Right? Well, I have auditioned for one of his forthcoming productions. I am eagerly awaiting the outcome. To be honest, I am very excited. |
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| Game to wearing suggestive outfits if you get films? Sure. I would definitely wear a comfortable swimsuit. In fact, I did wear one in a TV serial Suhana Safar. Once you are in this line, you can’t be rigid. Else, you’ll be a big loser. |
Tag: Vickey Lalwani
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“I can do romantic scenes with tremendous ease and conviction”
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“I was apprehensive of playing a mother to a 30-year old Mihir”
Apara Mehta's life tracked on the lines of the life of Paro, the happy-go-lucky daughter-in-law she played in Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka(EMHSK). As in the serial- she lost her mother-in-law and then her father, and then her husband lost a fortune at the stock exchange and they began almost all over again.
Today, though, is another day. In heavy demand for TV serials, films and plays, she is all smiles. "There is light at the end of every dark tunnel," she quips.
Better known as Savita 'chachi', she has become a household name- courtesy her colourful saris, big bindis and swaying walk in Balaji Telefilms Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (KSBKBT) wherein she plays wife, daughter-in-law, and now grandmother. As of now, she has completed over 2700 episodes of Hindi TV serials! Add to this her episodes of Gujarati TV serials and Gujarati-n-Hindi stage shows, and you wonder where she acquires her fitness levels from!
She takes after her mother, Mandakini Mehta, who was a Gujarati theatre artiste. Recently when she was in Ahmedabad, she had a pleasant surprise when she discovered that she was the great-granddaughter (thirteen generations down) of the character Kusum in the famous Saraswati Chandra written 200 years ago.
Over hot cups of tea at her Santa Cruz residence in suburban Mumbai, she relives her past, underlines her present and dreams about her future in a tete a tete with Vickey Lalwani.
You married quite early. Right?
Right. I married Darshan Jariwala, actor and stockbroker, when I was just 18. But life didn't change at all after marriage. My mother-in-law, Leela Jariwala, who was a stage artiste as well, would keep a hot cup of tea ready when I returned from my rehearsals. My in-laws were so good that even when my daughter was born, they encouraged me to work.So you are basically a theatre artiste?
Yes. My roots lie in Gujarati theatre, which is very professional. You are paid well, and you cannot afford to be anything but perfect here. To improve my craft, I learnt classical singing and Kathak.How did you get into the performing arts?
It all started when I compered Santakukdi on Doordarshan for just a lark. I was in the tenth standard at that time. Thereafter, I began getting offers of acting in Gujarati plays.And then?
A few years down the line, I began getting offers of acting in TV serials- Gujarati and Hindi. I had the time and inclination, and the support I told you about. Frankly, EMHSK which ran for four years set the ball rolling. Paro's 'chulbuli' character became a favourite of every viewer. Alongside, before and after, I did many serials like Dillagi, Alpviram, Hum Hain Anari, Love Marriage, Chandan Ka Palna… and of course, KSBKBT which is still on air.
" I act mainly through my eyes. And I can cry one moment and laugh in the very next- without any retakes" How much has KSBKBT given you?
KSBKBT has given me the recognition which was eluding me so far. And what recognition! If I would work 20 years in films, I would not have achieved so much. Wherever I go, I am recognized – be it in a party or a rickshaw. But I am enjoying it. Who doesn't like to be famous? People find my body language attractive and talk about my so-called sex-appeal, even though I play a grandmother.Mihir's death in the serial certainly helped the serial to become the talk of the town and the cast members to become known faces. The day Mihir died, I became the mother of every man in this country. I got thousands of letters condoling me on my fictional son's death!
Who designed your look in KSBKBT?
Myself. Basically, I have always been a 'saree' and 'bindi' kind of woman. So I told the production guys that this was my domain. As the story jumped 20 years ahead, I even told them that I'll be wearing the 'bandh gala' blouses from here on. The 'bandh gala' makes one look a little broader. Even the glasses which I have started wearing have been suggested by me. They said I should use those only when I was shown reading something, but to look my age in the serial, I have kept them on throughout.How did KSBKBT happen?
Ekta and Shobha Kapoor first offered me the role after seeing me in EMHSK. Since I was already doing a daily soap, I wasn't too sure whether I'd be able to give quality time to another daily soap. And I was apprehensive of playing a mother to a 30-year old Mihir. But when I learnt that I won't have to look worn out and frail, I agreed. There has been a lot of criticism against the serial, that most of the elder generation has not greyed.I can't fathom why common sense is becoming so uncommon these days. The Virani 'parivar' is a big industrialist family in Mumbai. Don't many ladies from industrialist families in Mumbai dye their hair?
Tell us about your theatre assignments.
Well, I have just came back from Dubai doing a Gujarati play Kanch Na Sambandh. Then there's another Gujarati one Adhura Thoy Madhura (ATM) directed by Feroz Bhagat, and I am also doing its Hindi equivalent Kuch Khati Kuch Meethi (KKKM). Rajesh Khanna had decided to play my husband in KKKM. He rehearsed for six months but could not do it. There is a big overseas market for Gujarati and Hindi plays. We (the Gujarati community) take to plays very seriously. For us, stage acting, or rather acting in any media, is serious business."As a theatre artiste, you have to be confident all the time. You have no time to fumble, stumble and pick yourself up" 
How did 'Devdas' happen? And how was the experience?
Devdas literally fell into my lap. One fine morning I got a call from Sanjay Leela Bhansali who asked whether I could dance. When I told him that I was a proficient Kathak danseuse who had learnt Kathak for 10 years from Asha Joglekar (mother of actress Archana Joglekar), he did not even audition me for the role. He told me that he and his mother watched EMHSK and KSBKBT regularly and that was enough. I was overwhelmed that everyone present from Shah Rukh Khan to Madhuri Dixit or for that matter Birjumaharajji, who I revere, recognized me instantly though I had never met them before, thanks to EMHSK and KSBKBT, I guess (smiles).Other films?
Besides Devdas, I acted in Priyadarsan's Hindi film Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera Ghar as Suniel Shetty's sister. I was pitted in the film opposite my real life husband! Then I did a cameo as a call girl in the controversial film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (which I did for Niraj Vora, a good friend). It was nice working with Salman Khan in the film. He offers me a lift in his car. When I offer myself to him presuming he has set out in search of a call girl, he tells me that he does need a call girl but one who can bear a child for him since his wife Rani Mukherjee has not been able to conceive. When that film was released, I received a lot of flak for that 'pallu'-down kind of thing. People complained 'Eh Tulsi, dekh teri saas kya kar rahi hai'.How do you define acting?
Acting is a way of life. One can learn a bit of the techniques and craft involved, but one can never learn acting per se- because acting is purely inborn. Acting can never be methodical, it has to be spontaneous.Also, one's IQ plays a big role in deciding whether you are a good actor. The more intelligent you are, the better you'll be. You should be able to understand your scene to portray exactly what the writer has visualised and what the director wants out of the script. Acting cannot come by training.
I don't do any homework. I feel and react, not pause, ponder and dramatise. All those who come from so-called acting schools are certainly not superior than those like me who believe that acting requires no method. Let me elaborate on this.
Yes?
Let me forget the flak I received for Chori Chori Chupke Chupke character. Believe me, I would still love to play a prostitute in a full-length role. That would be a mind-blowing challenge to emit the highest spontaneity. As a woman from a well-to-do family, howsoever hard I try, I would not be able to put myself in a prostitute's shoes. So whatever output I would deliver would be 100 per cent what I feel at that point of time when the director calls 'Action'.
"People find my body language attractive and talk about my so-called sex-appeal, even though I play a grandmother" Do you think that being a stage artiste has helped you on television?
Yes. But many stage artistes have goofed up on the tube. A few things have to be picked up, that's all. You can't carry the same format of stage in toto into television. For example, if I am doing a weepy scene on stage, I will go full blast so that the last bencher can hear me. The same scene requires the same feeling but very little of body movements and loud voice when enacted for television. Then I would be using more of facial expressions, mainly my eyes- simply because the TV camera focuses on your face.Have you refused mouthing some lines or doing a particular scene?
At times, yes. Say in KSBKBT where we have had different directors, it becomes imperative to tell the new director if and when a particular shot is not in sync with the earlier part of the story.Your strengths as an actress?
I have a good control over my eyes. I can move, expand and contract them as per the requirement of the scene. I act mainly through my eyes. And I can cry one moment and laugh in the very next- without any retakes. I have never used glycerine even when I had to weep, leave aside cry. And, I have not to be told that where I ought to look when the camera starts rolling.Your weaknesses as an actress?
My husband and daughter would definitely tell you those, not I(laughs). But honestly, I have learnt to camouflage those weaknesses, and those cannot be easily seen unless the audience is watching with a magnifying glass!What gives you most satisfaction- theatre, television or films?
Theatre. Theatre satisfies the creative actor lurking inside me and whets my appetite instantly. It draws the best out of me, and I still get an immense thrill when the curtains go up. Above all, theatre improves my confidence levels all the time which helps me as a person. As a theatre artiste, you have to be confident all the time. You have no time to fumble, stumble and pick yourself up.And between the positive and negative characters?
I prefer the negative one. It has more scope to perform. Honestly, it has become a bit boring after I became goody-goody in KSBKBT. The negative character is the propelling force behind every story. Without the negative character, any story would come to a standstill.Some roles you would like to play on television?
I would love to a play a socialite in a Kittie Party type of serial. I have no inhibitions as an actor."Negative character is the propelling force behind every story" 
Your co-stars with whom you share a good rapport?
Smriti Malhotra (aka Tulsi of KSBKBT). We often discuss our scenes before doing. And boy! She is a great performer!Is the KSBKBT innings never going to end?
At least not for another 18-24 months. The serial is holding the viewers' interest. Remember, it started on the same day as Kaun Banega Crorepati! Boy! Haven't we come a long way?How satisfied are you at this point in your career?
Quite satisfied. I am getting lots of work, but I am not going to pick up anything and everything. I am not overtly ambitious as an actor who would go to any extent to grab a role by undercutting her price or cutting some one else's role. Recently, I turned down an offer to act in a comedy TV serial after having shot for the pilot; I realised that there was no humour in it.I want to earn name and respect as an actor by playing mind-blowing roles in all the three media – films, television and stage. The order of mentioning them does not indicate my preference. I refused Yash Raj Films 'Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai'. They were casting me opposite Deven Varma, for whose age I wouldn't have qualified even as the third wife. The role was eventually done by Bindu which I think was fair enough. I turned down Karan Johar's forthcoming home production 'Kal Ho Na Ho' because the role had no substance. At the end of every day, my family should feel proud of me. And finally when I am sitting on a rocking chair, I should feel having achieved something in life.
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“In a serial, you are only as good as your last episode” : Anil V Kumar
Call Anil V Kumar a ‘self-made man’ or ‘Ekta Kapoor’s man of crisis’. Actually, he is a mixture of both. He’s here for fortune rather than for fame, and he makes no bones about it. He’s got work on the rebound, and he has shown no ego but has in fact, done a better job than his predecessors. Graduating from television, he has set foot in the uncertain world of Bollywood. Despite a setback, he is busy dusting his pants and getting ready for another go at a feature film.
Vickey Lalwani caught up with the director at Thakur College, Kandivli, where he was busy directing Ekta’s new serial Kashish.
Why did the arc lights fascinate you? And why did you take to direction as a profession?
I joined this line because there is lots of money in it. I am here to earn the most. Else, I would never have left my parents back home in Patna. I want to make sufficient money, so they can lead a luxurious life in their old age. I came to Mumbai in 1992, a little before the communal riots.I still remember that horrendous day when I was running for my life; a mob was running to attack me for no rhyme or reason. I was in Goregaon (a suburb in Mumbai). I kept running and reached Film City. Even that day, there were film shoots going on. I was fascinated. I kept going there after everything had settled down, and decided that I wanted to try my hand at direction.
Then?
I joined Raman Kumar. His company Tracinema was into making serials. He made me the assistant director of one of his main serials Tara. Later, I became the chief assistant for three serials- Shatranj, Umeed and V3Plus. Somehow, Raman’s company ran into losses and I had to branch out on my own. I joined Kushan Nandy (son of Pritish Nandy) and assisted him for some episodes of Thriller at 10 that he was making at that time. And then my life changed.Ekta Kapoor spotted me directing Thriller at 10 in Shirdi. Through Kushan whom she knows, she got in touch with me and offered me the chance to direct her serial Kaun followed by Kahaanii Ghar Ghar Kii and then Kkusum. I was enjoying my popularity as a TV director when suddenly, one day she suggested that I take charge of her film Kucch To Hai. Anurag Basu was directing it, but there were some creative differences between the two of them. I was stunned. I realised that I had indeed come a long way (smiles).
“If you fail to sustain a viewer’s interest in a particular episode, he/she may not view the next one” 
How did ‘Kashish’ happen?
Actually, two guys, Deepak and Santosh, had co-directed 14 episodes of this serial. Ekta was disappointed with their work. She called and asked me to resurrect the whole thing. I was reminded of the days when she had asked me to take over the reins of Kkusum. Rajesh Bhatia had directed about 10 episodes of Kkusum, but Ekta was not happy with his work. I am going to direct this serial until June, then someone else will take over. I have told Ekta about it. Producer Ramoji Rao has asked me to direct his next film, starring Manoj Bajpai and Mahima Chaudhary. It’s a triangle. Either R Madhavan or Rakesh Bapat will make up the third vertex.What is ‘Kashish’ about?
This is Ekta’s new baby. It’s going to be a daily soap on Star Plus, June onwards. The entire star cast comprises of newcomers. It’s the story of a young girl who is very supportive of her four sisters, but suddenly finds that two men have fallen in love with her. She loves one but gets married to the other. After a few days, her husband is murdered…What are the differences you have felt while directing serials and a feature film?
Films are forever, TV serials have a short shelf life. You see a serial just once. But the movies are constantly played and replayed on the channels right from the stage of their promos. If a film director makes one hit in his lifetime, he is always remembered for that film. In a serial, however, you are only as good as your last episode. If you fail to sustain a viewer’s interest in a particular episode, he/she may not view the next one.Somehow, film artistes also stretch that extra bit compared to TV artistes. They feel the canvas is larger, they’ll attain more fame. But I wish every artiste could realize that both films and television give equal fame. In fact, we have reached that stage in our entertainment world where TV is about to overtake cinema. Today, TV artistes are becoming more popular than the film ones. In a year or two, every artiste will have to shed his/her blinkers and dispel the myth that cinema is a more grand spectacle than television.
How different are you compared to other TV directors?
At the risk of sounding boastful, I think that I can pick up a scene after reading it, much faster than others do. Importantly, I don’t dwelve into too many ifs and buts, but prefer to go ahead with whatever comes to my mind first. If you think too much, you end up getting confused.Your Tv-director role-model?
Rakesh Sarang.Any adjustments you had to make when you switched over to film direction?
See, in a serial, if the location is not good, ‘chalta hai’, you can compensate by bringing out the emotions a little more strongly; the viewer identifies with the character and does not bother about the set. If the artistes are unable to deliver the emotions, ‘chalta hai’, you can shift the set to an exquisite backdrop; the viewer, surprised by the locales, fails to observe the weak emotions.In a film, however, you cannot compromise on either. You need both, good sets and emotions. The person who has paid Rs 100 per ticket expects, rather demands, 200 per cent of his money’s worth. So I had to take all this into account when I took to film direction.
“Channels do interfere a lot, these days. But they are not irrationally adamant with her (Ekta), at least”
Still, the film flopped. And weren’t you peeved when Ekta gave Anurag’s name too in the credit titles?
(interrupts) It was not a disastrous flop. But yes, it did not do too well. Kucch to Hai was Ekta’s baby. Midway through the film, she changed the director from Anurag Basu to me, simply because the baby was not growing as per her expectations. So there were portions where Ekta had her say. However, I had no ego problems when she gave credit to Anurag. After all, he did shot a substantial part of the film when the fall-out between Ekta and him happened.As a director, how do you deal with the interference by the channels?
Channels do interfere a lot, these days. But of late, since I have been with Balaji Telefilms, I have not encountered this problem in person. Ekta can manage to have her way. The channels are not irrationally adamant with her, at least. Ekta deals with this problem very easily. Ekta and I have regular meetings discussing the tracks which have been dished out. At times, I realise that certain artistes will not be able to deliver to the demands. I explain this to her, and we sort it out by deleting/changing a scene or two.Are there times when you have to sacrifice the retake since you have deadlines to meet?
Many times. But whether it’s a TV serial or a film, the editing plays the most important role. If the editing is good, the product does not look patchy.Do you agree that a director’s opinion is not taken into account while doing the casting for a serial?
I agree. At least in daily soaps, that’s definitely happening. That could be due to the lack of time. The ball is continuously rolling fast.But it’s happening in weekly soaps too.
Then, it’s bad. At least in weekly soaps, a director should be involved during the casting process. I think that’s because, nowadays, too many new departments have sprung up. Like there is this EP (Executive Producer) Department which wasn’t there earlier. EPs are involved in casting, schedule, location, etc, almost everything. Often, they make a mess of many things. Moreover, they are close to the producer and not the director. So, their work is always done from the producer’s angle. The director is again sidelined.Don’t you think that we are hardly getting to see anything innovative on the tube? I mean, everything is a mish-mash of something that has already appeared.
(interrupts) Still, quite a few serials are still doing well. I don’t think that there’s originality in any sphere. We all are inspired by each other, aren’t we? What matters is how the product is packaged, presented and portrayed. The treatment of the subject is often more important than the subject itself.You said that you’ll leave ‘Kashish’ in June because of your movie assignment. Production houses too tend to change directors midway. Doesn’t this inconvenience the artistes and the crew?
Of course, it does. Every director has a different perspective and style. The director who comes in towards the latter half of the serial has the toughest job. He has to trace back too much, do a lot of homework on practically every frame and character. Else the entire good work can come to nought. But what can one do? That’s the name of the game, these days. -
“Television acts on subliminal levels far more than cinema does”
His entry into television was purely accidental. He was only 15 years old then. Thereafter, he did many serials but his moment under the sun kept eluding him… until one fine day when Balaji saga Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii fell into his lap. Today, he is a household name.
Ali Asgar- the Kamal Agarwal of Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii- who bears an uncanny resemblance to Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor in his younger days, says, “Serials have given me recognition. But I don’t want to restrict myself to the tube. I am lured by the big screen. I will continue to do serials but ensure that these projects do not block my dates of the entire month. I am getting film offers,” he begins his tete a tete with Vickey Lalwani.
What’s so exciting about films?
Let’s face it. Serials cannot give you the fame and fortune which films can. So I can’t keep looking at the creative aspect of my career only. I have to take the commercial aspect into account. But I will never make films my sole domain. My roots lie in television and I will never pluck my roots out. Currently, I am working in Vikram Bhatt’s forthcoming film Aitbaar starring Amitabh Bachchan, John Abraham and Bipasha Basu.I play Bipasha’s close friend. John misunderstands that Bipasha and I are having an affair. Then I am doing Shakil Noorani’s Jaan Ki Baazi starring Sunjay Dutt and Mahima Chaudhary, which is an extension of his earlier film Joroo Ka Ghulam. Some years ago, I did a small role in F C Mehra’s Chamatkar starring Naseeruddin Shah and Shah Rukh Khan.
“Comedy is the most difficult thing to enact, but Indians neither understand nor appreciate it. That’s a tragedy. Somehow, they like to cry very often” Do you agree that an actor should avoid exposure on television if he wants to make a mark in films?
A new face that’s well presented gives a fresh look to a film. There’s no denying that, but the bottom line is that if the film is good, it will work. Whether the actor is a television actor does not matter.Are you doing only ‘Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii’ presently?
No. I am doing Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu’s comedy serial Allah Meri Tauba for Urdu ETV. Soon, I am starting to shoot for a Rakesh Sarang directed weekly for Star Plus.Rewind. Trace your evolution as an actor?
It just happened in 1987 when I was in the tenth standard. I had taken part in a few plays in school, but just for the heck of it. I never wanted to make acting my profession. My younger brother and I were cycling near Sea Rock Hotel in Bandra where director Rajiv Mehra was shooting for his film Jaal. My brother was stopped by the film unit and asked to report for an audition, the next day. At that time, Rajiv was not present on the sets. My father took him along to the Eagle Films’ office, and I too joined in. Rajiv thought that my brother was too young to play the role he had in mind, and instead asked me to take part in the audition.A few days later, I got a call saying that I had been selected for a serial Ek Do Teen Chaar which would be loosely based on Enid Blyton’s Famous Five adventure stories. Since the main cast comprised of kids, the shooting was kept in such a manner that it did not clash with the school timings and examination schedule.
So ‘Ek Do Teen Chaar’ was the bug that induced the acting itch in you?
No. Actually, I had put Ek Do Teen Chaar behind me after it got over. I had got down to serious studying for Hotel Management. I was aiming to make a career in the restaurant business in a foreign land. I had even received an appointment letter from a foreign restaurant. At the last minute, my parents broke down, saying that they will not be able to bear the separation. I started considering other avenues. According to me, hotel management as a career in India is not rewarding enough.“If my character who never goes against his parents has mended the ways of even one person who had lost his way in this regard, I will be the happiest man in this world” 
Then?
The satellite boom had amassed high proportions, those days. I decided to experiment with TV serials, as I had done one before. I approached some serial makers, and luckily, work started coming in. As on date, I have done Gharonda, Do Aur Do Paanch, Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, Parampara, Kartavya, Karz, Chashme Buddoor, Khatta Meetha, Itihaas, Kutumb, and of course, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii. I will never forget the day Ekta Kapoor tossed me the role of Kamal Agarwal when I approached her for work after finishing my assignment in her Itihaas.Why couldn’t you register, or say, leave an impact, with the serials you did before ‘Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii’?
In most of those serials, and even the films Chamatkar and Joroo Ka Ghulam, I did comedy. Comedy is the most difficult thing to enact, but Indians neither understand nor appreciate it. That’s a tragedy. Somehow, they like to cry very often. They empathize with the positive character who is wronged by society, very strongly. They are attached to my character Kamal Agarwal who is taken for a ride by his wife Pallavi (Shweta Kawaatra) and yet continues to be supportive to his elders.What attracted you to the character in ‘Kahaani….’?
The character’s simplicity, simply. I am enjoying playing someone who is absent in today’s world. Hasn’t the sacrificing guy become an exception? Where are the guys who look beyond their own nose and place their family’s interests before their own? The parent-child relationship is the only relationship left which can boast of selfless love. How many of us treasure this relation? Love between a man and woman is materialistic.I am saying this from a personal experience, which has left scars. If my character who never goes against his parents has mended the ways of even one person who had lost his way in this regard, I will be the happiest man in this world. In fact, I am. I am sure that someone or the other must have has idolised Kamal Agarwal of Kahaanii…..
.Today, television has a wider reach and a bigger audience than cinema. Importantly, television acts on subliminal levels far more than cinema does.
“I never get jittery before a difficult scene” How much do you identify with this role?
Completely. If whatever happens with my character happens with me in real life, I will do exactly what I have done in the serial. Like, I would certainly marry the girl which my brother can’t marry at the last minute. My parents, brother and sister would be my first priority.How involved are you with your clothes and look in your serials?
That is one thing I am very involved with. Unless that is not done properly, the characterization is incomplete. It is also nice to know that many channels these days take a special interest in all the characters and their clothes. It helps a lot to know that you are looking good. It straightaway enhances the character and adds to an actor’s confidence level.What do you feel is your strength as an actor?
My strength lies in the fact that I never get jittery before a difficult scene. At the risk of sounding boastful, may I say that I can portray the most difficult shot in a light manner and make the character seem like an everyday character. I claim that I can never be melodramatic.Many serials of Ekta Kapoor are not doing well, but ‘Kahaani….’ continues to hold sway. Why?
This is primarily because this serial propagates strong moral values which were present in our culture until recently. These days, however, India has no culture left. The elder generation is perturbed at the way it is being treated by its children. So, our target audience is the elderly folk. They are being told through this serial that they have a voice which needs to be raised against the ill-treatment meted out to them. The other day, Dipak Kazir (Babuji) and I were stopped by a 50-plus man who told Kazir that he was gaining a lot through Kazir’s portrayal as the head of the family.How much homework do you put in before every portrayal?
So far, I haven’t got to act in a historic serial which requires a lot of reading and makeup to get into the skin of the character (laughs). I am a switch-on-switch-off actor. I never take my lines home, though at times I have been offered to. I simply come on the sets, take my lines, sit in a corner, and am ready in some time.I don’t judge my performance on the sets. That’s a director’s job. I am totally at the beck and call of my director. The director is the captain of the ship and we artistes are mere passengers. I do not even whimper if I am asked for 10 retakes for a particular shot. Nobody is perfect.
But yes, I request my director to change the lines as and when I feel that Kamal cannot be speaking like this. I have been playing Kamal since the past two years now, and I know which dialogues will distance him from the audience. Like, if the director asks me to overreact against Parvati ‘bhabhi’ and Om ‘bhaiya’ once in a while, I tell him subtly that the viewers will not accept Kamal saying such stuff to someone whom he literally worships.
Have you goofed up a shot anytime?
Humans make mistakes and I am no exception. There’s one goof up which will remain entrenched in my memory. In fact, it took place in Kahaani ….There’s the scene where I am shown to have come back walking all the way from the Siddhi Vinayak temple after praying for Parvati bhabhi’s health.I painted myself black and overdid the huffing-n-panting so much that I appeared to have walked down from Vaishnodevi in Kashmir. It became quite an embarrassment later. A lot of friends and relatives criticized me for this scene the next day. I wonder why the director did not notice it while taking the shot.
Would you slash your fee if the producer insists?
Once in a way, but only if the role is an exceptional one. Candidly speaking, either the role or the money has to be good before I sign on the dotted line. As I told you earlier, both the aspects of a career, creative and commercial, are equally important. But I’ll have to be careful not to leak out my discount deal. Else every next serial/film maker will ask me for a discount (laughs). Money is important in life. Thankfully, I have never had any problem with my payments so far.Not even with Balaji Telefilms who are said to be bad paymasters?
I don’t know why these things are being said about Balaji Telefilms. I have always received my money in correct amounts and on time.Have you refused a role anytime?
Earlier, I used to grab whatever came my way. But thankfully, now I can be choosy. Post Kamal Agarwal, I can’t appear in forgettable roles. Don’t expect me to do roles which are not an integral part of the script. Lately, I refused offers from UTV and Cinevista. I want meat, not fluff.Who are the TV actors you idolise?
None. I have set my own standards on television which I am going to achieve. Mind you, those standards are very high. The people who come close to those standards are incidentally from Bollywood- Sanjeev Kumar, Agha and Mehmood. According to me, Agha had the best comedy timing. No comedian from contemporary times can match any of his performances.Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
I see myself having attained my high standards. But destiny can be funny and cruel. So, wish me luck! -
“Be it following a formula or breaking the mould, the result has to be better TRPs” : Monisha Singh – UTV creative director (Part I)
We promised you more on her, and here it is… the second part of the interview with the young UTV creative director Monisha Singh. In the concluding part of the interview to indiantelevision.com‘s Vickey Lalwani, Singh throws light on creativity – her own and that at UTV – what creative people can do and cannot, television channel interactions et al.
Excerpts :
How do you grow your creative skills?
Reading books, films, plays and meeting and observing interesting people. Interacting with other people knowing what they think, how they react, what they feel, helps spin off ideas, situations, plots. I am an impulsive people observer. I keenly watch whatever is happening around me. I absorb it. I choose to learn from every living moment. Nature inspires me. I introspect a lot. I do a lot of disjointed thinking, then I move on to the linear thought process. I try to be alive to the now, the trends, the likes and dislikes currently.How do you develop your characters?
I always try to make my characters different from what has been seen on television, I like making them memorable, identifiable. Kehta Hai Dil, a show I developed and am in charge of at UTV, has two villains – the Mayor and his wife – as its pivots. They are villains of the first order, yet they are funny in a dark manner. One has to take care to give them nuances, quirks, which help them stand out. On top of it all, I brainstorm with people, with my team to fine tune the characters.How did you develop the character of Mayor saheb?
Most television soaps are dominated by female characters. The male has a limited role to play. We wanted to change that equation by giving a character with negative shades prominence. Instead of making him the usual black character one thought of adding certain quirks to his character and making him slightly comic but at the same time extremely sharp and shrewd. We hence placed him in a position of power and strength and villainy. The character of Mayor was basically created to counter Aditya Pratap Singh the hero, the honest cop.In his personal life, the mayor, while he is dominated by his wife at home he is a long-term thinker and he will let his wife be the bad one while he master minds the whole plan. I feel males have a lot to do in most households while it is only the mother-in-law who is projected as the bad one. And we showed this through the character of the Mayor who is actually the man who is going about on his path of destruction, be it in his civic duties or his personal life.
Is there enough scriptwriting talent available today? Do you work closely with your scriptwriter?
Yes and no both. While there are some very good writers in the industry, we definitely need a lot of fresh thinking to come in. In the drama category one finds a lot of talented people, but if one were to look in for example the comedy or the thriller genre the number of talented and good writers are far and few.But overall even though television is a writer’s medium it’s concentrated in the hands of a few. And in turn the pressures on our writers are tremendous which in turn leads to high burn out rates. Therefore there is a strong need for fresh talent to come in. But there is a lot of talent that exists out there and it’s a question of finding the right people and training them.
We need to have training schools or workshops that can train people interested in writing for television. There is a method a formulae for writing for television just like there exists in other fields as well. Your company runs a course and workshop Qalam. We see it as an effort in that direction but there needs to be a lot done as far as scriptwriting is concerned.
Yes, I work closely with my script writers on all my shows. That is the first step towards making a show and also they form the base of all shows and it’s imperative to have good writers on any show.
“Overall even though television is a writer’s medium it’s concentrated in the hands of a few. And in turn the pressures on our writers are tremendous which in turn leads to high burn out rates”
Has age worked in your favour or against you in your career?
Some people might think I am too young for what I am doing, but I believe more than age it is the experience, the exposure, talent and risk taking ability which are important. Today, there are a lot of young achievers in television, in fact in every sphere. Some of us have taken it up and single mindedly become successful.Yes, my age can go against me, because a lot of people are a lot more senior to me. It can be frustrating when somebody without meeting you says you are too young to be doing what you are. But I take things in my stride and take it as a compliment because I have managed to reach where I have at a young age.
Coming to creativity at UTV. How does UTV go about enhancing the collective creative within?
UTV as an organisation invests a lot in creativity. It has spread its wings in different fields of creativity be it advertising, television and now films. We have on a regular basis brainstorming sessions and churning up of ideas.We have icons in creative excellence, whether it is Alyque Padamsee or a Prahlad Kakkar, coming in and sharing their experiences and learnings with us. The sessions they have with us are extremely interactive and help open the windows of our mind to fresher thoughts.
We have workshops where we are exposed to the works of the masters of all time in film making like Satyajit Ray, Ghatak, Hitchcock, Renoir, Chaplin, Eisenstein, Rossilini etc.
Creativity is also about team work so we have corporate team building workshops which help in the bonding exercise. Like we had one on fear, where we had to walk on pieces of sharp glass. It’s all in the mind, if we can overcome the mindblocks, we can do what we want, we were told at the workshop. The glass symbolised the mindblocks. We had to motivate each other, help each other out. Most of us succeeded walking over the glass without cutting or hurting ourselves. It was a wonderful experience.
Changing tracks. Do you think that a creative person gets enough space in today’s times when channels interfere at the drop of a hat?
What you term as interference is actually involvement. At the end of the day we are all working as a team to make a product work. A channel undertakes a lot of research of what works and what does not. Therefore, they provide the creative team with a lot of value-addition which can only work in the favour of the show.Will UTV ever consider producing bold programming?
I don’t think that would be anything new. Indian television has done bold quite a bit of bold stuff. Like Sailaab was bold; it had a roaring extramarital affair. Lipstick is bold, Astitva… Ek Prem Kahani is bold. But surely, we can’t have smooching and sex scenes like in the West; we have to keep the Indian sensibilities in mind. Since we don’t have censorship on our heads, that does not imply we cross all barriers and show anything and everything. You might be seeing such stuff on MTV or [V], but at the end of the day, UTV is a production house catering to family entertainment.Can creative people become business people?
It depends on an individual’s mindset and mental make-up. If one is inclined towards learning and growing beyond the creative sphere then there is no stopping him or her to wear a business hat as well. They can bring their creativity into businesses. Look at Karan Johar he is a perfect blend of creative and business. He makes cinema that fetches him pots of money. On the other hand I feel that all business people need to be creative in their own fields. a good business person has to constantly be thinking and innovating to keep ahead of the competition and can use some creative ways to think how to go about doing that.Creative people you admire?
Ekta Kapoor for the ideas she gets in her serials, her levels of passion and conviction in them. She is a true achiever. Raveena Raj Kohli. She has proved herself in every fields be it as a creative director, channel CEO and now even in the field of news. Satyajit Ray for the quality of films he made, Samir Nair for the dizzying heights he has taken Star Plus to.Charlie Chaplin for being the complete film person – he was a rare comedian who not only financed and produced all his films but was the author, actor, director and soundtrack composer of them as well, Filmmaker Eisenstein for the clever use of montages and symbolism in his films such as Battleship Potemkin.
I also admire Enid Blyton, I have read almost all her books they are beautifully written and make for excellent reading for children. I am a huge fan of Prannoy Roy. He is extremely charismatic. And if you can put this on record, I admire Ronnie Screwvalla for being a visionary. I am not trying to impress anyone but this is a fact. Working with him makes you grow on both professional and personal fronts as well. He started a lots of trends in India – brought in animation, started the first cable network in India, etc. He does not essentially like to walk on a proven path, he loves to take risks.
Earlier, you said creative people can become business people. What about you?
Of course, I can. I am not an exception.Where do you see yourself five years from now?
I breathe, sleep, eat and dream television so I definitely see myself continuing contributing to the success of television.You have the looks and age in your favour. Ever thought of becoming an actress?
(Laughs) You couldn’t avoid that one, could you? What a question! Not really. But thanks for the compliment, anyway (laughs again).Tell me, can a creative director become a programming head?
Definitely. A programming head is the professional who funnels all the programming coming on to the channel along with his/her team of producers, creative professionals. The buck stops with him/her on content. He/she has to not only have a sense of creativity, but also be alert to the strategy, business and advertising angles. She/he has a large scale canvas perspective on content. A creative director’s job is supposed to be restricted to the creative look feel, storylines of the shows. The roles between the two get fuzzy at times, in fact often a programming head has to wear a creative director’s hat and likewise. At the end of the day, they have to get together to produce programming that brings in audiences and revenues.Buzz is that this creative director is going to become the programming head of a broadcasting channel?
Is that so? Well?
