Producer's role is definitely tough: Bhairavi
New Delhi, March 22 (IANS) After struggling for fame and money in the modelling world for three years, Delhi boy Abhishek Malik has finally got lucky with a key role in new TV show "Chhal...Sheh Aur Maat".
"The main reason I have shifted from modelling to TV is because I was looking for fame," Abhishek told IANS in an interview.
He won the Mr. Delhi title in 2009, and went on to walk the ramp for designers like Manish Malhotra and Rohit Bal. But like many models in the Indian fashion industry, he wasn't satisfied.
"In modelling, you don't become as famous, at least that's what I could make out. Also, you hardly get money in modelling. A lot of models work for free and in fact, I have also walked for free during fashion weeks," said the tall and suave 21-year-old.
A Delhi University commerce graduate, Abhishek has now shifted base to Mumbai to shoot for "Chhal...Sheh Aur Maat" - a new thriller that went on air on Colors March 19. He plays Rishi, a newly married man in the show.
"I was a bit inclined towards acting, so after modelling I switched to this line. This was my first audition and I got the role," said Abhishek, who neither has any background or training in acting.
As of now, he is busy concentrating on the show, and adjusting to life in Mumbai.
"I am a bit uncomfortable in Mumbai. I don't like the weather, it's humid. Being a Delhiite, it's difficult to adjust. But the entire shooting is in Mumbai, so I have to stay there," said the actor, who has managed to find accomodation in Lokhandwala.
Usually most single boys struggling for a foothold in showbiz find it hard to find a home on rent, but "in that case I have been lucky", says Abhishek.
But showbiz isn't the best long-term plan, is it?
"I plan to pursue an MBA through correspondence. My mother is a principal and my sister is a doctor, so I am constantly told to prepare a good back-up," he said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Om Puri returns to the small screen after over a decade as a 'sutradhar' or storyteller for new TV show " Chhal Sheh Aur Maat". But the veteran actor feels today's television is frivolous and lacks meaningful content.
"Television back in the 1980s had meaningful content. Serials like 'Hum Log' and 'Buniyaad' had much to share, but the small screen has now become very frivolous," Om, 61, told IANS in an interview on phone from Mumbai.
"The usual saas-bahu serials are more like people doing ramp walk than acting. The standards have indeed declined over the years. I miss the charm of television in previous years," he said.
His unmatched acting skills have always helped him deliver serious and comic roles alike. He proved his mettle on garnering international acclaim by working in crossover projects. A theatre veteran, Om started his television career with "Mr Yogi", " Kakaji Kaheen" and "Yatra".
He admits there is a need for shows that can create awareness about society.
"Television is a great medium and has wider reach than other means of communication. We need to have shows that create social awareness, which is rarely a case in today's era," he said.
Even comedy shows are not up to the mark, he feels.
"Previously we used to see some very good shows, but now even the standards of comedy have declined drastically. There are such poor standards of humour in comedy zones today," said the 61-year-old.
"Chhal Sheh Aur Maat" that comes on Colors channel is a tale of deception, betrayal and mystery. The show is about Neha, a newlywed whose life changes dramatically while on a honeymoon when a stranger stakes claim to her life as her husband.
For the show, Om dons the garb of a 'sutradhaar'. He will be seen presenting a weekly roundup of the story in an interesting one-hour format of "Kahani Ab Tak".
"The makers of the show approached me to be part of the show as a storyteller. I grabbed the opportunity because I knew this will not harm my big screen career in any way as I have to shoot for it just for four days in a month," he said.
"I agreed to be a part of it because it is not something that promotes superstition or seems frivolous. It is just clean entertainment," he added.
Om was due to do a rural-based show being created by the rural development ministry. The actor however reveals it is yet to go on the floors.
"Work on the show is still on. Everybody knows how the government departments work; I am waiting to hear from them soon," he said.
Last seen in "Chaar Din Ki Chandni", Om is busy shooting for " Malamaal Weekly 2" and is looking forward to working with Prakash Jha in " Chakravyuh".
Even though actress Bhairavi Raichura, fondly remembered as Kajal Bhai from "Hum Paanch", has turned producer with the new show " Chhal Sheh Aur Maat" on Colors, she says that she has no plans to quit acting.
"I wanted to get into production for some time, and then what next after acting? Production is a completely different experience. When you're just acting, you go on the sets, do your makeup, read the script, do the scene, go home and you're done. Production, it never ends. There are 50,000 things to do. You're handling so many people. I handle the production side, and the creative side is handled by my partner. I am enjoying it," she tells us.
But doesn't being a producer take away from her acting time? "I don't shoot much. I shoot 7-8 days in a month. I haven't given " Sasural Genda Phool" many dates. I'm not taking up anything new at the moment. "Balika Vadhu" is not really there, I hardly do it. I tell them, try avoiding me, but if required, I will come back to that show," she says.
Her new show is a thriller, which she compares to an Abbas-Mustan film. But it's not a film that'll end in 3 hours, and she knows what it takes to sustain the audience's interest in a show. "A daily soap takes a lot of commitment for all the departments. Thinking 22 episodes in a month is not easy. I really salute all daily soap makers. But I'm sure audiences are enjoying our show. It's something new for them, because after "Kahin Kisi Roz", there hasn't been a thriller on television," she signs off.
Actor Sooraj Thapar, currently seen in the daily soap "Sasuraal Genda Phool", will feature as a CID officer in new social thriller " Chhal - Sheh Aur Maat".
His character is named Dushyant.
Dushyant, a chilled out and fun loving person, is shown to be obsessed with justice.
The show, aired on Colors, is about Neha, a newlywed whose life changes dramatically while on a honeymoon when a stranger stakes claim to her life as her husband.
Dushyant comes into the scene to solve the mystery.
The show is produced by Bhairavi Raichura and Nandita Mehra's company 24 Frames.
In the Teflon coated surreal and over dramatic world of daily soaps,
the male heartthrob's good looks become an extremely handy means to wow
the audience. Actually that's a given, since a sizeable chunk of the
telly viewing audience, comprise the fairer sex. While the female
protagonist in a prime time soap thrives on her girl next door coy looks, the hero has to be poster-perfect, handsome, tall and totally droolworthy. Good looks usually garners the TRPs with remarkable ease.
Sample this: the TRP-trippers in the soapy world - Star Plus' Diya Aur Baati Hum (Anas Rashid as Suraj Rathi), Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? (Barun Sobti as Arnav Siingh Raizada), Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai (Karan Tacker as Viren Vadhera and Kushal Tandon as Virat Vadhera), Mann Ke Awaz Pratigya (Arhaan Behl as Krishna), Colors' Balika Vadhu (Siddharth Shukla as Shiv), Uttaran (Gaurav Bajaj as Aman), Kairi -Rishta Khatta Meetha (Jay Bhanushali as Anuj), Madhubala - Ek Ishq Ek Junoon (Vivian d'sena as RK), Chhal - Sheh Aur Maat (Abhishek Rekhi as Kabir), Zee TV's Punar Vivah (Gurmeet Chaudhary as Yash Scindia), Afsar Bitiya (Kinshuk Mahajan as Pintoo Singh), Pavitra Rishta (Rithvik Dhanjani as Arjun), Sony's Kuch Toh Log Kahenge (Sharad Kelkar as Ashutosh), Byaah Hamari Bahu Ka (Gaurav Khanna as Krish), the soon-to-air Love Ya Arranged Marriage (Ashish Kapoor) Life Ok's Dil Se Dua...Saubhagyavati Bhava? (Harshad Chopra as Raghav and Karan Vir Vohra as Viraj Chaudhary), Devon Ke Dev Mahadev(Mohit Raina as Mahadev) - boast of male leads who are scene stealers in every way.
In the women-dominated daily soaps, while the leading ladies garner max eyeballs by their tear jerking acts and the men have precious little to do but to provide the support act and of course look 'pretty'. As Rajan Shahi once put it, "the leading lady of a daily show needs to be a girl next door, so she doesn't have to be strikingly pretty", but since the hero is the dream man, "he needs to be handsome." Also, for the significant percentage of the viewer, the goodlooking hero is often reason enough to come back for more. A dashing hero has his uses - he can take a shower, strut around in a towel, go shirtless (when the TRPs are desperately needed), beat up the baddies, have an intense eyelock with the heroine and catch her when she's falling. He makes the fairytale complete. And in turn ensures a devoted and dedicated fanbase for himself, and more viewership for the show.