Many actors are trying their hands at producing and directing to pad their CVs
Ashish Sharma of Rangarasya.
Mumbai: Unlike Bollywood, where newcomers really have to struggle to get a break, in television it’s the established stars who find it difficult to get lead roles because when it comes to soaps, producers and directors always prefer to go with new faces. In order to tackle their short reign, many actors are turning producers.
Ashish Sharma, the male lead of the hit show Rangrasiya, is one of the hottest men on small screen, but instead of basking in his success, he is branching out to producing serials.
Ashish, who even directs a few parts of his own show to gain experience, says, “Yes, I have been directing a few episodes with the permission of my director. Apart from this, I have also produced a Rajasthani serial.”
He says that he enjoys acting, directing and producing and believes that it helps one become a better actor when one is familiar with the technical nuances that go on behind the camera.
Before Rangrasiya, Aashish didn’t enjoy super star status as an actor on TV, but he was busy directing and producing shows. “I have directed a digital show on MTV called Saturday Nights,” he says, adding, “I am also producing a Rajasthani film, Chore Tera Gaon Bada Pyara. The story is from a girl’s point of view.”
Another actor who has turned producer is Bhairavi Raichura, best known for her role as Kajal Bhai in Hum Paanch. She is currently producing the show Laut Aao Trisha.
While she continued with her acting career, Bhairavi decided to turn producer with a friend. “My first show Chhal Sheh Aur Maat was not a hit but I was happy with my decision to turn producer,” she says.
Bhairavi, however, admits that acting is much easier. “As an actor you just do your scenes, go home and relax. But as a producer you have to look into every minute detail of the show. Right from the script to actors to finances, you have to be involved with everything.”
Actor Prinal Oberoi too has been bitten by the production bug. Known for her role as Kaira in the show Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha, Prinal says that she has been multitasking for six months. “My husband, actor Pankaj Bhuveneshvar Singh, is a producer too, so after marriage I also got involved in production. My job is to get sponsors for our shows.”
Prinal admits that she loves acting more and is a co-producer only because of her husband. “My husband produces plays and TV shows, so I am privileged to get the opportunity to learn different aspects of my trade, like pre-production work, which is the toughest.”
Prinal is enjoying her stint as co-producer but she will be back in front of the camera in Pyaar Ka Dard...
Sachin Parekh, yet another actor-turned-producer is enjoying production too. His interest in producing shows was ignited when he was cast in the 2005 Hindi film Kaafila, which starred Sunny Deol. “We shot all over the place for this film. Locations included Russia, Bulgaria, Afghanistan and Ladakh. I was very curious to know how the production team handled all the challenges that came with working in multiple locations. From then on I started taking a serious interest and in 2009 I started my own theater production company.”
The actor has produced three Hindi plays with a star cast that included veterans like Padmini Kolhapure, Anjan Srivastava and Himani Shivpuri. “Unlike Gujarati plays where audiences don’t mind coming to see newcomers, for Hindi plays we need big names. It’s challenging. Returns don’t always match the amount we have to spend on the productions,” he says. But the actor continues to produce and direct plays because of the creative satisfaction he gets.
( Source : dc )
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