Several filmmakers, including Imtiaz Ali, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Anubhav Sinha, Anurag Basu, Anurag Kashyap and Rajkumar Hirani, have dabbled with the small screen before making it big in Bollywood. On World Television Day today, we talk to a few of them about what creating for TV meant to them.
TV taught me how to create quality work within budget: Tigmanshu Dhulia
I have directed several times for the television — the serial Hum Bambai Nahi Jayengey (1993), Bhagwati Charan Verma’s novel Naya Daur (1996), the first six episodes of Just Mohabbat, Rajdhani, and Star Bestsellers. Since, at that time, I was assisting in films as well so I directed those shows in a very filmy-style. TV taught me efficiency, accha aur jaldi, that too on a low budget, which helped me a lot when I turned to films.
TV was a great net practice for me: Anubhav Sinha
When I got an opportunity to do TV serials, I created them like a film! I debuted with the show Shikhast (1993), followed by Sea Hawks (1997). People used to say ‘bhai tu serial bana raha hai ya picture bana raha hai’, but I did not understand it then. It gave me a lot of recognition, I made money and people in the business knew I could do something. I started getting music videos and made them extensively for three-four years before making Tum Bin (2001).
TV made me a better film writer and director: Karan Razdan
Starting in the industry as a writer-actor with Basu Chatterjee’s TV show Rajani (1985) and venturing into directing with serial Tehkikaat (1994), Razdan says, “TV gave me name, fame and career. While I was writing and acting in TV, I wrote films like Dilwale (1994), Trimurti (1995), Diljale (1996) and more. TV helped venture in films and direct films such as Girlfriend (2004), Hawas (2004), including Hindutva Chapter One (2022) and Saira Khan Case this year.”
TV gave me wings to fly: Kamal Pandey
From writing Naa Aana Iss Des Laado (still below; 2009), Gunahon Ka Devta (2010), producing Ruk Jaana Nahi (2011), to debuting with the feature film Jahaan Chaar Yaar (2022), writer-director Kamal Pandey says TV helped him sustain in Mumbai, and get into films.
“Being a writer, it’s very tough to survive in Mumbai and TV helped me sustain and earn well. TV daily soaps helped me write quickly while maintaining the quality, as well as adapting to the TRP game. It helped me write films efficiently and improvise smartly as per big screen format with films like Saheb Biwi aur Gangster Returns (2013) and Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana (2017).”
