Showing posts with label Palash Vaswani. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Palash Vaswani. Show all posts
If we are only going to show how bad society is, what are we showing our kids?-Sooraj Barjatya
4:51 PM
With thrillers and regional offerings dominating OTT entertainment, Sooraj Barjatya is confident his family drama Bada Naam Karenge will stand out
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; February 11, 2025)
OTT shows have primarily become about personal viewing experiences. As filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya forays into the OTT world with Bada Naam Karenge, he hopes the nine-episode series will take people back to the culture of family viewing. In conversation with mid-day, the showrunner talks about making content for Gen Z, why his projects always boast of green-flag characters, and how a section of OTT viewers misses family dramas.
Where did the story originate from?
It was narrated to us by S Manasvi; he came up with the concept in 2013. We were [struggling] with the climax then. In 2020, when we had a meeting with Sony LIV, they wanted a Rajshri show. They wanted to recreate the world of Hum Saath Saath Hain [1999] and Vivah [2006] on OTT. So we met Manasvi, and cracked the story. I’m grateful that the streamer backed our vision. The other [platforms] told us that OTT is a younger and urban space.
Tell us about the story.
It’s about a boy from Ratlam, who wants to expand the family business and a woman from Ujjain, who wants to do her Masters in microbiology. They are not able to fit in, in Mumbai nor are they able to fit in where they come from. The story is about how they fall in love.
Thrillers and gangster dramas dominate OTT entertainment. Will a romantic family-oriented show find its place?
After the pandemic, a lot of people have moved on to the fire stick. But there are many who want to see something different, who are not happy reading subtitles or watching gore. I believe there is an audience for everything. So, why shouldn’t I make a romantic family drama? I think it’s the right time for us to enter with Bada Naam Karenge.
What did you learn while making the series?
The platform was clear that they wanted to bring the audience from Tier II and III. The best thing about the project was to get Gullak director Palash [Vaswani] as a director. He comes from this world and is experienced. We’ve made a lot of films and television shows, but he guided us on how it is different from television. It took us almost a year to write, two years to get this project through, and post-production took another six months. The web is a beautiful medium to tell a story.
Do you think you can bring the family-viewing culture back with this show?
I think [we] will and we should. It is a necessity of the day. If you talk to the OTT platforms, the money is missing. [So, we need] everyone to come together and watch. Today big televisions screens are back. This culture has to come back where everyone watches content together. For my movies, youngsters would come less to theatres. But they’d come to show the film to their grandparents and parents. That is what we are aiming at.
For people living in the right-swipe generation, how will you convince them that old-school romance is real?
Here, we are catering to the audience that wants [fast-paced] content. That is the world Palash has brought. I feel we try to show youngsters as kids who are partying, taking drugs, drinking or smoking, but that’s not true. I look at my own kids who make mistakes, are stressed, but they rise again. I think Gen Z will connect with the story, especially kids from small towns, the Bharat.
All your characters are green flags. Isn’t that far from reality?
In this show, they are not entirely green flags. But a lot of people tell me that my [depiction] isn’t the reality. I feel at least one in 10 would be [like my characters], but they don’t show that because they want to fit in. I want to show dreams. If we are only going to show how bad society is, what are we showing our kids? My daughter is 26 and wants to get married, but she doubts [the kind of partner she’ll get]. If they are not [like my characters], at least they can try to be and they may get a Poonam [Amrita Rao’s character in Vivah].
Sooraj Barjatya observed but never interfered, even when I sought his direction-Palash Vaswani
8:21 AM
(From left) Ritik Ghanshani, Ayesha Kaduskar and Palash Vaswani on the set of Bada Naam Karenge. Pics/Instagram
Director Palash Vaswani of Gullak fame on his collaboration with ace Bollywood filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya and navigating emotions for Bada Naam Karenge
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; January 28, 2025)
He says Sooraj Barjatya wanted to collaborate with him because the veteran filmmaker loved how he brought simplicity to the screen. However, for director Palash Vaswani of Gullak fame, it was a dream come true. Vaswani had always wanted to create a love story, but making a show with the signature Rajshri touch while ensuring it remained relatable across all age groups was a challenge. Bada Naam Karenge commenced in April and concluded filming in October. However, the team spent nine months refining the script before beginning production.
In conversation with mid-day, Vaswani discusses how he drew inspiration from real-life stories of people from small towns to shape the narrative, what he learnt from Barjatya, and how he expresses himself through his storytelling. Edited excerpts from the interview.
The show seemed like the OTT version of Vivah (2006). Is that just our prejudice?
The series is my tribute to Maine Pyar Kiya [1989]. I still love watching the film. These kinds of stories are missing from screens nowadays. You no longer see innocent romances with a couple in the foreground and the family in the background. The kind of storytelling seen in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge [1995], Hum Aapke Hain Koun [1994], and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai [1998] is absent in the Hindi film belt, though it still exists in south films. This was my attempt to revive that genre.
But romance is no longer so innocent. Do you agree?
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani [2023] is a similar film, but there was a long gap before it. The last such film I remember is Kal Ho Naa Ho [2003]. Today, if I wish to tell that kind of story, how do I narrate it? I must use a contemporary approach with new voices, so that it resonates with people. The OTT audience is quite young, so connecting with them first—who may then share it with their parents—makes the series ideal for community watching.
Will Gen Z relate to a romantic story like this?
I come from a small town, Raipur, though I have lived in Mumbai since 2007, so I understand the dynamics in both places. Films today do not focus on relatability. If you watch Premalu [2024], it precisely fills that gap; Hridayam [2022] is also a pure college romance. These stories were once told in Hindi cinema but not anymore. Such people exist and are in the majority, yet we do not create content they can relate to. This is why people from the Hindi belt increasingly connect with south movies.
Raipur has a significant Marwari community. They are business-oriented and wealthy. While they can afford to send their children abroad, they often send them only to Pune. These children do not admit to drinking alcohol or dating because their parents wouldn’t understand and would judge them morally. This happened to a friend’s brother. Similarly, another friend fell in love with a girl he was stuck with during the lockdown for 15 days. For him, those 15 days felt like a film. We are confident people will relate to our show, just like how they reacted to Gullak.
How did this collaboration with Sooraj Barjatya happen?
Sooraj sir must have seen my work in Gullak [seasons 2 and 3], and people from SonyLIV recommended me. I received a call from Rajshri Productions, stating that Sooraj sir wanted to meet me. Despite being a towering personality, he is simple and clear about his vision and what he wants to convey. He told me he loved Gullak and that not everyone could capture simplicity the way I did. When he narrated Bada Naam Karenge, the story resonated with me, particularly as I come from a small town. Moreover, I had always wanted to make a love story, and the chance to work with him was unmissable.
What did you learn from working with him?
I learnt how to tell a story in a massy way and reach a wider audience by focusing on content. S. Mansvi, Sooraj sir, Vidit Tripathi [writer of Gullak season 4], and I worked on the story for nine months. I was insistent that we perfect the script on paper before starting production. We rewrote several drafts until we were confident, only then moving to pre-production. Since it was a Rajshri project, it needed their signature touch, so Sooraj sir was involved during pre-production. On set, he observed but never interfered, even when I sought his direction.
Did anyone’s performance surprise you?
Casting took six months because we needed actors who believed in the story. We chose newcomers to avoid expectations nor will the audience have any preconceived notion about them. The leads, [Ritik Ghanshani and Ayesha Kaduskar], were superb and carried the strong themes effortlessly.
During a table read, Kanwaljit [Singh] sir had a scene where he had to cry, but he felt his character wouldn’t. However, I insisted because the climax depended on it. In my stories, men cry. I think I am unable to emote so these emotions come out in my story. He agreed to do it both ways, but after one take, he was convinced by my vision. Watching him perform that scene brought tears to everyone’s eyes.
Whenever there is a vacancy in a government office, my parents ask me to go for it-Jitendra Kumar
7:54 AM
Despite Cheesecake's success and a Bollywood film in his kitty, TVF star Jitendra Kumar on how it's a long road ahead to fame
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; December 17, 2019)
After Kota Factory, Pitchers, Truth aAd Dare With Dad, Jitendra Kumar, the poster boy of TVF, released a five-episode series, Cheesecake, with co-actor Akanksha Thakur. The MX Player show revolves around a couple who reignites the spark in their marriage as they welcome a dog into the family. In conversation with mid-day, Kumar talks about finding an unlikely co-star in a dog, his Bollywood debut and meeting his family's expectations.
Edited Excerpts from the interview.
How did you come on board for Cheesecake?
The concept belongs to Palash [Vaswani, director] and he is a pet lover. He got writer Gautam Ved on board, and along with Sameer Saxena [executive producer], the project began to take shape.
Are you pet-friendly?
Not really [laughs]. Despite my fear of dogs, I insisted on doing the show. The track of the married couple was interesting and different from the projects Akanksha and I have been part of. We trained with the dog to make it seem natural. Since she loves dogs, the training was essentially for me. It was fruitful because I gradually got comfortable with Aryan.
Was it difficult to shoot with a dog?
I think Aryan is more experienced than us. He has done several commercials and films. After his shot, he would immediately be taken to his vanity van because he couldn't bear the heat [laughs].
There were rumours about Pitchers 2 going on floors. Is it still on the cards?
The concept of start-ups is no longer fresh. We had started work on the script but realised that there is not enough material to play with. So, it's currently on hold.
You are making your Bollywood debut with the same-sex love story, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhaan. What was it like to romance Ayushmann Khurrana?
Romancing a girl comes easily because you've done it before; that's not the case here. Initially, it was awkward, but we got comfortable as we did readings, [understood] our characters and the situations they face. Before filming a romantic scene, the director [Hitesh Kewalya] would come to us and say he wants to see the chemistry between us. Thankfully, it flowed naturally when the camera rolled.
Has your family finally accepted you as an actor?
They are supportive of my decision. But whenever there is a vacancy in a government office, they call me, asking me to interview for the job. This happens especially when I'm going through a low phase.
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