Producer
Ravindra Gautam has made quite a mark in the industry. His current show Meri
Durga has been doing exceedingly well and the producer says that the show has
taught him a lot. “I feel elated with such a good response and get huge
inspiration to do better stuff with such different storylines. Actually, the
success of Meri Durga has inspired me to look into not so regular concepts and
the show has also proven that there also is life beyond regular Saas-bahu
sagas,” he says.
Having
been a director himself, there are times when he feels differently than the
person who is directing, says Ravindra. “It happens many times. Creativity is
very subjective. A creative POV always changes from person to person. I may
have a totally different outlook on a scene and the director may look at it
totally differently. So I always make it a point to brief all creatives,
directors, on the show so that we all are on the same page and as the channel
looks at the show from my perspective, I always tell them how I have conceived a
scene and to execute it likewise,” he says.
Ravindra
has never minced his words and have stood up for things that matter to him. He
has often expressed his concern with kids participating in reality shows.
However, these still continue. “See they will never stop till the parents
understand that a fruit is only plucked when mature. Early ambitions of parents
have mostly ruined a child's childhood and his future. It's good to promote a
child's talent as it boosts his confidence but a parent must know where to draw
a line. For everyone else, it's a money-spinning business and they won't shy
away from playing with a child's emotions or showering mindless accolades just
to fetch TRPs,” he says.And
what is the secret behind successfully casting children in shows? “First and
foremost a child must look and behave like a child which is so hard to find
these days. We cast a child to portray childhood and if that only is missing
what's the use. I was really lucky to find Ananya Agarwal as young Durga whose
innocence as a child was totally intact. And all credit goes to her parents for
keeping her childhood intact,” he says.
TV
has changed a lot over the years. While mythological shows often have an
extravagant budget, the budgets of regular shows have really been toned down,
says Ravindra. “Leave aside some mythological/ historical shows, regular TV
shows are seeing a decline in budgets. Also, off late, since some small budget
shows are performing well on TRP charts, they have become a new model for
broadcasters,” he says.
With
so many options in the digital space, the audience has taken to watching their
shows online. However, this can never replace TV, says Ravindra. “TV and
Netflix have a totally different audiences. TV has reached the length and
breath of our country's interiors and we must cater to their tastes. Netflix
and other digital platforms have an urban base even of the youth. Let's not
confuse ourselves when we say youngsters or the youth are moving away from TV.
There are just a small fraction which belongs to the urban category. Youth in the
interiors still don't have access to high end data network and still watch TV
only. Shows must always be made keeping in mind the television audience,” he
says.
In
fact, TV producers have a big responsibility on their shoulders. “TV goes
inside the homes of people and families, who watch it together. So I feel it
has the power to bring about the biggest of change and if we as makers can
contribute in making a better society, it'll be a great way to give back to the
society from which we derive all our stories,” he says.
Being
a public figure is not easy and Ravindra has had his share of problems in this
area. He was confused with someone who tweeted against actor Priyanka Chopra
and was ridiculed on social media. “Little is a small word for the harshness
public figures receive. It's so hard for them to maintain and live and enjoy a
personal life. There might be many pros of these social networking apps but the
ease it has given to anyone and everyone to comment rebuke abuse celebs is the
worst disadvantage,” he says.
The
producer-director’s journey has been long and he has overcome many obstacles
along the way. “Hardships were many, some still continue but it all depends on
how you look at those hardships. I have always taken them as challenges and tasks
one needs to overcome to reach a summit. Any hardship has the capability to
break you or make you stronger, it's the way you look at it,” he says.
