Rajan Shahi the renowned Producer has been the Entertainer of the masses, with his finely-textured shows. Starting from Sapna Babul Ka.. Bidaai to the latest trendsetter Anupamaa, Rajan Shahi’s banners Director’s Kut and Shahi Productions Pvt. Ltd has given viewers the best of shows.
In an exclusive interview with IWMBuzz.com, Producer Rajan Shahi talks of the challenges faced in the pandemic-hit year 2020, and on his optimistic thoughts for the New Year.
Excerpts:
How did you tackle this year differently?
2020 has been a great teacher. It was not something that only affected our industry, but it has been a global struggle. The pandemic has affected every person irrespective of the field he/she is in. It came with huge challenges for the makers and broadcasters in the entertainment industry. There was no clarity couple with huge fear, especially with the human lives being involved. We had to tread very cautiously. Even today, we are treading with care because there is nothing more supreme than human life.
For the television industry, the thought initially was that this was a temporary phase that will be gone soon. Nobody realized that this will be a scare that will prevail for long. It has been a challenge to manage all the units and keep them safe. Yes, it was and it has been a tough year, dealt differently. We are lucky that Television is one of the fields that immediately got back to work.
As a Producer, you have seen a great launch (Anupamaa), sustenance (Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai), and also an abrupt closure (Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke). Tell us about thoughts on it.
The million-dollar question was the launch of Anupamaa for us. It was to start just four days before the halt owing to the pandemic. However, as a combined decision with the channel, we decided not to launch it and wait for the right time. However, there were speculations on when to put up the launch after the delay. The trend during the break was that the repeats were doing very well. So we wondered what kind of genre the viewers will want to see. The general atmosphere was of gloom everywhere. So it was a huge wait and watch. All had to tap on the instincts and the survival of the fittest was the formula used. The revival was very good for all our three shows.
Anupamaa was launched after a month of start. It changed the dynamics of not only Star Plus, but also of the entire television industry. Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai has always been a brand name. It has had a strong connection with viewers. Kartik Naira, that is Mohsin Khan and Shivangi Joshi have been strong all the way.
Unfortunately, Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke did not deliver as per expectations. In spite of a huge fan following, the numbers did not come in. We had to be fair to the channel. Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke going off-air was a big shock. We did not expect it to happen. But yes, sometimes things need to be taken in stride. It was one of the few shows which had a great team. It had a different texture when compared to Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. This has been the benchmark of Director’s Kut, providing different textures of storytelling.
Fans want Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke to be brought back with a new season. What are your thoughts?
I am extremely proud of Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke. It had amazing performances coming from Shaheer Sheikh, Rhea Sharma, Rupal Patel, Kaveri Priyam etc. The best part of the show was to work with such an amazing cast. One of my most cherished moments from the show was working with Shaheer Sheikh. After working with him, I always applaud his professionalism and down-to-earth nature. I have a special place in my heart for Shaheer Sheikh. His passion for work is outstanding. This passion for work runs in Mohsin Khan too. We were disappointed with the show’s closure.
I fail to understand why the fans blamed us for the closure. As makers, we also go through the pain of the show going off-air. No Producer will be happy with his show going off-air. We were not happy but had to take it in stride with all humility. My last parting note to the team of Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke was that you never know when we will come together again. The negative backlash was unreasonable. But to tell them honestly, one needs to go by the situation we prevail in. I told my actors when I met them before parting that we will meet again soon. This was the optimism I had.
Anupamaa’s launch and success story. Tell us about it.
Coming to Anupamaa, there was God’s hand in the delay in launch. It has been a special show for me. I am co-producing this show with my mother Deepa Shahi under the banner Shahi Productions Pvt. Ltd. Of course, it is a concept very close to my heart. We have been working on it for a long time. The majority of people might not be interested in watching a show that says the tale of a middle-aged housewife. A risk factor was always tagged with Anupamaa. Having said this, I will want to thank Star Plus for endorsing such a concept. However, the unfortunate pandemic event delayed the launch. But when it came, it took the industry by storm. So it is a nice feeling.
Everything about Anupamaa has been destined to be to our own advantage. It has become a trendsetter in today’s time. It has a very new kind of storytelling. The viewers realized the importance of the silent force in every home, that is the mother. Families connected with Anupamaa. Today, Anupamaa is watched mostly by children, youth, and men. You will be surprised to know that the men watch it more. It is the good performances and good scripting that is connecting viewers with Anupamaa. The show has emotions in the forefront rather than gimmicks. It has an amazing cast and all are performing so well. Rupali Ganguly and Sudhanshu Pandey have been in association with me through earlier projects. Madalsa Sharma and all the other ensemble cast, young and old, are awesome. Romesh Kalra our Director has held the entire team together really well. I always relate Anupamaa to Sapna Babul Ka.. Bidaai.
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai is going into a new phase. What can you say on Naira’s speculated death?
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai is a show that is soon to complete 3300 episodes. It has survived and stood the test of time. For me, I have always said that Shivangi and Mohsin are the best Jodi in the television industry in India. I am extremely proud of both of them. They have worked really hard. Yes, every show does get into a time where you have to come out of the comfort zone. There has been a huge reaction to the promo that has been launched. A lot of things will change. But it is a bit premature to talk about the kind of changes the show will see. The next few episodes will lead to a huge scenario. The next two weeks will redefine the entire show not only in terms of the casting but also in the kind of story we are going to say.
Any hints to the changes coming in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai?
Well, we have been extremely tight-lipped about the entire process. As you know, a lot of things are being evolved now. I have been meeting both Mohsin and Shivangi on a daily basis. They are also stakeholders of the show. We have considered the reactions coming in too. We have been talking to the writers and creative team. As of now, no final decision has been taken. But yes, we will decide as per the full endorsement of Mohsin and Shivangi. We know the brand that Kaira has created.
There are so many beautiful memories of Kaira. Every year, the two of them have been winning the Best Jodi Award. I rate them as the best Jodi in Indian Television. Also, I rate Mohsin and Shivangi as the best individuals to work with. So it is not only the professional bond, we bond quite well personally too. So the entire team goes through the impact of whatever is happening. When the decision will be made, there will be a huge emotional impact it will have on all the actors and the team. The entire news has created an impact on them. Shivangi has even broken down a couple of times. So let’s see what is in store. All I can say is that we have to reinvent ourselves to keep the audience engaged. 2020 is ending with mixed emotions for me. Anupamaa has been the number one show. There is a huge critical appreciation coming for Anupamaa. On the other hand, we are going through the most defining decisions for Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlaya Hai. 2021 will come with huge expectations. There will be a huge shake over in the show which will change the entire dynamics. After Akshara’s exit, this will be the next big change in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai.
Finally, your message with regards to the pandemic.
The pandemic has not gone. I just hope people take all the precautions needed for health. Another thing I want to specify strongly is that 2020 has been a great teacher. We have realized that in addition to relationships, survival needs to be of the highest importance. It is sad to see that only 30 % of the industry is working. What I have always told my team is to hold on to their expenses and keep money in check. One needs to save money for rainy days. The biggest stars are the ones who are down-to-earth and the ones leading simple lifestyles. Actors like Shaheer, Mohsin and Shivangi are so simple.
Recently, I got to know that one actor who was part of our show is in a bad financial state, after projecting a lavish lifestyle earlier. I gave this example to my team. Now the actor is going through a bad phase after projecting a lavish lifestyle after doing one show. Likewise, we are going to see a lot of drastic consequences in the year 2021. Having said this, I am being optimistic that the New Year brings us good news and we overcome the pandemic situation soon.
