We Are Doing Television Only For The Money

As the Hindi tv industry faces resentment and ridicule for regressive content and outlandish plotlines, Arnesh Ghose chats with some of tv’s biggest stars (and some not-so famous ones) to understand what motivates them to stay in the industry for years on end.

- Arnesh Ghose

A very close friend of mine recently got an acting role in a Hindi TV show. Generally, when struggling actor friends get roles, even if in a teensy commercial, it is news for celebration. In this instance, he didn’t share the news with the gang. He slipped it in, unexcitedly, during the wee hours of one drunken Saturday night. We didn’t cheer him, either.

Actors don't aspire to television in this country. It is of course foolhardy to compare Indian TV shows with what America and Britain is doing, but one can only imagine how pathetic an option television must be if struggling actors look at it as the last resort. Many established TV actors who might be borderline indispensible, thanks to their diehard fan following, have come out and spoken to the press time and again about how “regressive” TV content has become. But one must note that these are actors who have passed their prime, are pally with producers and channels and who can demand better pay. For the majority of actors who play scores of husbands-wives-papaji-saasuma-Actors don’t aspire to television in this mummyji-buaji-parjayiji-beti-behen-dewar- sauten, TV means zero creativity or scope for acting, very long hours and frustrating work environments – all for the sake of money. I am not demeaning the need or importance of money, but the fact that you can allow your intelligence and sensibilities be absolutely bludgeoned to death, every single day, for money, seems a tad far-fetched.