Ashish Shrivastav on directing 'Imlie', his journey & other things

Ashish Shrivastav is the name behind heavy-weight TV series including Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kasam Se, Kis Desh Mein Hai Mera Dil, Dil Se Dil Tak and many others that have ruled primetime. The UP-born director’s is currently directing popular Star Plus show Imlie talks about his show and his journey. 

1. First of all many congratulations. Your show Imlie as it is one of the top trending shows. Give us your reaction on this? 

 Actually, it’s correct that Imlie season 1 was also one of the top shows of its time. We started Imlie season 2 in a very less time and tried that we could maintain the legacy and popularity of Imlie show. It was a bit of a challenging with new actors and less number of dates to start the show but somehow the entire team has tried to make one of the best shows and finally we can now see the result also and we are trying to maintain that it should keep on continuing in the top trending shows and it’s fun as well as when you direct an already popular show you get its previous audience too.

2. Is there any pressure on keeping the show on the top for a very long time now? 

Yes, definitely, there is a lot of pressure as 7 days a week on a prime channel like Star Plus so to maintain its quality, production value and to deliver the best 100% there is a lot of pressure. We worked day and night on it and have maintained the show’s quality so I wouldn’t say it’s a very simple, easy and normal show, there are a lot of challenges we face while maintaining this show value.

3. Your journey has been quite interesting in the industry. Pls tell us something more about it? 

This journey has been fantastic and amazing. I started my career as an assistant director with Balaji in 2004 and then slowly started doing individual shows and since then worked with many and big production houses like, Rajshri productions, directors cut, Shashi-Sumeet, Optimistix, creative eye, excel vision and many more.. Working with different teams and different production houses and making shows for channels like star plus, colors, Zee TV, star bharat has been an enriching experience.

Please tell us about your equation with the actors of your show? How is the mood on the set?

Actually, equations that of a director with his actors is very important on the set. All the shows  that I have done so far I have tried that all my actors are easy on the set, they can come and talk to me in any reference at any given point of time, I give them a lot of liberty because when my actors are relaxed I would be able to make them perform even better. I also make sure the working environment on the set is very positive as positive atmosphere makes us perform even better. Even now in Imlie, I have maintained that positive equation and rapport with all my actors and the result is to be seen for all of you.

Are you a very serious kind of a person on the set or a fun loving one?

I am actually a very serious kind of a person on the set. But, if you ask all my actors and others working on the set I am very serious while working but in between I try and find some time to do fun just to keep the working environment positive and fun. So once the job is done I try and do some fun. So it’s a 50-50 for me serious while doing work and some fun once the job is done well.

Also, do you want your actors to act the way you direct them? or you don’t mind them improvising a bit?

There is a 200% scope of improvisation while working with me because I always try to go beyond the script and always try that what different can my actor deliver apart from the bound script . The actor can do so only when I give that kind of a liberty to my actor so the freedom to improvise is always there, all my actors with whom I have worked till now know that I don’t bound an actor I give them that liberty to improvise so that a good scene, a good show is made and that can only happen when the director gives its actors that liberty to improvise so I am always open to improvisations. I sometimes feel the script binds an actor but when you go beyond it and perform things become even more better and unique.

Any plans of directing films or OTT in near future?

There are 100% plans of doing OTT shows along with some other things while directing TV shows too, I want to do something of my own so definitely there are a lot of things in the pipeline and I will keep you guys posted on the same . Every individual wants to move forward in life and upgrade. So, yes definitely, 100% I will be doing something good in the near future.