Channels call the shots,not directors-AVK

Before the onset of daily soaps in mid-2000, general entertainment channels were a vibrant home to a variety of stories sourced from varied thinking brains where the director was the man in command. producers and directors not only had considerable freedom to cast actors of their choice but the director also enjoyed creative freedom to write the story in his distinctive style. But the flood of dailies has changed the ground reality.

Today creative decisions are taken by channels which means the director has lost his commanding position. In fact, today's directors are mere technicians who execute the channels' orders.

"In the current scenario directors have no respect," says Arun Frank who has directed more than 3,000 episodes of shows like Andaaz, Amar Prem, Aashiqui, Jaan, Angan and Zindagi Teri Meri Kahani. His last show was Zindagi... four years ago and since then he has been on a forced sabbatical from serials despite several lucrative offers.

"I just can't work in the present scenario. Channels don't need a thinking director but only a technician who will follow their orders. Earlier there was interaction between the channel and producer/director but there was no interference. Today you either submit to the system or don't work," he adds.

According to Siddhartha Sengupta, all creative calls are taken by channels. That's precisely the reason why many directors who made good weeklies in the 90s have taken a back seat. But Siddhartha who made shows like 9 Malabar Hill and Mrityudand is still working and is one of the most preferred directors to set up new shows. "I am approached by channels to start shows but once the show is settled I prefer to quit because it becomes an assembly line production," he reveals. However, Siddhartha has hung on to Ek Chhabi Hai Pados Mein because it is a weekly and he has all the creative freedom.

But not everyone is as lucky as Siddhartha or Anil V. Kumar. Anil has been one of the most successful directors in Balaji who graduated from an assistant to a full-fledged director with Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki. In fact, he was Ekta's most preferred director for starting new shows, be it Kkusum, Kahiin To Hoga, Karam Apna Apna or Kayamath before he quit Balaji recently. "In terms of production values, look and locations, dailies are almost on par with weeklies but what is really lacking is good stories and characters simply because there is not enough time to write and develop good characters. Since it is mostly a rehash job, third and fourth assistants are asked to direct serials as they only have to follow channels' instructions," he says. In fact no scene or dialogue can be changed without the channel's consent. As a result content is a major casualty. Stories and characters are sourced from old Hindi films. director Ajai Sinha of Hasratein and Astitva fame says that nobody has good stories. "What I did in Hasratien ten years ago is being done in most daily soaps. Today everything has to be within the mainstream parameters," says Ajai. Siddhartha says no director has the energy to work with full creative control over a show. "It is difficult to work on the script and characters and shoot when in a month you are supposed to can 16 episodes," he informs.

As a result producers appoint a creative head for each show. His job is to interact with channel's programming team and executive producer on all creative aspects and the director is left alone to take care of shooting. "It sounds absurd but there is no alternative and the system is working," chuckles Siddhartha.