| Stunning stunts |
In what is yet another ploy for regaining falling TRPs, producers are spending hefty amounts on stunning stunts. Gauri Kohli tells you more |
With the Tulsis, Parvatis and Prernas mostly stealing the limelight, there's often little left for our on-screen men to do. So much so that until recently, the makers of these soap operas had leading ladies as villains performing daredevil stunts. So, our very own Ronit Roy decided to change the trend.
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The recent one being in Kayamath on Star Plus, where actor Ronit Roy executed the action scene himself. In what was a nail-biting episode, which marked Ronit Roy's death sequence in the show, viewers got a glimpse of an action-packed thriller film.
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If recent flicks like Krishh, Main Hoon Na and Super Man-3 are any inspiration, where producers shelled out millions for a single scene, Ekta has spent a whopping Rs 15 lakh to shoot the particular scene, says a Star TV offical.
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Going down the memory lane, one can recall, the much hyped sequence from Kyunki where Smriti Irani killed her son Ansh, played by Akashdeep Sehgal. The scene not only grabbed the coveted eyeballs yet again, but also proved why soap queen Ekta Kapoor rules the roost today. With more thrillers coming up, the viewers now get to see action in shows like Left Right Left and Love Story. It is a common notion that in order to churn out long-running shows, producers turn to resorts like replacements, generation leaps besides the usual twists and turns. But the latest ploy being used is elaborate and expensive stunts.
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While many producers use body-doubles to shoot dangerous scenes, there are a few who want to enjoy every moment of being a hero on screen. Says Ronit Roy: "I have done two major action sequences in the last month - one is Kayamath and the other Kasamh Se. While in Kayamath I was driving a car that came crashing down, in Kasamh Se I had to jump down from a helicopter."
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Roy, who refused to use a body double for the scene, adds: "It was supposed to be a power-packed action scene. It was time consuming and difficult too but I was very excited while shooting the sequence. I always prefer to do my own stunts and considering the fact that this is going to be one of the most important scenes in the show, I decided to do it myself."
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Says Amar Dixit, action sequence director, who has directed important scenes in Kavyanjali, Kahani and now Kayamath: "Being the director for the stunt, I have a huge responsibility. I have to ensure that I get the best out of the actors and my team members who are well-trained to deliver the best sequence possible." As far as Kayamath is concerned, "the scene was risky and challenging but Ronit insisted that he wanted to do it himself. But all went well and it is one moment I'll cherish for a long time," Dixit adds.
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But as the battle for TRPs is intensifying constantly, there are a few outside the Balaji camp who are posing tough competition. Sharad Malhotra, who's doing his first show Dulhann, has already shot four-five such scenes. Luckily, he had a narrow escape a couple of times. While shooting the sequence at a waterfall in Thane, he slipped from a 150-feet high cliff and bruised himself. "I had to climb a 150-feet high cliff and shoot like a real hero. It was a slippery surface and I simply lost balance. But thankfully, I managed to get hold of a rock. I could hardly breathe and was almost on the verge of collapsing. My director suspended a rope for me and I managed to climb up. I was badly hurt in the process. Thankfully, it turned out to be a beautiful shot," he recalls.
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Pawan Kumar, the director of the show was all praise for the actor. He says, "I had suggested hiring a fight master for the sequence but Sharad refused to do so. He wanted to do the stunts all by himself and ended up rolling down the cliff. Hats off to Sharad for his enthusiasm and dedication."
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With most of the soaps running high on the evil quotient, there's an increasing room for action scenes. After all, our small screen heroes too, want to bring out the hidden talent in them.
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