Television shows shoot at sight
Mumbai: Television shows in India have come a long way. From the claustrophobic sets, TV shows are now being shot at actual locations. Interestingly, most shows are exploring different states in India like Punjab, Chattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat etc.
In this age of cut-throat competition among channels, producers are trying to make their shows as appealing as possible, even if that means escalating the cost a little higher. For example, soaps like 12/24 Karol Bagh is being shot in Delhi, Jamunia is being shot in Kawartha (Chattisgarh), Do Saheliyan in Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) and Desi Girl in Punjab. Producers say the idea behind shooting outdoors is to give the audience some visual relief.
Producer Yash Patnaik, who is shooting his soap Jamunia at the Kawartha palace in Chattisgarh, says, "Production-wise shooting outside is a difficult process, but in terms of creative freedom, it's phenomenal. The canvas gets larger. My show is based in Chattisgarh and since we are shooting there, the location is playing a major role in taking the story forward. We have great daylight to play with to make our show look better. Moreover, in an outdoor shoot we have all the actors at our disposal and shooting goes on smoothly."
Apart from this, challens also echo the feeling of monotony, that one associates with shooting indoors in the sets.
Shailja Kejriwal, EVP Content, NDTV Imagine, says, "The viewers get bored of seeing the same sets in Mumbai. If we shoot in the exteriors, we get roads, ponds, rivers and local people which makes the story look very convincing on screen."
However, though a lot of shows like Balika Vadhu (Rajasthan), Yeh Pyaar Na Hoga Kum (Lucknow) and Choti Bahu (Vrindavan) were shot in actual locations, they shifted to Mumbai and to the sets as soon as the characters got established.
Explaining this, Sukesh Motwani, the fiction head of Zee TV, says, "Viewers in India have moved out of their drawing room or bedroom shows. Actual locations absorb the characteristics of a particular place and so the setting appears more beautiful. But in terms of production logistics, it becomes a little difficult to locate every show outside. So, we try to shoot a few of the shows initially in real locations. But when the show becomes popular and the characters are set, it's easier to shift the shoot to Mumbai. The dynamics are difficult but we try to make it believable which in turn makes way for success."
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