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Superstars, MIA
Film stars may have short shelf lives, but TV is tougher. And stars are finding it tough to cope with the changed rules of the entertainment game. Lekha Menon reports
Going with the flow Sweta Keswani, the delicious vamp of Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand and Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, who is now currently seen in Ba Bahu aur Baby puts it candidly, "Accept it, fame is short-lived on TV. The ribbon-cutting offers have gone down! Out of sight is out of mind here." Similarly, Hiten Tejwani admits to missing the dizzying heights of fame he saw with Kkutumb a few years back. Currently seen in Palampur Estate and Kitni Mohabbat Hai, Hiten believes he was lucky to get his big breaks during boom time. "The scope is limited now; if you have a show on air, which is decent that's good enough." While the talented Varun Badola says, "When I started acting, I used to replace top stars. So you have to be mentally prepared. At least there are a few serials with good characterisation these days. So a good actor will find a decent role." But Ronit Roy, whose Bandini is one of the few soaps enjoying high ratings these days, brushes off the allegation that TV stars are out of work. "If you see TRP charts, drama shows are still on top. Basic emotions are the same, what has changed now is the packaging. Just make a mark in the shows you are doing and you'll never run short of roles. I have been lucky Ekta (Kapoor) has given me strong roles to play – Mr Bajaj, Mihir or even Bhishm Pitamah." But wasn't the last role in the flop Mahabharat? "Some things work, others don't," he shrugs. "But you can't deny their popularity as they are revisited even on YouTube." Acting's what matters Interestingly, for an industry that vouched by the speed with which production houses churned out serials, now swears by acting, script and sensibilities. TV's most famous bahu Smriti Irani believes there are "no icons on TV today". "That's because it's the channels who define the programme, not the actors. Good roles are hard to come by, whether in TV or films. But actor will survive, it's the star who is bound by those trappings," she says. |
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Bigg Boss 19
