A Cultural Khichidi for the Telly Belly

A cultural khichdi for the telly belly

Television is fast emerging as a pot pourri of cultures with a number of serials showing a variety of regional cultures and flavours.

The big screen might have its own charm, but now even the television industry doesn't lag behind. If films cash in on their larger-than-life sets, the small screen is a pot pourri of cultures.

Take for instance serials like Shanno ki Shaadi which reflects Punjabi culture to the T or Kyunki Saas Bhi Khabhi Bahu Thi and Baa, Bahu aur Baby that are based on Gujarati customs. The characters in Guns and Roses had a Christian background, while Karam Apna Apna depicts a Bengali way of life.

Quite certainly then, the tele industry has turned cosmo. Interestingly, these culture specific serials are not just about a regional cuisine, rather, they portray a lifestyle that is typical of these regions.

"The right cast is very important," feels Deven Bhojani, creative director of Instant Khichdi and Baa Bahu aur Baby, "If the cast hails from the kind of cultural background the director wants to show, all the better," he reveals adding that the director's own background also makes a difference.

Quite evidently, considering the fact that the serials' writer and co-producer Atish Kapadia, producer JD Majethi as well Bhojani are all Gujaratis.

Supriya Pathak, who plays the role of the adorable Hansa in Instant Khichdi, agrees while emphasising that knowing the character well is very important for an actor. "Portraying one's own culture is easy, but for an actor, a different culture shouldn't be a limitation," she says.

But why do directors prefer actors from the same background? Doesn't that reveal a lack of abilities? "Certainly not! While showing a particular culture, one has to be more creative.

You've got to stick to roots and entertain viewers and that's more challenging," retorts Shobhna Desai, producer of Thodi Khushi Thoda Gum, while stressing that these shows require greater effort from each unit member and even the cost of production is comparatively higher.

Nevertheless, there are some directors who don't lay so much importance on belonging to the background he/she is going to depict. Deeya Singh, director of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, reckons that a good actor is also a good learner.

"Though Mona who played Jassi is a Punjabi, another of my serials, Jab Love Hua has characters from rural Bihar and the actors are doing their roles well without really belonging to that background," she says.

Which is commendable. Interestingly, even Aamir Khan hired a Punjabi tutor to get that perfect accent for Rang De Basanti. So do small screen actors also take such additional help?

Answers Rajshri Thakur, who plays Saloni in Saat Phere, "Portraying a character who belongs to a particular background is a good platform for an actor because it tests your mettle.

Being a Marathi, playing the role of a bahu in a Rajasthani family isn't easy because there are specific ways of address etc which are very traditional. We usually get help from the director or an accent trainer."

Actor Vandana Pathak, who plays Jayshree in Instant Khichdi adds, "Often actors who are acquainted with a particular culture help their co-stars. For instance Amit Verma (who plays Raju) has problems with the dialogues and even doing the garba, so Supriya (Pathak) and I help him out."

And the script and dialogues writers have their work chalked out too. Says Praveen Solanki, dialogue writer for several Gujarati shows and a Gujarati playwright, "The small screen is eventually developing into a regional drama stage.

The dialogues of any serial or film are its USP. Especially with culture specific shows, the dialogues need more attention."