Chit-Chat With Raghuvir Shekhawat
Raghuvir Shekhawat needs no introduction in the Telly Industry. An acclaimed script writer, he is part of the creative team for a multitude of renowned TV shows like Balika Vadhu, Diya Aur Baati Hum, Madhubala: Ek Ishq Ek Junoon and Veera. Now he has added Rang Rasiya to his prized list. Expectations are huge as he gets ready to add his expertise and creativity to a magnum opus like Rang Rasiya which is being produced at a scale that TV has never seen before.
TeamSarun is very much thrilled to present this Interview with the man himself as he entertains us with his witty answers to our very serious questions. It has been a pleasure to interview him and we hope you find it entertaining too.
Why did you decide to become a dialogue writer?
Because i had nothing better to do...and dad threatened me to earn else would kick out of the house...;-)...Ok...was a poet from school days...so the inclination was there...Initially..i was doing comedies..and those were like weekly days..so was handling story screenplay dialogues all...But then ...dailies came...and in dailies its usually difficult to handle more than one department...so decided to write dialogues only..Though in Veera and another upcoming show of mine...doing screenplay as well.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
As clich as it may sound...from nowhere and from everywhere..I don't watch tv..I don't read ...I don't remember films..I haven't seen a play in life...so in that sense...no source of usual inspirations...but then...I read life...and that inspires hell of a lot...
How do you manage to balance a portfolio of shows?
Thats the challenge...i like to be in an insane stage...where the pressure is tremendous and I'm blank ...well...love to do different genres...styles...and concentration level is very high which helps...Also...one enjoys when the toys in shelf are lot...instead of daily playing with one...right..?
When you write, do words come first or images, sounds, a sensation maybe?
Words...like EMI's (monthly instalments)..foreign tours...lavish dinners...they keep on hammering and help me to write Well...i would love to romanticize it..but it's not like that...it's now in my blood... While writing...one needs to get into a stage of nirvana...where u cut off from the world...It takes me around 10-15 minutes to get onto that stage...and that's comparatively faster than others...at least that's what I tell myself...So...in that stage..i get blank...get transferred to the location in my mind...and start seeing the characters in front of me...Then...they speak...and i simply behave typist...
Once you have the basic idea for what you will be writing about, how do you expand on it to create enough to fill up an entire episode?
Situation guides me...rest...it's a lengthy process...
How do you get in to the skin of the character when writing the dialogues?
By drilling like a parasite...u tell me a better way ...Well...one looks at various factors...Their family background...education...social status...financial status...upbringing...and then u create the character..and their lines...
Describe Rangrasiya in one sentence.
Passionate love story...
Describe Rudra and Paro's characters in three words.
You mean in one and a half words Rudra and remaining one and a half Paro...? Ok...Rudra- fire...an(d) ..Paro-Breezer (don't grin...i'm not talking about the drink...i have only one and a half word and cool breeze is two words).
How much research was done on the geopolitical landscape of Rajasthan while penning down Rangrasiya since it deals with a lot of the border battles between the royalties and the Indian Government?
Hmmm...entirely fiction...no research in that sense...
Apart from being a love story, do you intend to put across a social message through Rangrasiya about the issues on the borderlands of India?
We are already putting..aren't we...? Terrorism is not only national...but social problem too..and how naive innocent people are brainwashed in going against country...
Love-Hate theme has been tried successfully in Desi shows with shows like Geet, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon, Madhubala, Qubool Hai, etc. What makes Rangrasiya stand apart? What's the onus?. Why should viewers watch it?
Because Sanaya and Aashish are there and I'm writing..what else intellectual reason u guys want Yes..I agree shows on similar themes have been made...but what matters is...how u present it...how things get unfold...how the chemistry builds...The whole look..as by now u must have noticed is on a very grand scale..Every episode is like a 20 minute film...Infact...in one of the coming sequence...we have spent much more than a film would...and its mind blowing...Then..it's a ST show...treatment got to be different..Able writers like Rahil..Shivani..Gautam..Janaki are associated..Siddharth is one of the best directors..and Sanjay one of the best cinematographer..U need more reasons...? Please watch it so that i can pay for my house instalments...;-)
A woman of today .. What will inspire her about Paro?
Courage...the will to fight in the most adverse situation...(and also..a crash course in how to look good even while u r sobbing...that's the best take away).
RK's role in Madhubala is very dark. Is Rudra's character going to be along this line?
Rk has dark humour...that's not what Rudra has...secondly..we have also added patriotism in his character...Not saying RK is not...but the theme of his character is different..Bollywood..
What are the X-Factors about Rangrasiya?
X is Sanaya and Y is Aashish...;-) ...The scale..the passion in the love story...
What are the challenges of writing in the Rajasthani dialect for an artist whose first language is not Indian?
One has to be very careful as to not use lot of Rajasthani..and it shouldn't be tongue twisting...Also... though it gives feel that there's a lot of dialect..but observe carefully...i m using only 10"15 words... that's the trick...
Sanaya is speaking Rajasthani so perfectly. How did she overcome this challenge?
First...your Sanaya is a talented actress...half the job gets done there...Then ...we met a couple of times and I helped her a bit...third...we have a language instructor on sets...
It is said that the pen is mightier than the sword and words give birth to the emotions onscreen, actors are merely people who give forth their best based on the script given to them so going by that but it's the writer who is the real hero of the show. What do you think brings out the psychological impact on the viewers, how do the dialogues transcend through the various stages of emoting and finally reach the heart of the audience? Why is it that certain shows fail horribly in their script whilst the others have such a powerful impact? Is it because of a bad writer or is it luck?
Oye...it's a complicated question...i need to get paid for this...first...I believe it's a team work...good script +bad actors-=bad show...bad script+ good actors=bad show...
Second part...The dialogues have to connect with the viewers...touch the chord..actors have to understand the emotion a writer wants to portray...and then courier it to the viewers...director has to see to it that the package is getting delivered without getting damaged...
I would like to make it clear that no writer writes bad intentionally...or actor emotes..We all try and do our best...but we are humans...At times we falter... at times we succeed..Intention is to give the best...always...It's all about connection..How well we are able to tap that emotional thing in you...Yeah...luck plays a huge role...but then...even GOD's been unlucky when he was born as human...
And..I object to your last line...shows don't flop only because of bad luck or a bad writer...they may flop because of other factors also..including timing..direction...presentation...and actors...which unfortunately nobody wants to put fingers at...
Keep watching my shows..and keep bashing...it helps at home...i am becoming so thick skinned that its becoming easier to handle when my wife bashes me for other reasons...
Love-Raghuvir Shekhawat...
Edited by Sanayaholicz - 11 years ago