Men can also be Sati:Says writer of show

They are truly the unsung heroes of the entertainment industry. They pen stories that reflect the sensibilities of our times; they make us laugh and they make us cry. These are the writers who sit in their own corners contemplating the moves of our favourite characters. Through this column, Tellychakkar.com seeks to applaud and recognise these unknown faces behind the many successful shows that have become the mainstay of the television industry today.

The maestro is on his way again! Veteran writer, Kamlesh Pandey who penned the captivating script of Rang De Basanti is all set to create the same rage on the small screen with Sati. Kamlesh, who is still remembered for writing Karamchand on Doordarshan years back, feels that writers have yet to get their due recognition in the industry. "They are the illegitimate children of the film industry," he says. Here, Kamlesh chats up with Tellychakkar.com's Riya V Anandwala about his new show Sati and other issues.

Early days…
I started my television career with Karamchand and a few serials made by Amol Palekar. In 1992, along with being the programming head at Zee TV, I also used to supervise certain other things. Some of the other projects which I was associated with were Mrs Madhuri Dixit, then Sahara's Ek Din ki Vardi. Later I and my team started with Draupadi, this version was from the lady's viewpoint, though it didn't work for a long time.

Few words on Sati…
The term 'sati' has been misunderstood; it does not mean a lady jumping in the fire after her husband's death. Sati is a woman, who is the follower of truth or satya is sati. As a matter of fact, even a man can be sati.

"I don't intend to 'sell' anything!"
Sati dissolves the boundary between fiction and reality. It will set an example for women. Men have failed. They keep fighting and that's about it. I have nothing against them, as I am one of them. And I can't even think like a woman. My scripts do not always revolve around women. I do that when I feel it's necessary. I can't make those cheap sex comedies or something which I only intend to 'sell'. My only aim is to make a piece which says something.

On commonality between RDB and Sati
Rang De Basanti managed to give a vision to youngsters and also inspire them to fight for certain things in life. I expect my serial Sati to do the same. Create the same fire in women as it did in the youngsters after watching RDB.

Evolution of tellydom…
Television has witnessed immense development in recent years, but I don't agree with the direction its taken. The evolution has taken off in a completely different direction. Saas bahu is what works today, and I have nothing against it. What I try to do is, combine the two genres - family drama and social issues.

On Balaji and Ekta Kapoor
I have known Ekta Kapoor since she was 18. Frankly speaking, I have met so many people but Ekta Kapoor is one of the brightest minds around. Currently, I am working on only one Balaji show, that's Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, but soon I will be starting off with Ekta and Smriti Z Iraani's new show.

On the recent protest against Balaji…
I don't know what to say, it's a controversial issue, but my point here is that if these women think that certain things shown on these shows are not appropriate then why they don't switch off the television. You never know, what goes behind all this drama.