TOI article weekly day offs VD/Saurabh tewari

Long working hours and working without any breaks - that's the price actors of daily soaps on Indian television pay for their fame. Vivian DSena's ouster from Madhubala...Ek Ishq Ek Junoon for taking too many offs reinforces the industry's working style. The tussle between actors and producers over leaves is an ongoing one, and while a few actors make sure that their contracts have the clause for a weekly off, others don't enjoy the privilege.

No provision for leaves, we are not a corporate "We have 5 days telecast per week, that means 22 episodes a month. That leaves actors with little scope to take weekly offs," says producer Yash Patnaik, who is presently producing shows like Junoon and Veer Ki Ardaas Veera. He adds, "Most shows today are dependent only on the leads and eventually, the main lead is required to work everyday in a month. The audience has become quite clever and doesn't accept tracks without main leads in the frame. So, even though there is a provision of one weekly off for the actors, the leads can't afford to take them because of the busy schedule."
Agreeing that weekly offs being impossible for the leads, producer Manish R Goswami says, "A lead actor in a TV show today is required to work 30 days. It is impossible to work without a lead in the frame. It's been happening for more than a decade now, but of late, actors have started asking for weekly offs. We are not corporate houses that we will give leaves as and when required. Working in a daily soap is a maddening affair. Here storylines change on a daily basis, according to TRPs." 

Chutti loge, toh chutti ho jayegi! So, if the demands of the job are clear from the word go, why do actors insist on taking offs? "Actors don't demand weekly offs initially, their only focus is on the serial. But when they become 'stars', and the show is a hit, they start throwing tantrums, without realizing that they are dispensable to the show," says Saurabh Tewari, producer of Madhubala..., explaining why he had to fire Vivian from the job, "I had a tough time shooting with Vivian as he used to go on 6 days' leave in month, and that too at a stretch. A TV actor can't do that. Even the parallel story lines that I created failed!" 



Producers agree that newcomers are willing to go the extra mile to make their mark in the industry. "In the beginning, every newcomer wants to work day and night to earn name, fame and money. But as soon as the show becomes a hit, their attitude changes and the tantrums come. It happens with most of the leads these days," avers Yash. 

Solution A: Live on the sets But what of contracts that clearly say the actor will get one day off every week? "Whatever is there in the contract doesn't translate into reality," says Sana Sheikh, who is playing the lead in Gustakh Dil, "There are no leaves for the protagonists of a show." Sana adds, "I have done character roles in shows like Pratigya and Sasural Simar Ka, where there was no problem of leaves as I was not required in every storyline. But when I was offered the lead role, I prepared myself to work without leaves. I mean I take naps on the sets, if I am unwell, the doctor is called on the sets, if I am too tired, I am allowed to shoot for lesser scenes and take help of body doubles, but I have to come everyday. And I am okay with that. This is the price I am paying for the name and fame that I get from the serial." 


Actors like Sana have created a room for themselves on the sets. "I have a room for myself on the sets, I call my friends and relatives to meet me in between the shots. I sleep in that room whenever I have time. I will continue to do that till I become as famous as Ram Kapoor andSakshi Tanwar, where I only work 15 days a month," she says. 

Solution B: Work with a definite story list Apart from the A-listers on TV, like Ram Kapoor and Sakshi Tanwar, there are a handful of actors who enjoy the luxury of weekly offs. Like Iqbal Khan from Tumhari Pakhi. "Though our show is a daily soap, it has a definite story with an ending. And we work hard to create a bank of episodes. So, taking leaves is not a problem for any of the actors on the sets, even though there are no parallel tracks in the serial and the leads are required in every screenplay," he explains.

I have never taken excessive leaves: Vivian Dsena
About his alleged tantrums, Vivian D'Sena says, "Some people like me so much that they wanted me to sit at home and not
play RK and hence, the rumours of me throwing tantrums. Had that been so, I wouldn't have been shooting 12 hours a day, 26 days a month. Someone snooty will shoot five hours and will give only 10 days to the show. I have never taken excessive leaves as I realise the show revolves around RK and Madhubala. I don't like people being intrusive as one has to respect my personal space. People have gone to the extent of creating my fake IDs on social networking sites and leaking confidential information from the shoot."