Gaurav Shukla, the Writer who is known for his intriguing scripts in Asur: Welcome To Your Dark Side and Asur 2, is happy and relieved with the kind of appreciation that the Season 2 of the popular series has got. The Writer, Producer, Director and Show-Runner is in a happy phase with Asur 2 bagging all limelight and living up to the high expectations set by its first edition.
In an exclusive conversation with IWMBuzz.com, Gaurav talks at length about his experience being at the helm of Asur.
Read on.
How easy or tough was it for you to helm proceedings in Asur 2 compared to Season 1?
The pressure was immense; it was internal as well as external from the platform and actors, that we have to surpass Season 1. Honestly, it took me some time to come up with the central plot, and since we were writing it during the lockdown, so running the writer’s room was a challenge in itself. We were using it for mostly problem-solving and not as a full-fledged brainstorming session. In fact, till we finished with the season arc, there was no writer’s room, and all the actor’s dates and production plans were in place; writing was a race against time, just like the show itself. The first season’s success certainly added pressure and gave us much confidence. We were keen on maintaining the elements that resonated with the audience while introducing new plot lines and challenges that would keep the story fresh…
What were the challenges before you as a writer when you had to take the characters to the next big level in Asur 2? Which character was the toughest to etch?
The biggest challenge is to work with such a fantastic ensemble cast with wonderful talents from Arshad, Barun, Anurpriya, Riddhi, Amey, Chang, Gaurav Arora and so many more to write powerful and important roles for them and give their character enough to portray their range. So it was very difficult to give every character their well-deserved place in the story. But the toughest one to write was Shubh’s character because it’s easy to make audiences root for heroes, but very difficult to make them root for an antagonist. Maintaining his profoundness took a lot of work. This season DJ’s character also took a turn towards darkness, so to draw the line for his character was quite a delicate task in my opinion.
What gave you the utmost satisfaction while filming Asur 2?
I think the most difficult and satisfying part was the climax in the finale because it was very challenging to shoot due to the crowd and pandemic as well as it was extremely difficult to edit while maintaining the tension and continuity in four parallel narratives. I think the climax was the most satisfying part for me as a creator, showrunner and even audience.
Asur was a top-notch series in Season 1. How tough was it to keep the cliffhanger intrigue to a high level all through Asur 2?
I think that part was not at all difficult, since that comes very naturally to me as a writer and once we wrote the story I was quite clear with what were the cliff hangers and in fact, cliff-hangers were the first thing I fixed after a story and then we proceeded with outlines and screenplays. Barring just one, all the cliff-hangers are absolutely as per the scripts.
The climax has been etched for Asur 3 to come. What is the thought process now?
For me, making a season is not a commercial compulsion. I like to do things when only I am convinced about an idea or genuinely excited about something. I have left so much stuff in the middle since I was not feeling excited after a point. So till I don’t have a great idea, I will not pursue Season 3. So a short answer is that there is nothing in development at this point.
Arshad, Barun, Ridhi and Anupriya had huge transitions and complexities to meet this season. How good were they?
I think they are all fabulous. Arshad and Barun, everyone has seen their genius and praised their work, they both are absolutely phenomenal. I would want to talk more about Riddhi and Anupriya since their parts were not author-backed, still, the level of subtle nuances and realism they have brought through their performances are extraordinary and heartening. But one performance which has impressed immensely is Abhishek Chauhan’s performance as Shubh because he had big shoes to fill post popularity of Vishesh’s performance. But according to me he has done extraordinary work. The way he has portrayed the growth and poise in Shubh’s character is a testament to his talent. Amey, Gaurav are also very impactful in their parts.
Bombay Fables is on song for its next few releases. Can you take us thro it.
Unfortunately, I am no more a part of Bombay Fables, I have exited the company due to personal reasons and have formed my own company MADLAB FILMS; we are working on quite a few exciting subjects in series and films, which are at different stages of development with different platforms and looking for more out of the box and path-breaking ideas to
collaborate.
Tell us about yourself and the creative roles you have undertaken.
As soon as I get an idea I am excited about, and the creative team at Viacom 18 has faith in my idea. I primarily consider myself a creator, who takes a keen interest in every aspect of its making, from creative to financial aspects. I try to create a balance in achieving a creative vision in the given budget. I feel that’s the toughest job. Till now, I have taken the creative roles of creator, writer, showrunner and producer. I am working on a film script as a director. So I am quite excited to venture into the direction, although as a showrunner, one pretty much does what a director’s job is, but directing a film for a theatrical exhibition is at the top of my list.
How is the camp doing after this success of Asur 2?
Camp is in a celebratory mood and everyone’s hard work has paid off. It was a long and tiring journey but if I have to say it in one word, It was absolutely worth it.
As a writer what are the kinds of genres that fascinate you?
As a professional, I can pretty much write any genre under the sun but what personally fascinates me is, Sci-Fi, Vigilante, and Thrillers of all kinds from procedural, psychological, espionage, con, caper, heist, Black comedy. But off late I am quite fascinated by Epics and would love to venture into that genre.
What are your projects next?
My next is a period espionage drama for Netflix and I am quite excited about it.