Iqbal Khan, last seen in Dil Se Dil Tak is now waiting for something really juicy and interesting.
“I have already tried out most genres, so what is left is historical and mythological. But I am not very enthusiastic about them for they require a lot of time and prep, which TV does not afford.”
What about the supernatural genre, which seems to be the flavour of the season? “Is it really working? Most top ranking shows are still your family drama, which has been around for years. Let’s face it, we Indians love our dal chawal, spiced up at times with some biryani. The only supernatural show that has really worked is Naagin. Sometimes, channels over depend on research, which sadly does not co-relate with facts on the ground.”
“Having said that, I must doff my hat to Star Plus, which at least attempts to change the grammar. Agreed some of them did not work, but they were bad shows. But they got their mojo with the long-running show, Ishqbaaaz”
“So ideally, rather than blaming the viewer for not warming up to newer content, they should keep experimenting. I don’t buy the argument that your housewife in a small town is not ready for good stories. She might want it a bit more melodramatically presented, though,” says Iqbal, who is known for shows like Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai, Sanjog Se Bani Sangini, Yahaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli, etc.
Shifting gears to the web, he says, “I like good shows that don’t only depend on sex. A few scenes here and there is fine, as long as we have a story to tell.”
Here he says frankly, “Certain OTT players have spoilt the name of the medium by only selling sex, but it came unstuck and now they are revisiting their fundas. Also, because the budgets were less, the shooting came across as very basic. Aesthetics matter a lot. Audiences will watch a Murder but not a Sheila Ki Jawani.”
When asked about the thought perception of big film makers who still think that tv actors are not up to the mark and don’t take them for their marquee web projects as well, he says, “We need to be loud for the makers feel that tv audiences will not get subtle performances. Also, there is not much for male actors to do on the tube anyway. But that does not mean we are bad actors. Just see my performance in limited Sony series, Pyaar Ko Ho Jaane Do, which was no less than a film effort. I just hope some film/web maker gives me the chance to show my skill sets.”