Well known TV producer Sandiip Sikcand is happy with the initial numbers of his new Star Plus show, Kahaan Hum Kahaan Tum, starring Karan V Grover and Dipika Kakar Ibrahim.
“It is a good start, we have the potential to build up much higher numbers as the doctor-actor love story pans out.”
Talking about the lack of OTT stuff and very normal acting, Sandiip says, “Both the channel and me wanted this different way of shooting. It is high time the Indian TV industry changed. We have been stagnant for too long. There is a need to step up and face competition from not only fellow GEC channels, but also from films and web series. The onus is on us to show that the tube can also provide updated content. My aim is to make Kahan Hum Kahan Tum as good as any top class web series.”
“Having said that, we will have the required drama to keep the viewer hooked i.e. the ongoing watch-stealing track. But yes, its execution and treatment will be very realistic.”
Shifting gears to the full-on digs on Indian TV, he says, “We have not really taken pot shots, just shown the facts on the ground. Plus, most of us who watch TV do have our concerns about what and why Also, you need to understand that we are showing all this from the eyes of Dr Rohit (Karan), who never sees desi tv.”
“The purpose of this exercise is to make people get up and accept that TV is a huge industry and must be given its due. No wonder, when our melodrama-hating doctor meets the actor, Sonakshi (Dipika), she comes across as a very normal girl who talks about the emotions underlying the drama, which does resonate with the audiences.”
Sandiip, who has been around for years (worked with Balaji for long, also produced Dhhai Kilo Prem) does not pay too much attention to following set TV genres. “You need to tell a good story. This year, if you look at the top 10 films, all have come from diverse genres. So moral of the story, variety is the spice of life.”
Looking ahead, Sandiip would next want to try his hand at films and web as well. “The latter speaks to the youth in a very normal conversational manner and I wish to be part of this journey.”
Point out that most web content is bold, and he says, “See, you can’t make a series just thinking about how bold it is. Rather, its story and treatment are more important. If people only want to see sex, then there is lots of po*n available online. Why watch web series at all?”
In closing, when asked about the Sindhi backdrop of the Sippy clan, he says, “I too hail from this powerful community. And by showing this sweet language/culture, we are also offering our viewers something different from the normal Marathi and Gujarati settings.”
