‘Television lacks guts these days’

Shekhar Suman talks about how lasting in the industry is his biggest achievement; says he’s open to making films for the digital medium

Shekhar Suman who has been part of various films in the big screen in his long career, but he says he is game for directing shows for the digital medium as well. “I think we are in an interesting era. In the past few years, everything has changed in terms of how people behave. Owing to the global interaction that is happening with social media, people have come quite close [to each other],” says the actordirector, whose next directorial is a film based on stone-pelters in Jammu and Kashmir.

Besides films, Shekhar has also worked in television shows as an actor and host. Ask him if he feels any of his shows can be remade today and he says that some could be re-imagined for the new generation due to their interesting content. “I did a show called Reporter in ‘93-94. I also did a show called Main, which was about a self-obsessed, almost megalomaniac star. And there was Dekh Bhai Dekh, which was fantastically written, and became a cult show. If something like that comes up, then I might take it up. Movers and Shakers, I think that space is lying in abeyance; there is no genuine talk show where you discuss current affairs with political satire, and now there is so much to talk about. TV, per se, lacks guts now,” says Shekhar.

With more than 30 years in the industry under his belt, the actor feels that besides his body of work, lasting this long in the business is his greatest achievement. “This is an uncertain industry, but I think reinventing myself and doing different things has kept me going. It’s been an amazing journey. Picking up new challenges is what drives me.

This is an uncertain industry, but I think reinventing myself and doing different things has kept me going. It’s been an amazing journey. SHEKHAR SUMAN, ACTOR

Now, acting and direction will be my focus, mostly movies. I’d also like to explore a negative or dark character as an actor,” says Shekhar.

Talking about having any regrets in the journey, he says, “I was offered the role of Chunni babu in Devdas, which I didn’t take up. You cannot turn back the clock. But what I have learnt is what not to do. In life, you win some you lose some. I don’t view life as success and failure; what’s important is to learn from your experiences.”