People don’ t pay attention to the story in daily soaps, says Himanshu

Himanshu Malhotra knows what it takes to be an actor on television. Having been part of the TV fraternity for 10 years, he understands the pressures of working on set and adhering to hectic shooting schedules.

“Daily soaps are all about quantity, and they always have deadlines and telecast issues. Actors have to constantly work for more than 12 hours, or even 15 hours a day. Moreover, if the set is in Naigaon or Mira Road, it takes more than two hours to reach the location from the suburbs.

It is taxing for any artiste and that’s one of the reasons they feel irritated and frustrated. It’s sad, but these are some of the reasons that people would want to quit TV after a point of time. I definitely try and prefer taking up shows that are shot close to Madh Island or Filmcity, Goregaon (E).” He suggests that if the timings were managed better and everyone got a Sunday off, “people might be a bit relaxed”.

Having been part of daily soaps and finite series, the actor feels that the latter is better. Himanshu says, “I prefer finite series because there’s always a definitive and broad storyline, which helps us create something better. Of course, then it becomes about quality than quantity, as one keeps churning out scenes every day. Moreover, I feel people have stopped paying attention to the story in daily soaps. They have stopped paying attention to the way it’s going to be created because I think everyone is churning out as many episodes as they can.”

He adds, “I remember shooting with Aditya Chopra’s production house in 2009 where we shot 26 episodes in 200 days for a finite series titled, Seven, and it was one of the most beautiful experiences.”

I prefer finite series because there’s always a definitive and broad storyline, which helps us create something better. HIMANSHU MALHOTRA, ACTOR

Himanshu Malhotra