Renuka Shahane feels historical TV shows cannot be done properly in India.
Renuka Shahane says that they have to be fictionalised as there is not enough documented history available
Apopular face on television, Renuka Shahane has been part of many hit shows including Sailaab and Kora Kagaz. After being away from soaps for seven years, she will soon return to television with a historical show. She is in talks with the makers and is looking forward the project.
Talking about working in a daily show, she says, “A daily soap is time-consuming. I haven’t been a part of a daily soap before. I have heard that one has to work round the clock sometimes to finish an episode. Today, there are many people involved in a show, unlike those time, when every creative decision was made between the director, producer and actor. So, I will have to balance.” Renuka recalls a show Jeete Hain Jiske Liye which “shut down in six months luckily due to lack of ratings”, gave her a taste of the daily show scenario.
Of late, Renuka has been spotted in commercials. She also did a few Marathi films last year, and has also been part of Marathi shows. “I was consistent on Marathi channels but the Hindi audience didn’t see me on TV. I have been active as I like to keep working.”
She is glad to be back on TV but feels, “sustaining a daily show is tough as is keeping the audiences interest alive”. She says, “The ideas are interesting and they continue on that track if the show works in the first month. Then one has only those many relationships to explore. How much more can one do or talk about? It is difficult to be different. On the other hand, historicals are all fictionalised and the makers are open about it. Frankly, we can’t do a (proper) historical show on TV. Like the serial Jodha Akbar said it was fiction though they called it Jodha Akbar. One can make a historical film but one has to be careful, as unfortunately, we don’t have many historical documents to refer to. There are several vocal stories that are handed down over generations.”
A daily is time consuming. I haven’t done the daily soap situation before. RENUKA SHAHANE, ACTOR