Renee Dhyani’s web plans: A series on Kalpana Lajmi?
Taking the big leap, actor Renee Dhyani recently quit her television show to focus her attention on the web projects that have been coming her way for a long time now. The appeal of the digital platform was too great to resist, too, feels the actor.
“Everything today is technology-driven. There are smartphones, and people don’t have time for TV shows and films. The young generation is into short stories. I had been approached for so many things, but thought this is the right time. Producers and directors would pitch realistic stuff to me. I thought it’s time I started saying yes to it. I have quit my TV show, after being a part of it for one and a half years and it doing so well,” shares Renee.
TV is known to pay well, and the decision must surely have been tough? “Of course,” she exclaims in agreement. “Paise ka flow hona bahut zaroori hai. Yeh jagah kisi ki (apni) nahin hai. Jab tak dikhte ho, bikte ho. It was different for me. At times I would say ‘I am a duffer’, and then think ‘I took the right decision’. I stand by it,” says the Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki actor and former Roadies participant.
Renee is also helping develop a web series based a script that the late filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi (Rudaali, 1993; Daman, 2001) was working on before her death last year. Fleshing out more details, Renee reveals, “A script was being developed based on Kalpana ji’s memoir about (the late playback singer) Bhupen Hazarika ji. Her mother, (painter) Lalita Lajmi ji approached me to help her get it made. When she was alive, actor Huma Qureshi was supposed to do that role. I or my team will rewrite the script. I approached [producers] saying I have a script on Kalpana Lajmi ji, her mom is giving me the rights for it.”
Who is going to step into Kalpana’s shoes? “It’s still not finalised. We have no idea, and I don’t know if I will act in it or not,” is all Renee says.