RANBIR SNAPPED SHOOTING!
Actor Sanaya Irani is grateful for some wonderful producers
Sangeeta Yadav
She’s straightforward. And actor Sanaya Irani, despite the fame thanks to TV shows such as Miley Jab Hum Tum, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?, stays humble. The 36-year-old, gearing up for her new film, talks about stardom, TV’s 90-day pay system and more. Excerpts from a chat:
How did stardom affect your life after becoming one of the top actors on TV?
Stardom will never change the person I am, but it made me uneasy when I realised I couldn’t walk into a mall without being noticed. I was never anxious about fame, I’m anxious about good work, which is now happening with my upcoming horror film. I feel every actor should have a backup plan, Web shows such as Vodka Shots and Zindabad last year brought me out of my comfort zone. There have been reports about you being rude to your co-stars. As a human being, you have good days and bad days. I’m guessing people who crossed paths with me on my bad days may feel so, but I’m not someone who would throw a tantrum. I’m an honest, straightforward, and a nononsense person. I believe creating a healthy, happy work environment is paramount. What I say is often out of honesty and with no malice. If someone doesn’t like me for this, well, then you don’t have to be around me!
TV actors working in daily soaps get paid 90 days after the first episode is aired. Did it affect you? I feel grateful I’ve worked with some wonderful producers with whom I haven’t faced such problems. I always got my money, may be late, but I’ve got it. I’m aware of a lot of people who faced this problem. The 90-day plans aren’t feasible. A 30-45 day period is still understandable. When the show ends, a backlog ends up creating chaos. Producers can’t pay you what they owe you and give excuses such as ‘The show didn’t do well so a percent is cut off’, ‘You did this (excuse) so we can’t give you the total that you calculated’. We face losses for something we aren’t to be blamed for. Why do actors have to bear the brunt in this?
That’s what! The producers being the sole proprietors mean they would incur profits and losses. I, as an actor, chose to be working with a salary and we don’t get a part of the profits. Then why is it that we’ve to bear the losses with them? That’s unfair. The cast and crew work so hard for 12 hours or even more. So we deserve to be paid, irrespective of losses. We wouldn’t leave them in a lurch so why should they leave us asking for our own money? That being said, this isn’t the case with all producers out there.