TRPs matter 100%

Siddharth Kumar Tewary is the man behind the television’s magnum opus ‘Karamphal Data Shani’, which showcases the life of Shani god and it is touted to be one of the biggest mythological shows in India.

The show went on air on November 7 and replaced ‘Chakravartin’ at the 9 pm prime slot. Merely a few days on air the show is already garnering rave reviews for its huge sets and performances.

The producer of the show Siddharth in an exclusive conversation shares about various aspects of the show and his stint with TV.

What’s the idea behind the show ‘…Shani’?
Shani is a mysterious god and everybody is scared of him. I realised that only a few people know the reality of Shani. What he does and why he does it. Who is he?

Why did he become like this? What does he actually want us to do? People think Shani forays into their lives just to trouble them.

However, he was created to make people face their consequences – good or bad depending on a person’s karma. That’s what I wanted people to know, understand, see and learn about Shani.

What kind of research went in for the show?
A lot of text has been written on Shani and there are different versions, in different books. It’s not like ‘Mahabharatha’ or ‘Ramayana’, where you can refer to a single book.

But there is ‘Shani Mahatma’, which showcases the life and times of Shani. Our team did research on various books on Shani across the country and all over the world.

In past, you did mythological and historical shows like ‘Mahabharat’ and ‘Razia Sultan’? What makes you more inclined towards this genre?
Television is a mass medium and reaches to millions of people out there. If I’ve honour of making a show, which has a message for the viewers, why shouldn’t I?

I believe Indian mythology has so much to say to people and the teachings are relevant even today. I’m humbled by the fact that I make series which has a positive message in it. It’s a great feeling.

How do you handle criticism?
Criticism is always there. But you must take it in your stride. Not everybody will appreciate your effort. There is always a different point of view. I respect their perspective too and it doesn’t bother me a lot.

When I made ‘Mahabharat’ many people disapproved a lot of aspects. People had their own emotional connect with the roles. As the show proceeded they started liking the way it was showcased.

I like to go with my conviction and tell people this is what I believe and how I look at things. Some may like it and some may not.

The casting of ‘…Shani’ is very apt. Did you face any hurdles in the process?
I auditioned many kids for the title role as I didn’t want any regular TV faces. I wanted a child who has the sense of gravity, deep look in the eyes and who can hold the screen.

Shani is dark; he is not high on energy. Finally, I saw Karitikey and I felt that he has everything that I need for the role. We auditioned him 3-4 times more and I got convinced that he is the one.

If the channel wants to change the plot, will you give them chance to change it?
Touchwood, the channels give me freedom to operate. I really respect that. More than that I believe that the channel doesn’t interfere unless they feel something should be done in a particular way and they have very strong opinion about it.

The only thing is that I always work with the fact that we need to be accountable for what we create and it's not just responsible telecast. If I’m accountable, then I’m always open to everybody’s views. However, to implement it or not is in my hands.

How much do TRP’s matter to you?
TRP definitely matters to me. I say it matters 100 per cent. It is important to everybody who is working in television. If they say it’s not, then they are lying.