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Indian television is regressive compared to its cinema, says filmmaker Sarmad Khoosat

Indian television is regressive compared to its cinema, says filmmaker Sarmad Khoosat

Khoosat was in Delhi for Urdu festival Jashn-e-Rekhta along with Sania Saeed
15 Feb, 2016

Acclaimed director/actor Sarmad Khoosat has made a name for himself, not only in Pakistan but also across the border.

Khoosat attended the Urdu festival Jashn-e-Rekhta in India where he spoke about how Indian television is at a standstill, according to Indian Express.

“Progress happened on Indian television faster and earlier than us. Therefore, I find this a little surprising that in a landscape where cinema is saying so much, an advertisement can break boundaries, stereotypes, marketeers bring regression to the table in television dramas. The narrative offers nothing new," shared the Humsafar director.

He was, however, just as quick to criticize the state of television in his homeland.

“I feel we have decimated the variety and diversity of stories in both the countries. India, where cinema is doing great with films like Masaan, The Lunchbox, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, the television side of it from some time has become monotonous."

He went on to expand on the fact that while the current scenario in Indian movies is impressive, television needs a lot of work and also called for better characterisation and effective writing on television in both the countries.

Sarmad, along with Pakistani actress Sania Saeed and popular Indian actors Kanwaljit Singh and Lubna Salim, was part of a discussion, Zindagi Ki Soorat-Giri: TV Par Urdu Ke Rang.

Lubna defended the current content on the small screen, saying, “The market forces are such that you have to pay heed to them but I feel like we are producing better content within those limitations. The offers that are coming to me right now are very interesting.”

The discussion was primarily about the changing face of Urdu through television shows in India and Pakistan.

Emphasizing on the correct use of language in dramas, Sarmad lamented that today’s writers take a lazy approach to make dialogues more popular with the audience.

“Not speaking in one language without bringing in another is an expression of today and the dialogue has suffered because of that. We never read badly or loosely-written novels but to make dialogues comprehensible to all, we have taken a lazy approach. I have seen this happening both in India and Pakistan.”

Jashn-e-Rekhta is the first of it's kind Urdu festival held in India which started in 2015 and attracted over 15,000 Urdu lovers from across India and the sub-continent. Over 75 distinguished authors, poets, artists, litterateurs, singers and acclaimed personalities from all over the globe were part of the stellar line-up this year. Sarmad wasn't the only Pakistani there: Zehra Nigah, Kanwaljeet Singh, Imran Abbas also attended, among others.

Comments

Siri Feb 15, 2016 05:37pm
Very true!
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Fried Chillies Feb 15, 2016 06:01pm
As an Indian let me assure you both our film and television is regressive. It's a shame the kind of content we dish out. I think the Pakistani has held it together for long but seems like they too are losing the battle given the popularity of Indian television. You guys should stop watching this crap from India
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Roussou Feb 15, 2016 06:18pm
Khoosat is a name to watch for. Not only he is a fine actor but a very refined director also. His directional skills always surprise me. I love to watch his dramas. I second his thoughts about Indian dramas. They are nothing but glamorous (nauseating) saas bahu jhagras and they don't know when to stop the serials. The result is a drag over years, YAWN!
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Fandom Beyond the Borders Feb 15, 2016 06:22pm
Indian cinema is technically very strong but it is also suffering from the same disease and that is lack of meaningful content. They are touching the new heights of film making technology but literally churning out trash. Bollywood should take the cue from Hollywood and produce movies beyond typical commercial 'masala' movies.
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charu Feb 15, 2016 06:35pm
100% true...but the audience is different too...the young and male hardly watch tele sitcoms...its mostly for aunties whi want to watch something light on the beain while cooking dinner... Ekta Kapoor is the worst thing to have happened to india(n tele)
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Rishabh Feb 15, 2016 06:50pm
Agreed, Pakistan has the edge over us in terms of TV serials.
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GA Feb 15, 2016 07:39pm
Does Bollywood have the capacity to make movies like Star Wars or Star Trek set in a distant future where South Asians are world scientific leaders and not Americans? Or are we just resigned to the idea that white people will always remain advanced civilization as portrayed in all Hollywood movies.
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Unnikrishnan Feb 15, 2016 07:44pm
Absolutely right....
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bryan Feb 15, 2016 08:08pm
@Fandom Beyond the Borders Did you watch Manichitratazham or Shankarabharanamu or Naadodi kaatu. I can tell you 100 movies in Marathi Malayalam Tamil and Telugu which have great story tight screipt and fantastic story telling. But you please redefine what India constitutes. 40% population doesn't even understand Hindi. 60% cannot talk Hindi. Where do you derive your insights from.
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Bupi Feb 15, 2016 09:11pm
Truth remains truth for ever
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Indian Feb 15, 2016 09:32pm
Completely agree. Indian TV shows are absolutely rubbish!!
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OmarFL Feb 15, 2016 10:25pm
For decades, I have advocated in eradication of Pakistani film industry and Indian TV. Pakistan film is still in the 1960s and with the taboos attached with being a film actor in Pakistan, there is no hope. Yes they can make Telefilms for TV, but not for the big screen. As for Indian TV, that was always 30 years behind and finally came Zee TV and Pakistan thought THAT was real TV to imitate. For almost a decade, Pakistan continued its slide trying to copy Indian TV. Thank God, their senses came back. As for Bollywood, yes its an industry; yes its made a name in the world; but I have a personal ban on anything Bollywood at my house. I don't want to see anything that misrepresents a culture and promotes an eyewash.
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Tihar Feb 16, 2016 06:05am
Everything I watched a Indian film it's the same story 99% of Indian movies are copied from Hollywood literally. Their coke studio is copy of Pakistan they consider pakistani music as their hindustani music. I'm so proud of Pakistan drama industry that we are keeping it real too real to reality in Pakistan.
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sachin Feb 16, 2016 10:44am
Hindi TV shows are monotonous as they have to appeal for national audiences rich if u consider regional tv shows like Tamil, Telugu,Marathi,Gujrati,kannad they are content rich but Pakistani can only understand Hindi/Urdu so Zindagi channel can't air these regional shows in Pakistan
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anil sahu Feb 16, 2016 10:50am
may be sarmad khoosat should watch youtube channel of permanent roomates and pitchers. this stories attracts huge young audiences. because they can relate to these new age dramas.
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Pakistani Feb 16, 2016 10:59am
@charu I agree, I tried to watch once the very famous q k saas bhi kabhi bahu thi....but I couldn't stand it
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Madhusudan Feb 16, 2016 12:03pm
Now pakistani t.v serials are too loosing charm, how they were in ptv days is history now.
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anil sahu Feb 17, 2016 10:26am
@Madhusudan i cant stand rona dhona on PAK serials
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