Amitabh Bachchan: I had wished to do a serial some day!

Amitabh Bachchan on his foray into fiction on TV…

The veteran actor talks about his first serial on the telly tube. He also speaks about the growth of the television industry in the last decade.

Shed some light on the title — Yudh.

Yudh is the name of the character I play… Yudhistir. But there is a yudh in his life too, which he battles with on many fronts.

Why this show?

I had wished to do a serial some day. Endemol came up with this project. I liked it and then we set about building a team and getting down to constructing it.

What do you think of the standard of other fiction shows on television?

I am no judge. The audience is. The ones that garner good ratings are obviously the ones that must come in the category of good. I suppose they set the standards.

What prompted you to take the plunge into fiction on television especially at a time your hands are full with so much to do?

Nothing. Just the desire to work on an aspect I had not attempted.

Do we get to see you do something different on television as compared with what you’ve done (so spectacularly) in the movies?

I cannot say. You will have to judge when it airs. The basics are the same no matter what medium we actors are acting. And that is how you shall see this serial as well. But Anurag Kashyap and the team wished that they present it differently from what has been coming in the category of soaps and serials. That is the endeavour.

Do you watch any TV? Do you think the content on Indian television has shown a healthy growth over the years?

Yes, I do watch TV and yes, the growth of television in India is by far the largest and the greatest in the world. With about 800 channels currently operative, it’s perhaps larger than the entire volume of global channels put together. TV in India has overtaken the returns of cinema threefold, and this within a spate of the last 10-15 years. Compared to a 100 year film industry, this must be looked upon as a healthy growth.

You proved a game-changer on television with KBC. What expectations can your audiences have from Yudh?

I am no game-changer, nor do I ever aspire to be one. I just want to do my stipulated work. The audiences will decide the fate of Yudh. And that is how it should be.

How would you be able to balance the impossible schedules on television with your various commitments?

I have been managing it so far. I hope to be able to manage it further too.

Would you say Yudh is a new phase in your endlessly re-invented career?

Phases in a person’s life need deeper thought and consideration and comment. TV is just another aspect of a profession I already practice. This fresh attempt is another project. Let us not give it so much importance.

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