Give It Up for Bachchan

The details of the show,the genre,the role Bachchan is to play and the other actors who will be part of the show,are currently being kept under wraps. The shooting for the series,which is being co-produced by Bachchan’s Swastik Creations alongside Endemol,will begin in a week.

Talking about how the show came together,the director said he had wanted to make a tele-series that would be different from what viewers have seen on Indian television up till now. “I approached Mr Bachchan with a bound script and I am glad he liked it enough to accept the role,” he said.

The director,who established his credentials in the film industry by working with non-stars and launching new faces such as Mahie Gill and Nawazuddin Siddiqui,has recently taken a shine to stars — apart from Bachchan in his TV show,Karan Johar and Ranbir Kapoor will be part of his next mega project,Bombay Velvet. When quizzed about this recent shift,Kashyap said,“Mr Bachchan is new to television and it is through him that my dream of making this TV show is coming true.” Bachchan too,handled the questions with wit. When asked if the show will subscribe to the usual TV formula of casting saas-bahu characters,the actor said,“Given my age,I will have to play the sasur and I am too old to go looking for a saas.”

Although both are essentially known for their work in cinema,television has played an important role in both Bachchan and Kashyap’s careers. While the former’s first stint as the television host for Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2000 revived his career and fortunes,the latter was noticed for the 1999 short tele-film,Last Train to Mahakali that he wrote and directed for Star Plus. The show,they said,will redefine their relationship with the medium.