The Big Idea / Siddharth Kak

Few can boast of a professional canvas as varied Siddharth Kak8217;s.Best known as the distinguished kurta-clad anchor of Amul Surabhi, Kak did a 10-year stint with Tata Administrative Service before joining the television world in the early 8217;80s. Subsequently he has acted in films Arth, Sau Din Saans Ke, and Suraag, written newspaper columns and one book, and directed and produced television programs including Kaleidoscope, The Good Food Guide, Raag Rang, and Limca Records Ki Anokhi Duniya. However, it is film-making he considers his true vocation. quot;I identify with the role of a film-maker the most. Films give you the maximum latitude to experiment with new ideas. They allow you to play god with your material, to shape it as you wish.quot;

A veteran documentary maker, Kak says he has a fascination for non-fiction programs quot; A non-fiction film is like a clean canvass to which a director adds his own brush strokes. There is no definition of where the camera should point. Every frame you make has its logic, its own artistic imperative. This makes it a very pure creative form. At the same time I also find it more challenging to weave a story around a real life event, to document human activity as it happens.quot; Though Kak has won several awards for his documentaries, his considers the success of Surabhi, the only Indian television program to span an entire decade of telecast at prime time, as his biggest achievement. Featuring art, craft, lifestyle, dance, cuisine, destination, and even martial arts, Surabhi has become synonymous with Indian culture over the years. According to Kak, the trick of making an absorbing non-fiction program lies in avoiding repetition 8212; both in form as well as in content. quot;Surabhi has always made an attempt tobring out the unity in diversity that is the essence of India. If we feature M F Husain, we also take the viewer to some remote part of the country to showcase the talent of a tribal craftsman. The two may be on opposite ends of the social spectrum, but are united in their mastery of their craft.quot;

Script is of paramount importance to Kak. quot;I see myself as a writer who has stumbled into the film world by mistake. In my view it is not so important to have a spectacular visual, but how you interpret it and communicate it to the audience. Music is also very important to create the right mood.quot; All geared up to give Surabhi a millennial kickstart, Kak recently announced the launch of the Surabhi Foundation to document and promote Indian culture. Part of the project is a digital archiving program, a documentary series on the folk wisdom of India.