Man on a mission

What do you think is the soul of the show?

Its all about connecting with people,about touching hearts. Its about human stories,coming to understand what real life is like. For me,the show has been a kind of personal journey. It has helped me get closer to the people of my country. In the two years that we spent researching for the show,Ive got the chance to see life from very close quarters.

So what startling facts about India did your two years of research throw up?

You should ask me what bits about our research didnt startle me!

Ok,so what didnt?

Its not something I can reveal right now. You have to see it. At this point,I can just say that after this show,my understanding of India has grown. I feel I know my country better now.

How did you convince Star TV to share its network space with Doordarshan for your show? Isnt it the first time this has been done?

Yes,its never been done before except for cricket. The kind of show this is,I was keen that it should reach every Indian. I told Uday that I wanted it to be telecast across the Star platform in multiple languages and that I want it to be on DD at the same time. I want this show to connect Indians from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. To his credit,Uday agreed with my conditions. Im also happy about the time slot. I fought for it.

Why did you want the Sunday morning slot and not a primetime slot?

Yeah,everybody told me to go for the primetime slot but I wanted Sunday morning when the entire family is at home. I wanted the slot that Mahabharat had. Im glad I got it. My dream has come true.

Coming back to the point you made about not being keen to host a game show and going by your recent activist streak supporting Anna Hazare and causes like the Narmada campaign did you consciously pick a socially responsible show?

No. I dont see it like this. Whatever I have done till now in reality has nothing to do with what Im attempting in Satyamev Jayate.

What I want to know is that since youve created this serious and different zone for yourself,was there pressure to only do a serious and different show for your television debut?

No. I really dont think like that. With regards to this show,Im doing what I felt like,with all my heart,joy and love. Satyamev Jayate is my love letter to India. Even in the theme song,I refer to my country as a person. Its a romantic song. The show is all about my love for my country.

Tell me what you learned about yourself while doing this show.

That how little I know about life. During the course of my interaction with so many people across the country,I realised that ordinary people have so much strength and passion in them.

We know that season one of your show is going to have 13 episodes and that youve shot 10 of those. Is it true that you rejected episode one and re-shot it after a not-so-favourable reaction from the test audience?

No. Not at all. In fact,the test audience reacted quite favourably.

So,what are your personal TV memories?

You see,thats why I insisted on Sunday morning. I have so many memories of waking up early and watching TV on Sunday. Those days were good,yaar. TV was new,we were just discovering it. It was wonderful. We hardly had any channels to surf… jo aa raha tha woh hum dekhte they we watched whatever came on air. We only had DD then. I used to get up early on Sundays to see Magic Lamp on Mumbai Doordarshan. I remember the puppets Aaloo and Phuloo. The entire family used to watch Chaayageet,which was a precursor to Chitrahaar. There were such good shows like Kamleshwars show Parikrama,Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan with actress Tabassum. Arre,I was such a TV fanatic that I used to even watch that show where TP Jain and Sudha Chopra used to read out DDs schedule and darshakon ke letters. I even watched the Gujarati show Aavo Mare Saathe by Adi Marzban. I used to obsessively wait for the Sunday 2 pm movie. There was something for everyone on TV in the good old days. I remember watching classics like The Count of Monte Cristo and The Invisible Man. Another favourite was this childrens show Fireball XL5. Arre,what was that programme on farming? I used to watch that too.

Krishi Darshan?

Nahin nahin Krishi Darshan ke pehle aata tha. Haan,it was Amchi Mati Amchi Mansa. Those were such good days. Chaayageet was a particular favourite. They used to show only five or seven songs and we used to hope ki iss baar Dilip Kumar ka gaana aa jaaye that Dilip Kumars songs will be featured this time.

What do you watch on TV now?

I watch only Discovery and Nat Geo,and a bit of news.

You dont follow any show?

I like HBO shows. I like a few American comedy shows. I can happily watch the reruns of Friends and Seinfeld at any time of the day.

If there were a TV show of the DD era that you could modernise for todays generation,which one would it be?

I think Adi Marzbans show was great,it can definitely be modernised. Id also like to get Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan back.

Are you ready for the Death by Wednesday syndrome that TV entails?

Laughs You mean the TRPs,right?

Yes. Ready for the TRP drama?

I dont understand the TRP system. Im not even thinking about it. My job is to make a show I believe in and Im happy with the efforts of my team. Frankly speaking,I dont understand how in a country of 1.5 billion people,putting 5,000 boxes in peoples homes is indicative of what the entire country is watching. Im anyway not in the number rating game. For a show like Satyamev Jayate,the only way to measure its success is to see whether it touches peoples hearts.

Lets talk films now. Why is Talaash getting delayed?

Because of Satyamev Jayate. I didnt expect the show to take over my life. I requested my director Reema Kagti and producer Ritesh Sidhwani to push back its release because I could not focus on two things at the same time. Talaash is too important a film for me that I want to be there for it 100 per cent. Itll be my first release since 2010s Dhobi Ghat so I want to be around for it and enjoy it.

There is speculation that Talaash has been delayed because its ending is similar to the Vidya Balan starrer Kahaani?

Ive no idea about the ending of Kahaani since I havent seen the film. I very much doubt that the endings can be similar. My team has seen Kahaani and they havent told me anything,so Im sure thats not the case. Im extremely happy with Talaash. Its a special film.

Whats happening with Dhoom 3? The shoot keeps getting pushed8230;

Its all because of Satyamev Jayate. Also,since I play a circus acrobat in Dhoom 3,I need to prepare my body like someone who looks like he works in a show like Cirque du Soleil. Ive been working on my body for a while now. I need to have an extremely lean look for Dhoom 3. I want to get to nine per cent body fat for the role and I am working on it.

So are you doing Rajkumar Hiranis P.K.?

Yes,Im doing Rajus P.K. Im most thrilled about it. I cant divulge much since its too soon but I can tell you the genre of the film it8217;s Rajkumar Hirani.

And hows little Azad?

Oh,Azad is wonderful. Touchwood,hes such a happy child and so good-natured. Its fantastic to watch him grow. Luckily,because of this show,I was working out of home,so I was able to be with him all the time.

Does parenting become easy the third time over?

Well,we become more relaxed. At least,Im much more relaxed than Kiran. Shes a first-time mother,so she worries a lot every time Azad cries. I keep telling her ki theek hai,ro raha hai toh rone do,apne aap chup ho jaayega let him cry it out. I remember when Junaid his son from wife Reena was born,I couldnt bring myself to go to work. I think I worked only for 30 days till he was one year old.