Unconditional love for television

TELLY WRITER

For Gautam Hegde, writing stories comes naturally and he has used this skill to entertain wide audiences through telly serials such as Santaan, Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat, Miley Jab Hum Tum, Love Ne Milla Di Jodi and Saath Nibhana Saathiya .

Says Gautam, “I have been a television buff since childhood. Even during my Board exams, I left home only after watching Shanti: Ek Ghar ki Kahaani.”

Writing for television wasn’t something that ‘just happened’ for Gautam. He had planned it all along. He completed his post graduation in film and television studies and then joined a TV channel.

He informs, “I have been a part of the TV industry for six years and I still have something new to learn everyday.”

One of his recent projects — Saathiya — is gaining popularity on Star Plus. Since there are various daily soaps on television vying for a viewer’s attention, Gautam believes that a show has to offer something different to keep people hooked.

Santaan has been one of Gautam’s most memorable projects. “It was my first show and so it is close to my heart. So is Miley Jab Hum Tum because it was my foray into what I call ‘YRF’ shows, which are all about  youth, fun and romance. I love writing for Saathiya too as it is different from what I have worked on before,” he says.

Ask him about the thought process that goes behind script writing and he says, “I write for people, not for myself. I keep in mind the audiences — women, teenagers, children — who love watching soaps. I also try to draw inspiration from people I know and use that in writing scripts for shows.”

But he does admit that it is quite a challenge to connect with viewers. Says Gautam, “It is all about team work between the channel, the production house and the team of writers. Different kinds of shows work for different reasons. But once you know your target audience, it’s easier to write a script keeping in mind what the viewers will like.”

Romance, comedy and family drama are the genres that Gautam loves writing on. On an average, he spends about four hours on a script. However, he never writes on paper. “My thoughts flow as I type. It’s somehow a spiritual feeling. It is like God sends me Blackberry messages,” he quips.

Talking about the current trends in television, he asserts that there is no trend per se as all shows are different in nature. However, he agrees that at the end of the day, it is drama that works. “The coating can be urban or rural, the relationship can be of a husband-wife or saas-bahu, but a show needs to build a bond with the audiences. They need to relate to each character on the show,” he explains.

Are reality shows posing a threat to  telly serials? “Not really. There is always a section of people which will prefer fiction over non-fiction. Cost-wise, a fiction show works out to be cheaper than a non-fiction show, but has a longer shelf life,” he adds.

Gautam still loves watching television, especially international shows. “I am addicted to social networking sites and I have to catch up with friends every evening. They call me a social butterfly!” he says.

He continues to see himself growing in this field as the television industry provides instant gratification. “You write an episode, you see it on air, you know how much it is rated, you see your credits and you get paid. Films, on the other hand, require tons of patience. It’s a different ball game altogether. But then, never say never,” he concludes.