Acclaimed actor Seema Pahwa never fails to impress the audience with her projects. After being a part of several loved films and shows, Seema has now turned director for Zee Theatre's thoughtfully curated anthology of dramatic readings Koi Baat Chale. The stories will be narrated by Vivaan Shah and Vinay Pathak and will present Munshi Premchand's classic tales 'Idgah' and 'Gulli Danda'.
Koi Baat Chale is an anthology of timeless tales about human foibles, loss, pride, the search for love, the true meaning of friendship and generosity. 'Idgah' and 'Gulli Danda' exemplify the variety and richness of subcontinent literature and are directed by film, television and theatre veteran Seema Pahwa. They will be narrated by well-known actors, Vinay Pathak and Vivaan Shah respectively and will be aired on Tata Play Theatre on January 22 at 2 pm & 8 pm. Talking about taking up director for Koi Baat Chale, Seema explained her 'challenging' process and what prompted her to be a part of it.
Excerpts from the interview:
What prompted you to direct Koi Baat Chale?
The thought wasn’t mine. The head of the theatre contacted me and asked me if I could direct, and since the subject was of my interest, I’d not take much time to say yes for it. I was very interested in it and I accepted the minute I was offered it because I found the concept very interesting.
How was it working with Vinay Pathak and Vivan Shah?
See, it’s not like I am only a director and not an actor so every actor’s process is of course the same and I’ve worked with Vivaan Shah and Vinay Pathak. So the process was really easy and comfortable for us because we were on the same page from the very beginning since we are from the same field. Even they knew what points we had to focus on.
Do you feel a project like Koi Baat Chale can play an archival role in showcasing India's literary and cultural legacy and educating the youth about it?
Of course, the thought is to educate the youth and everyone in India about the cultural and literary legacy. I am not very sure about the viewership as of now but I have full confidence that even if 5% of the people start reading the books because of our show then we will be a success.
How was it working on this new format as a director?
It was very challenging for me to direct this as it was an entirely new concept. It had to be presented in a completely different way.
Does it ever come across as pressure when your audience only expects the best work from you?
It’s a very big responsibility because people have big expectations of you. I am always scared of compliments.
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