I was a Radio Jockey but it wasn't my true calling: Shahbaz Ahmad

Shahbaz Ahmad is currently the Associate Creative Head (ACH) at Balaji Telefilms’ but he has had a very interesting journey so far. Having started as a Radio Jockey with Radio City 91.1 FM, Shahbaz quit to get into television as his true calling was here. He is currently the Associate Creative Head (ACH) at Balaji Telefilms. Tellychakkar.com speaks to this man for our ‘Behind the Lens’ segment. Excerpts … Tell us something about yourself? I come from a small city in east Uttar Pradesh, precisely Banaras, Gazipur. However, I was there only till I was in the class ninth. Later, I shifted to Lucknow and completed my studies there. I did my graduation in the Science stream from Lucknow University. Soon after this, I wanted to do B.SC, but soon realised that my inclination was towards media. Hence, I joined the Lucknow Film Institute of Electronic Management from where I graduated in Mass Media and Communication. Since my brother Siraj Ahmad is a well known Radio Jockey with Radio City 91.1 FM, my parents forced me to join Radio. I shifted to Gujarat since then, my brother was also in Surat. I worked there for almost a year having worked as a RJ for four months; used to run an evening show. But knowing very well that it was not my true calling, I moved to Mumbai to get into television. When and how did your journey begin? I came to Mumbai in September 2009 and that’s when my struggle in this industry began. The next three months went in looking out for a job here. In January 2010, I was appointed as an associate director with Jai Productions where I worked on their show Shor. It was here that I developed a liking for the post of a Creative. In September 2010, I joined Pratigya as an ACH. I learnt the job in two months and stayed there additionally for a year. After that I moved on to Balaji Telefilms’ Parichay in October 2011. So, are you happy with your journey so far? I am satisfied but then I want to achieve a lot more. I have been writing since the time I was a RJ and haven’t stopped since. I plan to come up with my own story someday and wish to become a producer one day. Getting back…What are your responsibilities as a Creative? Creatives have to keep an eye on everything that is happening on the sets. A Creative is involved in every tiny aspect of the show be it the actors make-up, costume or the things that will be a part of the breakfast scene. We have to be on our toes constantly. What kind of difficulties does a Creative face? The creative is always closer to the artiste than anybody else. Hence, there are times when the writers write certain scenes that are completely different from the current graph of the actor. In such a situation, a creative has to explain the artiste. Apart from this, there are a lot of artistes who refuse to utter certain lines and it’s our job then to convince them. We’ve heard that a lot of directors do not like the Creative interference in their scenes. Have you come across such a situation? Initially, the director used to be the captain of the ship. However, that is not the case now as the director keeps on changing every now and then. Hence, the only person who is permanent on the sets is the Creative. A lot of directors have started understanding this and hence they have a good relationship. Creative is the only person who explains the director about the character graph of the artistes when he is new to the sets. A lot of directors understand this but there are others who don’t. Therefore they make their way out in such situations. Do the TRPs affect the Creative’s too? We have to keep a tab on the running content and the TRPs to know if the viewers are connected to the show. Before the leap in Parichay, our TRP was just 1.8 TVR but soon after the leap, there was this abrupt climb and the TRP went to be 2.4. So, we have to keep a tab on such things and work accordingly. Your advice for the ones aspiring to be Creatives? Start from the basic and then take up the post of Creative.