Without input of personal elements, you cannot connect with audience: Zama Habib

Having worked with directors of repute like Ravi Ojha, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Raj Sippy, Rajan Shahi, Kaushik Ghatak, Rakesh Kumar, Imtiaz Pujabi, Siddharth Sengupta and producers like Sooraj Barjatya, Kavita Barjatya, Rajan Shahi, Siddharth Malhotra among others, writer Zama Habib has been around for 15 years in the TV industry. Zama has written shows for almost all the channels like Star Plus, Sony, Zee TV, Channel 9, Colors, DD, ETV, and also for the Bengali channels like Zee Bangla and Star Jalsha. He has written serials like, Ajeeb Dastaan, Gilli Danda, Maamla Gadbad Hai, Zindagi Milke Bitaayenge, Phir Bhi, Bidaai, Lo Ho Gayi Pooja Iss Ghar Ki, Ek Ladki Anjaani Si, Pyaar Ke Do Naam Ek Raadha Ek Shyaam, Do Hanson Ka Jodaa, Saas Bina Sasural etc. Currently he is writing Kaisa Yeh Ishq Hai, Ajab Sa Risk Hai for Life Ok. Tellychakkar.com troops down to Zama’s writing room to catch the writer to sit across for an exhaustive interview. Excerpts: Both Life Ok’s Kaisa Yeh Ishq Hai... Ajab Sa Risk Hai (which he is currently penning) and Sahara One’s Ghar Aaja Pardesi have a theme of a NRI girl coming to India to teach liberal Western beliefs to the puritanical Indian family in which she lives, in return of traditional Indian family values which she imbibes. Why do you think that such kind of shows have been gaining popularity in India nowadays? (ponders) Honestly speaking, since I haven’t seen any of the episodes of the shows you are talking about, I won’t be able to comment on that. Also, even if the subject is the same, I am hundred per cent certain that the narrative must be different. I write the way I perceive and don’t go by the broader concept. It’s the episodic narrative that makes the difference. As far as the subject gaining importance is concerned, newer audiences are joining in and someone has to fulfill their wants. This kind of story premise gives you a chance to explore both the rural and urban lifestyle and thinking to the core. These days you will find that everyone is trying to cater to the audience from interiors. While these days you will find that everyone is trying to cater to the audience from interiors, we hope to connect with the new audience. Why are you setting up shows and leaving them? Will you be doing the same with Kaisa Yeh Ishq Hai... Ajab Sa Risk Hai too? (smiles) Yes, I must admit that off late, I am enjoying setting up shows. When I take up a new show, it’s like playing on a fresh new pitch, creating new characters, new situations and dramatics. That’s what excites and motivates me much more than the shows running over hundreds of episodes. Also, I leave the shows when I strongly feel that there’s nothing left in me to offer. All said and done, no one and nothing is bigger than the show. So hanging around without doing justice to the show is like killing your own baby. The same goes with Kaisa Yeh Ishq Hai... Ajab Sa Risk Hai - I will continue writing for it till the time I feel I can’t contribute anything worthy to the show anymore. Are you happy with the way Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara and Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai have progressed after you left writing for them? (nods his head) Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara is doing well and I am very happy for the show. I have enjoyed creating characters and tracks for the show and today it gives me immense pleasure to see it on the road of success. Rajshri is family and Sooraj ji (Sooraj Barjatya) is one person I respect the most. Apart from Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara, I have written Do Hanson Ka Jodaa and Pyaar Ke Do Naam Ek Radha Ek Shaam for them. There’s mutual respect. As far as Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai is concerned, again Sid (Siddharth Malhotra) is like a brother. In the past we have done several shows together like Maamla Gadbad Hai, Zindagi Milke Bitaayenge, Lo Ho Gayi Pooja Iss Ghar Ki among others. My relationship with Sid is that he can call me anytime to write and I won’t say no to him. But he knows I am honest to my work and won’t continue if I am not doing justice to the show. Nevertheless, I am happy that Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai has also tasted success. Of all the shows you have written, which is the closest to your heart? Maamla Gadbad Hai (Channel Nine), Sapna Babul Ka Bidaai and Sasural Genda Phool...Maamla Gadbad Hai are close to my heart because they were almost my real life story. Bidaai gave me a grand success and loved working with Rajan Shahi who is one of my favourite producers. Sasural Genda Phool gave me immense creative satisfaction. Along with the story and screenplay, I even wrote the dialogues of the show for the full 576 episodes. Though it was exhaustive, it was really satisfying. Also since Sasural Genda Phool was co-produced by me, it has to be close to my heart. Saas Bina Sasural is also one such show I am really proud of. If you could rewrite any of your shows, which show would it be and why? Lo Ho Gayi Pooja Iss Ghar Ki on SAB TV was officially the first daily comedy that I have written. It didn’t do well because of a sudden change in programming at SAB TV. I personally feel that the show had great potential, though. Have you included any autobiographical elements of your life in any of your shows? (pauses) Oh, I think the reason my shows have always managed to connect with audience is the autobiographical elements that I have put in all of my shows. For example, the character of Maalti in Bidaai was based on a real life character. The relationship between Mamaji and Sadhana in the same show had lot of autobiographical elements. Almost all the characters of Sasural Genda Phool were based on characters I know closely. Even the relationship of Ishaan and his father had the shades of one of my childhood friend’s relationship with his father. Would you, in future, like to include autobiographical elements from your life in your shows? Without personal elements, you cannot connect with audience. It will look plastic otherwise. You have been in the TV industry for a while now. Do you think the TV industry has changed for the better or the worse? (pauses) Ah, well, television is growing. It’s still shaping up. Audience brackets are changing every now and then. So even today we are struggling with the content. Most of the people are clueless what kind of shows should be made. A good thing is regression is fading away slowly. The bad thing is that we are losing our conviction and banking too much on marketing and research. The word ‘consumer’ is used more than the word ‘story’ and ‘characters’ in our creative discussions. Nevertheless, this phase too will pass and ultimately we will value the content; we will have to. What kind of shows will you never write? I will not write anything that is regressive and that is against my principles. There have been incidences when I have left the shows when I was not convinced with the thought. Tell us something about your forthcoming shows? Currently, I am working on two or three shows. One is being produced by DJ’s Creative Unit (Tony and Deeya Singh) while the other one is with Pintoo and Rupali Guha. And I am enjoying working with these producers. Also at the moment I am enjoying working with director Siddharth Sengupta (of Ballika Vadhu fame).