Short stories work best for small screen - Kaushik Sankar Das

Kaushik Sankar Das

Kaushik Sankar Das has been able to mark his territory in the television industry with his skilled direction. His choice of stories has won him admirers and works like “Badol Borishone” and “Neel Golpo” have put him in the limelight. The noted director shared his views on his TV plays, changing viewer tastes and upcoming projects with The Daily Star:

What kind of storyline are you more inclined to?

Kaushik: This is a question I am faced with every now and then. For me, there are no stories to tell because every story has been told. What matters to me is the presentation of a story. If a story is portrayed differently with a good twist and throws up questions in viewers' minds, it is praiseworthy. Then again it is very important to keep the canvas of the play small and précise, because the time span is very short and too many characters and locations will work as negative point. I always say this: for the small screen, short stories are best to work with.

Your recent TV play “Badol Borishone” was received well. How did you come up with it?

Kaushik: Well, for Nazrul and Rabindra Jayanti, more or less every television channel broadcasts special plays, but most of the time common or popular stories are chosen for such TV plays. As a result, viewers see the same stories and characters played by various artistes. So, I wanted to make a play with a story that was never televised before. On the plus side, the story itself is a representation of the socio-economic condition of an orphan girl in a village and the casting was based on popularity as well as the demands of the plot. I was struck by surprise when I was informed that the play has earned a position in the list of Rtv's top ten TRP rating.

Who do you consider as your target audience?

Kaushik: Targeted viewers play a very important role in the making of a TV play; because normally people do not watch TV and most of the plays that are made nowadays are made for youngsters. If at all people watch TV plays, they watch them online. I am very concerned as to how we are making plays for viewers who do not watch television. This is why I believe it is better to decide who the viewers will be in the first place. This is why I prefer to make TV plays for  people who watch television and the cast I have in my plays are completely prioritized, based on this factor. I try to keep a balance between both young, popular artistes along with experienced, skilled artistes.

What Eid special plays are you working on?

Kaushik: “Mon Kharaper Dishshaboli” starring Riaz and Mou; “Ek Je Chilo Rajkonna” starring Riaz and Mehzabien; “Chhera Taan” starring Tarin and Hillol, “Silent Thief” starring Niloy and Shokh. The shooting of two plays is complete and others are in the making.