TV goes big: Rs. 25 lakh spent on Sholay-inspired scene

While TV shows replicate many aspects from Bollywood, including storylines, fashions and hit songs, action is one factor that doesn’t find much space on the small screen. However, producer Saurabh Tewary is
looking to change this and has shot an expensive action scene for his show Madhubala,which will be aired this weekend.
In the show, Balraj (Raj Zutshi) kidnaps Madhu (Drashti Dhami) with a plan to kill her. RK (Vivian Dsena) lands at the location in a filmi manner to save his lady love. The action scene ends with Madhu’s mother Padmini (Pallavi Purohit) shooting Balraj.

Saurabh says, “RK is a superstar in the show and the narrative has been larger-than-life. This sequence, too, has been shot in Bollywood style with the essence of a potboiler. There will also be a dance number by Jasveer Kaur to ‘Gajar ne kiya hai isharaa’ from Tridev (1989), while goons stand guard with shotguns and the villain enjoys himself. It’s very Sholayesque. I think this is one of the biggest action sequences done on Indian TV.” The scene was filmed at a set created at Filmcity near the lake. The fight sequence also involves stunt directors coordinating bomb blasts, bikes flying in the air and the fistfights. The cost of this scene is around Rs. 22-25 lakh.

Saurabh adds that earlier on the show, they could have shot the Ganpati shootout scene on a smaller scale but to preserve the show’s grandeur, it was shot at the Lalbaug Ganpati pandal. Action scenes on TV can be wrapped up with just two punches and a lengthy monologue, but upping things a notch is what sets this show apart. Saurabh says, “Action scenes are a visual treat for the audiences. It’s not as if people haven’t seen it before in films like Rowdy Rathore (2012) and Dabangg (2010). There’s no comparison being made, but grand scenes are a huge connect for viewers. There’s a hero, a victim and lots of emotional drama involved.”