The concept of alien-based shows is not new on the small screen. The makers of &tv’s Shaadi Ke Siyaape tell MUSBA HASHMI the challenges that come with such projects
Ever since Jadoo ruled the big screen, the concept of aliens is no longer an alienated subject including those on TV. Shows like Badi Door Se Aaye Hain was the first one to introduce aliens on the small screen. The concept was much appreciated and accepted by the audience. Then came robots — Karishma Kaa Karishma — which again was a fresh serve for the audience.
Taking this legacy further &tv is launching its new show Shaadi Ke Siyape which showcases alien turned humans in a new light. The weekend dramedy series will go on air from March 16, 2019. The story revolves around all the siyapas that happen in a typical Indian shaadi because indian weddings are incomplete without siyapas.
The show stars Alka Badola Kaushal as Fancy Aunty who owns a marriage hallalong with her uniquely gifted squad of alien turned humans. Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma fame Bhavya Gandhi will play Nanku — a techno expert chef, the role of Bijli — a gossip loving nachaniya cum make-up artist will be essayed by Sheen Dass, the role of a classy DJ — DJ Virat will be played by Mishkat Varma and actor Rahul Singh will play a pandit in the show.
Kaushal says that her character hails from Delhi. “Her husband is a scientist but Fancy Aunty is an independent woman who runs her business. She is fun loving, organised, disciplined and a good hearted person The character is full of different emotions. She pretends to be strong, but there are moments when she gets anxious and worried about things and then cries in a corner. Sab ke saamney toh voh bolti hai ki haanji sab ho jayega ji par akele mein sochti hai ki vaha toh bol aayi ki ho jayega par sab kuch hoga kese.”
Kaushal says that it has been ages since she is getting to play a positive character on small screen. “It’s been ages since I am getting to play a positive character on television. Though in films I played those sweet mummyji wale characters but on TV even if I got a positive role eventually show ke khatam hotey hotey it used to become a grey character. So, I am veryxcited to play Fancy Aunty,” she tells you adding that the show is situational comedy along with some real life inspired shaadi ke siyape that occur in almost every wedding.
She tells you that it is very difficult to shoot for the show since it is the first time she is being part of such a show. “It was very difficult to shoot for the show because maine kabhi aisey shows kiye nahin hain jahan VFX involved hain. It is difficult both in terms of cost and time and it is difficult for a producer also to take up this job,” Kaushal tells you who is an actor turned producer.
Kaushal feels it is not very difficult to bring connectivity with the audience through such shows. “Audience will connect to such shows and it is not that difficult because agar hum dinosaur dikha kar audience ko impress kar saktey hain jo ki kisiney nahin dekhe ki voh exist kartey they ya nahin toh aliens ke sath bhi same hai. The first thing is just to convince your audience in the right way that it is possible and aliens do exist and once you have successfully convinced your audience then they will be able to relate and connect with it.
“As far as I am concerned, I am convinced and I believe that there is life on other planets too. The other reason why people will be able to connect more with the show is each one of us has experience some siyaapa in a wedding kahin phupaji naraaz ho jatey to kahin taya ji, har koi khush nahin reh sakta and we have shown same stories in the show. In my own wedding a siyapa happened, the electricity got cut off but thankfully we had a generator so my shaadi took place with the generator running,” she tells you.
Sonali Jaffer who is the producer of the show, says that the reason they introduced this concept in the show was because it is believed that various planets are involved in a shaadi.
“For me this alien concept connected because in Indian culture we believe that the planets are responsible for a shaadi and plays a key role in all the siyapas that happen. So, that is why we came up with the concept of aliens coming from a different planet and trying to help Fancy aunty in resolving the problems,” she tells you.
Jaffer said that VFX is a challenge in making these type of shows. “The challenge in such shows is to add special effects and play with it. The other challenge is to make it smooth and make it look real. Also shooting also becomes a bit difficult because say you first you shoot a plate and then you add special effects and put food on the plate, so yes it is both time consuming and a tedious process. Also since it is a week ender so we have to shoot everything in a limited time and that just adds to the list of challenges,” she tells you adding that the theme of the show is even when all the planets come together will they be able to make the shaadi happen in a smooth way and this is the reason why the audience will be able to connect with the show more.
To keep the interest factor alive the show is weekly. “We are giving it in a very limited and balanced quantity. Also there will not be a single storyline, every episode will showcase a different story of a different marriage so that the audience will not get bored of it,” Jaffer says.