Director, writer and actor AKARSH KHURANA’s teleplay, The Job, is a timeless comedy with a message that lingers. By Khushbu Kirti
Coming from the director of the highly appreciated series in the youth circle, Mismatched on Neflix, Akarsh Khurana has directed the award-winning teleplay, The Job. The Indian director, writer and actor is acclaimed for writing and directing various shows like TVF Tripling (as a writer), Yeh Meri Family (as an actor), Mismatched (as a director) and Krrish (as a supporting screenplay writer). The theatre enthusiast is also renowned for directing Rashmi Rocket.
The Job is an English teleplay starring Karan Pandit, Kashin Shetty, Tariq Vasudeva and Shweta Tripathi. A young candidate turns up for a job interview only to realise that this wasn’t the typical question-and-answer round he had imagined. Nothing he learnt in college; university or his last few jobs have prepared him for what comes next.
The show was produced back in 2010 and garnered some commendable reviews, completing 120 shows across 26 cities.
Read on for excerpts from an exclusive interview with the director:
Please give us an overview of The Job.
The Job is a dark comedy, a corporate satire and is based on a play called The Interview by Sidharth Kumar. We didn't get the rights to the title ‘The Interview’ so we called it ‘The Job’. It's a story about a man who shows up at a corporate office for an interview and before he knows it, gets caught up in one of the most bizarre interviews where he suddenly witnesses how conniving and complicated bosses can be and how coworkers behave when they are insecure . He gets a funny and disturbing glimpse into what the corporate life can look like.
What is your vision of the project?
This was our longest running play which got great reviews and won many awards. Its theme remains relevant even today. My vision was to present a very funny, relatable play with a strong message about how the corporate machinery works. The story, hence, shows that once you get sucked into the corporate system, it is easy to be enslaved by the system. Where, sometimes, even the lines of morality get blurred. My goal, even today, is to present a timeless comedy with a message that lingers.
You recently directed Mismatched, a show that was loved by the viewers. What is the difference between working for an OTT and for TV?
A teleplay is not like directing for TV because it is a hybrid format that combines elements of a play with cinematic devices. You have to shoot it in a particular manner to keep the balance between theatre and cinema and for me, it was always a challenge to use the skills gleaned from theatre and cinema to make something that didn't exist before. The format of the teleplay hence was an exciting challenge because you work in a theatrical setting with a limited number of people. It was also interesting to work with a play that has been performed so many times and that we've rehearsed for so long.
Is it somehow related to the American sitcom, The Job?
It is not related to the American sitcom. There is no connection whatsoever.
What is the significance of the title, according to you?
The whole teleplay is about a man looking for a job that's gonna change his life, hence the title.
How is a teleplay different from any limited series?
A teleplay is very different from a limited series in terms of structure and form. A series encompasses a bunch of episodes and a teleplay is closer to a digital film. It's like archiving a play with the help of cinematic devices rather than just recording it with a static camera. The cinematic quality makes the viewing experience even more dynamic.
What is one thing you'd like your audience to look out for when the teleplay is aired?
I think it's most important that the audiences give teleplays a chance because this is a new format. And once they get over the newness and the unfamiliarity of the format, they might get to enjoy very unusual and refreshing content that they normally don't have access to. Zee Theatre has a treasure-trove of teleplays and I'm happy that people are watching them even if they have not been able to watch theatre on stage for one reason or another. This teleplay, for instance, can be watched now by a new set of audiences on the small screen after a successful run of over seven years in multiple cities.
From acting and writing to directing, how has the journey been? Is direction your main goal?
It's a very difficult question to answer. I started my theatre company 21 years ago and then I started writing for films. I wanted to be a writer and then became an assistant director. I also directed a lot of theatre and wanted to direct films and TV content as well. Acting has never really been one of my goals and I only do it occasionally. To be a producer, a director, a storyteller and create content, irrespective of the medium, is ultimately my main goal.
(The Job is being reaired on Tata Sky Theatre, Airtel Spotlight and Dish TV throughout this week.)