MUMBAI: Producer-director Nivedita Basu is one of the most distinguished names in the industry today. Known for her stint with Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms, where she worked on projects such as Kasautii Zindagii Kay and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Nivedita has made a name for herself with independent work too with her shows Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai and Ek Vivah Aisa Bhi. Most recently, she directed the web series Tandoor starring Rashami Desai and Tanuj Virwani.

Talking about her new series, she says, “Tandoor was an extremely great experience and I would totally give the credit to Vibhu Agarwal from Ullu. He trusted me and pushed me to do it. This was not the show which we had decided on but I had heard about it and I wanted to do it. Soni was there at Ullu and Vibhu ji really supported me. The pandemic happened and we delayed it by 10 months but he stood by me and just because of his confidence, I was like I have to do it. I had not directed for a while. The last one I did was this film Tujhse Hi Raabta back in 2012-2013. I had not had a direction stunt for a while. Tandoor was like my dream. I really worked hard during the lockdown and worked on my skills and I am so happy it happened the way we wanted it to,” she says.

Nivedita shares a great bond with Rashami as well and loved working with her. “Rashami has been a friend for so many years. We have done stuff together but not acting or media. We have done stuff on the non-fiction side, events. We were flying in from Delhi 1-2 years back and we discussed that we should work on something together. And look at where it has landed us. I think she is a cult. She breathes something on social media and it becomes viral. I don’t know because of Bigg Boss or why. She is very professional when it comes to acting. All I had to do was brief her and she would deliver. People talk lowly about TV actors, that is something to reckon with. TV actors know their stuff and they know when to deliver and how because the training is hard and good. I am so proud that my upbringing is in TV and that so with Ekta,” she says.

Working with Tanuj, too, was amazing, says Nivedita. “Tanuj has been a revelation. I knew him 12-15 years back when he was much younger. I don’t know where he was headed but we had had a very cool conversation, little did we know that we will be working on something so serious. He is such a big success on Inside Edge and I actually watched him before casting him and I was like, ‘Wow! This guy does the chique stuff well.’ In tandoor, he had to do a totally different thing. He had to de-glamourise himself and the man surprised me. I think this guy knows where he is going. He has grown dynamically in all these years and he is only going to go higher and reach his peak soon. I am so happy that he was part of my tandoor. He and Rashami are a pair to be jealous of,” she says.