"I call myself a creative businessman"

There's no stopping Anuj Saxena. A workaholic to the core, the suave and sophisticated actor turned producer is now aiming to fly higher. He calls himself a `Creative Businessman' someone who loves to read scripts while cracking global deals. Having floated Maverick about a year ago, Anuj is now busy readying his first soap for Sony and a movie which is due to release by Jan 2007. But that's not it, the actor who's currently being seen in Sony's Risshton Ki Dorr is gunning for the big fish. No wonder he along with his core team are off to Cannes to attend MIPCOM, the world's biggest TV content marketplace. In an exclusive chat with Tellychakkar.com Anuj gets candid about his future plans as an actor producer, on Risshton Ki Dor and his equation with the queen bee of soaps Ekta Kapoor. You have recently picked up a stake in animation studio Sankranti Productions promoted by Rajeev Dwivedi ?. The animation market is growing by leaps and bounds. And now as a content creator in the TV as well as the films market, this looked like the next big logical step for me. I want to create synergies between both these ventures. I don't just want to do family soaps or typical Bollywood masala flicks, but even animated films. I seek inspiration from shows like The Simpsons, an animated programme which is the longest running American sitcom. So, we still have a long way to go as far as content goes. When it comes to films, we're still looking at Hanuman and Krishna which are two dimensional; we have move towards 3-D. The cost of making an animated project is on a higher side, but then it crosses all boundaries and reaches out to many more viewers. Don't you think you have your hands in too many pies? Are you a hands on bussinessman? No, I don't think so. I don't want to restrict myself. I call myself a creative businessman. I love to be charged all the time. I want to expand in different directions in life. Personally, I have a creative bent of mind so I just don't think money but like to be creatively involved. The big challenge is always to find the right people, and then to get the scripts right. Also, the content business is all about conviction. I don't say that people work for me rather I say that my people work with me. You're ready with your first baby which will hit the tube in November? So, are you playing it safe with a typical family drama? Ya, I am ready with my first production for Sony TV. I can't reveal too much about the show at this stage. Currently, we are in the process of finalizing the name of the show as well as the final starcast. Are you looking at scripts personally? And what plans for the near future/? I do read scripts because I am putting in the money. So, its better to be convinced about my projects. We're also shooting a couple of pilots and hopefully Maverick will have three to four shows on air by next year and a movie by 2007. There's a buzz that Rishton Ki Dor is going off-air? Your character Suhas hasn't really excited viewers as compared to Abhay of Kkusum? II've heard about it but they have not yet informed us. I think the soap has lost track from its original story. When you change the track so many times in six months, you're bound to lose audiences. I am sure viewers are very confused about the real track of the story. It's just been six months, if the producers are really convinced about the show, I am sure they can still revive it. You've gone on record saying you always want to continue acting? So what next after this serial?Do you regret being a part of a flop show? No not really. It started off on a good note and the concept was fine. It was targeted at the middle class audiences in the afternoon slot. The story about a family and oldest brother's struggle, along with three sisters to keep the family composed after the mother's death. I was tired of playing an unfaithful husband so I was quite excited about the character Suhas Will we also see dancing behind trees? No, not really. I might dance to a totally different tune. I am looking at doing meaty and off beat roles. You rose to fame as Abhay in Sony's Kkusum. But later there were rumours about your rift with Ekta. So, will you ever act in a Balaji show again? I've learned `never to say never' in this world. The world is a very small place and the television industry even smaller. So, I don't know what future holds for me. And life is too short to really hold grudges against anyone. I believe in concentrating on my work. But then have you patched up with Ekta? There are really no personal issues or grudges that I have against her. But now, I am a producer myself, a rival so-to-speak.I don't know what future holds for me, but if I ever do then the economics of working together will be different.