Captivating TV audience more challenging: Ashutosh Gowariker

TV is not a new medium for Ashutosh Gowariker, who is returning to the small screen after decades with Everest. But he feels keeping the TV audience hooked is much more challenging nowadays. Gowariker, who has written and produced the upcoming show, reasons that captivating TV audience is tough because if they won't find the content interesting, they will instantly hit the remote and move on to the other programme. “The audience is always interested in something that captivates them. You lose them in about 30 seconds...the challenge is much more,” said the director of films like Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar. Gowariker was seen on the small screen for the first time in Kachchi Dhoop in 1987 and he was also part of Shah Rukh Khan's TV show Circus. But in the last over two decades, television industry has evolved and become really big and it has lured the big stars from Bollywood boulevard. Initially, several big names like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan hosted shows for the small screen and now they are trying their luck in the fiction space. Anil Kapoor had a successful innings with 24, while Amitabh too tried his luck with Yudh, which got a lukewarm response. Gowariker, however, insists that TV has not overpowered big screen in reference. “TV is very interesting and challenging. Every filmmaker thinks they can contribute to it,” he said. Anil's 24 was a big hit, but Amitabh's first fiction show Yudh failed to generate enough interest, but Gowariker feels that the audience is ready to see some different concepts on TV. “There will be some misses and some hits. The collaborative effort will definitely bring a change,” he said. (Source: IANS)