I am doing a comedy show minus the loud screechy performances: Harsh Chhaya

Harsh Chhaya opens up about how TV has stooped to a new low to get high ratings.
More than a decade back, he had it all going for him when he did some strong author-backed roles. But actor Harsh Chhaya is seldom seen in TV shows these days. Well, the reasons are many, but those of you who have missed seeing the actor will soon see him in a comedy show.
He says, “After long, something came across that made me say ‘yes’ within five minutes.It’s a comedy show minus the hamming and loud screechy performances, which seem to be a norm nowadays.” Harsh was last seen in the show Pradhanmantri, in the role of Sanjay Gandhi. Unfortunately, the show was not promoted well. He says, “I didn’t know that there was a show like that till they approached me.”
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Harsh blames his absence from TV on bad content. He says, “I have done so less of TV that it is as good as not being there. The content plays an important part. With the TV audience growing, the channels started looking for the lowest common denominator to get high ratings. If at all the content agrees with me, then it’s the terms. They are pathetic. Actors are no more credited respectfully.
A senior channel executive had, long time back, gone on record saying, ‘Where is the need to pay script writers and directors? It’s ‘we’ who run the show.’ The less I have to deal with that, the better. After a point, one kind of sits back and wonders, ‘What is it that I am doing?’ I can’t keep working to pay my EMIs. The decision to follow my heart may be a tough one, especially when in today’s world, people judge you on the basis of the car you own.”
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Shows focus on new talent in order to cut costs, and senior actors are seldom considered for lead roles. He says, “When they tell me we will spend on sets and locations, I tell them to include my remuneration in the budget allocated for sets and locations and not in the list of actors. Those who do not agree go away. Most of the time they go away.”
Meanwhile, the actor who has written a script, plans to direct a film. With B-Town directors taking interest in TV, do we see him working with them? He says, “Even B-Town directors have not actually done anything earth-shattering except create a little flutter and then fizzle out. Hopefully, quite a few more reputed names are coming up, so may be things might improve. One should never ever give up on hope. Eventually, that’s all one has.”
WATCH: Harsh Chhaya interview