‘‘It’s an immensely popular, interactive show which features interesting people,’’ says Sharma, before switching off the TV and coming back to the business at hand—rediscovering Sahyadri— Doordarshan’s regional centre at Worli. Sharma, its director since 2000, has given Mumbai Doordarshan ‘‘a new direction’’ with several shows like Hello DD, Hello Sakhi (women’s programme), Antakshri and Ayaka Vayaka (discussion). DD Mumbai turned 31 this October 2.
‘‘Before I took over, DD Mumbai was a mess. I wanted to get rid of its sarkari culture,’’ says 47-year-old Sharma, the ‘‘youngest director of a DD kendra.’’ I have extricated it from the rut it was in and repositioned it, he says.
The repositioning came much later. Years ago, in the backwaters of Lucknow, Sharma saw a potential in TV. ‘‘I would act in plays and read news too on DD Lucknow,’’ he remembers.
Sharma might have ended up being the male Salma Sultana (news reader), but ‘‘the actor in me wanted to get wings and scale new territories.’’
The Children Film’s Society called him to Mumbai and V Shantaram selected him within minutes of their meeting. Once, then president of Children Film Society Jaya Bachchan asked him to direct a short film Anokha Aspatal because the director didn’t turn up. ‘‘I became a director by default,’’ says Sharma, who has also acted in some children’s films.
DD Mumbai, which had generated a lot of hope and impressionable revenue initially, started flagging toward the end of 1990s. ‘‘I loved its corridor, was familiar with its nooks. I wanted to turn things around,’’ says Sharma, who had for long nursed a dream to find a place for himself there.
Sharma went on to join DD Mumbai as Deputy Director and then became its Director.
Soon, some mandarins in Mandi House thought it was time to give the national channel a facelift. And they turned to Mumbai, the Mecca of entertainment. ‘‘Bollywood and the music industry were here. Mumbai Kendra became crucial for DD’s image makeover,’’ reasons Sharma.
The makeover continues, though competing with private channels is like chasing a mirage. ‘‘You can’t compare us with them. They have to make money to survive while we have to keep India’s culture alive,’’ he reasons.
Standing at the foot of the 300-metre tall TV tower (the tallest free steel structure in Asia), Sharma looks down at the campus gate, smiling.
Years ago, he had walked through it anonymously. Today, he does have reason to smile.
mohammedwajihuddin@expressindia.com
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