Simple living and high thinking

One of the first well-known comedians of India, Cyrus Sahukar, shot to fame with his stint as an MTV VJ. His wit is unbeatable and his humour legendary. He’s been on the radio, in theatre, in movies, television and recently, donned the role of Hemant aka Bhedu for TVF’s web series, ‘Office vs Office'.

In a freewheeling chat, the versatile star speaks about his debut series, his career and more…

Excerpts:
Congratulations on your debut web series! Radio, television, movies and now the digital medium. You’ve done it all. So, what made you say ‘yes’ to the role of Hemant aka Bhedu in ‘Offive vs Office’?

I got a call from TVF saying they wanted to create something off-beat based on an office theme. And after reading five scripts I thought it could be something interesting. I liked the ensemble cast and I said yes.

Apart from being central to the show, Hemant is one of the most awkward characters in the series because he is written in a way that he does not have an arc. He comes as sweet but always has a slight confusion in his decisions. He always has this feeling “I am the best”, “I am saving everybody’s life”. Basically, he has ‘rescue complex’ at some level.

There were a lot of small nuances that I had to pick up for the character that likes to interfere in other’s lives thinking he has all the answers and he sometimes messes it up. Being a boss of the company, he comes with his own drama.

Is there any resemblance between Steve Carell’s character from ‘The Office’?
Not at all! Steve Carrell’s show was a franchise series based on Ricky Gervais’ UK show of the same name. And, there is no real similarity in this web series. I wish there was some (laughs)! I hope somebody comes with a show like that and I would love to be a part of it.

Tell us about your transition from radio, TV, movies to web series. For me the transitions were never a problem. For me the job is important. In today’s day and age, everybody experiences every platform.

For me the product is important and after that the podium. And that is the reason I do theatre, I have a TV show, et al. If I feel that something is interesting, and I can add value to it, then I do it. I do not want to get restricted to one medium only. There is no bigger or smaller medium anymore. The internet is a powerful medium and not to be on it is not a great idea.

And how different is the production on TV and web series?
Web series, definitely, have a tighter budget. And TV is fast-paced as they have to shoot and air it quickly. With web series, I found that aspect even tighter. The budget cuts are never ending. However, I do believe that TV budgets are way too higher.

Any memorable moments from the series?
In this web series, what I liked was people were “involved” in it and were on the sets on time. Our director knew what shot he wanted and we rehearsed before shoots; that helped us a lot.

What, in your opinion, is the future of web content in India?
I think a lot of the web content in India is going to be a result of the writing. Therefore, writing culture needs to be propped up. They are arguably the most important people right now. And there is a problem that there are not enough writers. I am hoping that there will be a series coming out of Indian continent, which will have an international audience in near future. The good news is everybody is trying it and creating content.

Any comments about the ‘TVF controversy’?
I had already finished shooting for my show before that controversy happened. It would not be right for me to comment on it as the work was finished before that.

Your journey has been amazing! What do you feel about your career?
I am happy that I started early and I had a chance to learn from my mistakes. I had more time to hone my skills in the craft. Unlike other people, I learnt on the job. My parents wanted me to finish my education as I was only 18 when I joined MTV. And, the channel allowed me to return to college to write exams for three months in a year! I used to work for nine months and study for the remaining three.

It was a great time, man! I suppose what worked for me was that I was never “really” into stardom. I enjoy simple living. And, at a young age, I was around people who were way famous than me. I understood early that fame is a part of the job and it did not affect me.

We must talk about your ‘alma mater’, MTV. It’s not a music channel anymore. Comments?
Yeah, in the past nine years it became a reality channel. I don’t think music is the only pull now. That was 20 years ago. Now music is part of it rather than the centre of it. That is with every music channel today. Now we have a billion channels and everybody is fighting for viewership.

Everybody is trying to do one or two shows, which will get them the traction. Playing music exclusively was the golden era and that is done; I don’t think it will come back any soon.

By Navin Pivhal