When it comes to unique style, there’s probably no modern example better than that of Deeya and Tony Singh. Their company, DJ’s A Creative Unit, are the producers of iconic TV series such as Banegi Apni Baat, Jassi Jaise Koi Nahi, Choti Bahu and Left Right Left, to name a few. The duo is one of the best examples of modern auteurs, with a quirky visual style all of their own along with well- drafted narrative tendencies that remain consistent across their gamut of work.
The chances are that if you are a fan of their shows, you can spot their work within split seconds of viewing a trailer for an upcoming show. Singh adheres to a precise set of realistic visuals, and this works with their latest offering, Meri Dad ki Dulhan, too.
Just when the audience was mourning the death of realistic shows that are a fry car from the tear-jerking dramas’ ostentatious clothing and bizarre storytelling, Mere Dad ki Dulhan for SET TV, comes as a whiff of fresh air.
The show boasts of a stellar star-cast, who behave like ordinary people do. “Both Tony and I have loved uninhabited content and that is what we have always offered – Mere Dad ki Dulhan is about relationships and owning up to the ideal roles that each character play. The story goes through the challenges of a single parent, a single woman who has been unlucky in relationships and a daughter, who is saddled with responsibilities beyond her age,” quips Singh.
What took them so long to come up with this show? “Unless we don’t-come up with something very unconventional, we will not do. There’s still life in me as a producer and more so as a human. Our content has to be real. I can’t compromise on realism,” says Singh.
The show is fashionably minimalist, be it with the performances, settings or story; every character has a part to play and justify it too. “I think that is what the audience should be looking for,” she states. “Television is no longer the magical machine we grew up watching. We look back and wonder how producers gambled and enchanted us with their live, on-screen magic. But today, of course, there’s a less sympathetic climate.”
But, for now, she firmly believes that television, will never really die. “In months or years, it will re-emerge in some different form. We need to be amused and amazed that the television industry has created miracles. With that conviction, I bring out shows that are different, away from the rut,” says Singh.
When questioned how she would like to see her actors developing, her reply leaves us bewildered and startled, “I imagine two universes, of different mind-sets, gradually forced to face one another. Then with peace and struggle running simultaneously in their lives, they eventually become one,” says Singh, who first chose Varun Badola for Ambar (male protagonist).
We know why it’s an obvious choice, with Badola’s foray into television with Banegi Apni Baat. “When the story panned out, we knew it had to be Varun and Shweta Tewari. Somewhere they understand the reality, which is reflected in their performances too.”
Also, coming to the character of Niya (Anjali Tattari), what he liked about Anjali, is that “she is mature and yet innocent” and that completes the unit. The high point of this show is the realism, which is reflected in the locations, clothes and characters.
For now, it’s unconscionable for her to detach from reality. “It is the lessons of life that have given me every single opportunity to create relatable stories. I appreciate it every single day. I promise to offer something that’s true to me and my conscience,” signs off Deeya Singh.