Sonali Jaffar, the writer and producer | Yeh Hai Mohabbatein | Sonali Jaffar | TMM
Sonali Jaffar, the writer turned producer who is known for writing one of the longest-running shows on the Indian television- Yeh Hai Mohabbatein on Star Plus by Balaji Telefilms. She started her career as a journalist and later turned towards fiction writing and with the help of a friend she happened to meet Ekta Kapoor and after that, as they call, rest is history. At present, Sonali has three shows on air as a producer that includes Tujhse Hai Raabta on Zee TV, Papa by Chance on Star Bharat and Meri Hanikarak Biwi on & TV. In conversation with TMM, she talks about the changing world of the ‘Idiot Box’ and how it still continues to inspire and satisfy her every day. Excerpts from the interview:
You started your journey as a writer for some iconic TV shows. From where you derive this creativity and what’s the procedure of your writing style.
I try to create ideas from the real-life situation and then weave them around the melodrama. For instance, the story of Devanshi on Colours was actually a real-life story that I read in a newspaper, where a small baby was found in the garbage near a temple. Also, I allow my creative wings to fly and think of ideas, which if applied to real-life might spoil the peace of human life. So, I try to create a balance between the two tangents and keep entertaining the audience.
Now, you are in the shoes of a producer. Which one is more exciting and why?
Sonali Jaffar:- being a producer calls for so much of responsibility that you can’t even imagine as a writer. They both are different in every way possible. As a writer, you have the liberty to walk away, but as a producer, you cannot. Also, as a producer, you need to be confident about your subject and content. They both have their own set of challenges, and I love juggling between the two (smiles). I try to be a creative producer who knows the nuances of writing and also the hardships of producing a show.
You are a working woman, a wife, and a mother too. How do you create a balance?
People call it an art of balancing, but I think it’s not an art. It is something all the women are blessed with and so do I. I am a working woman, but for me, my family comes first. So in simple words, I am a full-time mother and a part-time professional who loves playing with the ideas that she observes while playing the role of a mother and a wife.
How do you see the shift in Indian television from daily soaps to reality and laughter shows?
It’s not a shift. Variety is the spice of life and that is what the television audience demands and the channels are just serving different varieties in the form of soaps, laughter, and reality shows. They all co-habitat and help the channel to run smoothly in terms of profit and expenses. Reality shows are bombastic on budget and no channel can survive just with it.
When it comes to appreciation, television writers hardly get their dues. What do you have to say about it?
Honestly, I am not interested in awards. I believe in rewards than awards. And for that matter, I guess all the television writers are being paid well. It might sound weird but the television writers are paid better than the film writers, keeping their hard work and time investment in mind. I am of the opinion that no TV writer in the present time feels sidelined, they are happy seeing their bank balance (laughs).
With the invasion of digitalization in the entertainment industry, do you think things have changed in the name of content?
Yes, to a large extent content has changed. I believe television has taken a back seat for obvious reasons. In terms of content, television has taken a step back and is exploring the elements of supernatural powers, which I guess the digital market has not explored yet.
Would you like to be apart for the league? Explain.
I am not at all the part of the league and I never desire to be. I am happy in my space, where I keep changing myself constantly. Change is only constant and in my view, that is the only way to survive in this competitive industry.
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