Anil brings American TV show 24 to India

The veteran actor attempts to bridge the gap between Indian TV and films.

MUMBAI: Indian actor Anil Kapoor is bringing the Indian adaptation of award-winning American TV series 24 to the small screen in hopes to bridge the gap between TV and films in the country.

Kapoor wants to bring in the same level of efficiency in the Indian version of 24 as the original. “I had the privilege of observing the original team at work for eight months in Los Angeles,” said Kapoor. “I know what level of professionalism I need to exercise on 24.”

Admitting that he learned quite a bit on the sets of 24, Kapoor said he tried to absorb as much as he could. “Now I want to replicate whatever I saw them trying to achieve,” explained Kapoor. “The television industry in our country is still in its infancy. In the US, there are top actors who do television — like Keifer Sutherland and Ashton Kutcher.”

The veteran star also explained that in India television stars don’t get the same recognition and money as movie stars. “Hopefully after my show, the gap between Indian television and Bollywood would be bridged,” said Kapoor.

24 is an American television series that started in 2001 and ran till 2010. Kapoor was featured in the eighth season of the show as Omar Hassan, president of the fictional Islamic Republic of Kamistan.

Kapoor will start shooting for the Indian version in 2013. “I’ve set aside all my other work for 24,” he said, while adding that it’s not a big sacrifice and he’s giving it a year to complete. “That’s the time an average feature film takes. I’ve already planned my films after the first season of 24. But for now, I’m fully into 24,” said Kapoor.

While Anil plays the protagonist in the show, the casting of other roles has been left entirely upon the 24 team. “I had to be all there with the team, more for myself than for them. Television is a new ballgame for me. The first season needs more careful nurturing. After the first season, the series would be on auto-pilot,” he said. IANS

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2012.          

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