Fine screenplay + good director + sincere teamwork = Super hit serial

(Speaking with Dr Shirish Gopal Deshpande...)

WEEKDAYS, prime time at 8.30 pm. All eyes are glued on ‘Star Pravah’ channel. This is probably the fixed schedule for many amongst us. The inspiring title song, ‘Indrajimi Jambhapar Badav Suambapar…’ hits the TV screens, and the magic begins. And the man behind it, Dr Shirish Gopal Deshpande, who wrote the screenplay for Raja Shiv Chhatrapati, is no stranger to Nagpurians. Dr Deshpande, who hails from the city, is a well known scholar of Marathi literature, HoD of Marathi in SNDT University, Mumbai, and he has mastery over two contrasting subjects; Dnyaneshwari and screenplay writing.
“Screenplay writing is a totally different genre of literature. Whether for films, or for serials, the task is always more challenging than that of subjective writing. The producers of this serial approached me after reading my novel, ‘Raja Shahaji.’ While reading the book, they felt that the script of Raja Shiv Chhatrapati is somewhere in this novel itself,” said Dr Deshpande, while sharing the origin of the concept. “I studied the life and character Raja Shahaji, so was confident about writing the screenplay for Raja Shiv Chhatrapati,” expressed Dr Deshpande, who accepted the offer as a challenge to bring Shivaji’s altogether different perspective before the audience.
“Until now, the story of Chhatrapati Shivaji was restricted to four to five heroic incidents in his life. Several plays were staged and films made, but they highlighted only heroic deeds like Afzal Khan’s assassination, the rescue from Agra, Tanaji Malusare’s sacrifice, and Bajiprabhu Deshpande’s struggle in Pavan Khind. I decided to write a comprehensive screenplay which would bring out each and every shade of this personality.”
This is why Dr Deshpande highlighted Shivaji’s childhood and his youth. Even after almost 90 episodes, Afzal Khan’s assassination is yet to come. “It took time, because we have shown how the King was groomed by his mother, by circumstances and by mother earth. We answered several questions and fallacies regarding Shivaji,” said Dr Deshpande. Depicting Shivaji’s struggle against his own men was the most challenging task for him as it was a point that could fray people’s sentiments. However, Dr Deshpande did it so delicately, that there was no reason for protest.
Asked whether unanswered questions like why Chhatrapati Shivaji negotiated with Mirza Raje Jaisingh, and went to Agra or how he was rescued safely from Agra with all his men, will be answered or not, Dr Deshpande assured that all answers and justifications will be given in the upcoming episodes.
The man who wrote the screenplay, the soul of the serial, and parts of the rousing title song modestly shared the credit of success with the whole team. “Director Hemant Deodhar, Editor Prashand Khedekar and a sincere team have made the project successful,” he said, adding that it is always exciting for him to watch the episodes on TV. “Not only the director, but the actors also consult me several times. After all, it is teamwork.”
A multi-faceted personality, Dr Deshpande is doing research on Newton and Albert Einstein’s laws of gravity. Teaching is his joband writing screenplays a passion. However, his dream is a great serial on Lord Shri Krishna.
“Like Shivaji, many shades of Krishna’s personality are also missing in his depiction. It’s all about his childhood, his youth (Baal Leela and Raas Leela), and Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta in Mahabharata! I have a dream to write a serial which will show several great aspects of Jagadguru Shri Krishna’s personality.”