Web provides more freedom than TV, big screen: Shashant Shah

After helming critically-acclaimed comedy drama "Dasvidaniya", Shashant Shah has made his web series directorial debut with "Shaadi Boys" and says the platform gave him more freedom.
Shah, who has also directed 2015 popular sitcom "Sumit Sambhal Lega", believes that web medium is more open to ideas than television and silver screen as it gives everybody a chance to tell their stories.
"There is lot of freedom in terms of expression and language. There are stories which cannot be told over two hours or 200 hours of programming.
"But with the advent of internet, it is showing you short stories. I believe there is an open gamut for lot of filmmakers and story-tellers to tell their stories without having the limitation of the format," Shah told PTI.

The director believes that internet is a positive trend which presents variety to the public and is a helpful stage for a person full of creativity.
"I see it as the great bone for any creative person and for the audiences to get so much of variety. It is a positive trend. There are some stories which cannot be told more than two-minutes. So it is good that this has opened up as now everybody gets a chance to tell their stories," He said.

When asked about which medium he enjoyed working on, the most, Shah said, "I've enjoyed all the formats but celluloid and film is medium of the director and TV is primarily a medium for writers so in television after writer director, comes in.

"I believe that entertainment will survive and thrive across all mediums. If you have good story to tell then you can tell that from print to radio to internet to celluloid to TV, it will survive no matter what."
Casting actor Vinay Pathak in all his three films was not a co-incident for the director and he opened up about his long time bond with him since their Channel V days.
"Vinay and I, we know each other from channel V days and we respect each other's work. We always challenge each other. I wanted someone very simple and an ordinary guy for my first film and hence Vinay was there in 'Dasvidaniya'.

"In my second film I was offered a big actor by one of the producers but I'm little commitment-phobic so I refused and said Vinay would do justice to it."
Shah feared that he might not be able to continue his bond with Pathak on the silver screen because he is directing a love story next.
"Now, I'm doing a pure love story and unfortunately I will not be able to place him in that because it requires a 30-year-old guy. I'm excited about it. The script is finalised for the film which is the most important thing. Star cast is also yet to be decided," he said.