Anurag Basu is a well known film director, having produced films like Life In a… Metro, Murder, Gangster and his latest hit Barfi. However, the fact is that this talented director graduated to the world of cinema from the small screen. And this has always kept him attached to TV. This time around, his association with television will be for Zee TV’s India’s Best Dramebaaz wherein he will be a part of the jury panel. In a conversation with Tellychakkar.com, Anurag talked about judging and more… Talking about his long association with TV, Anurag said, “I love being on TV, and I have no reservations whatsoever to take up any kind of work. Firstly, Zee TV has groomed my career (he started direction in Zee TV’s Tara and Saturday Suspense and later went on to do other shows for Zee) and secondly, I took this show because it was a children’s show. I am a selfish man; I am not worried of being part of any project wherein I gain something. And I know I will gain a lot from this show. As far as my other work is concerned, this show will not affect my plans.” On kids having to put in the extra effort on television to make it big, the ace Director said, “They are not on the stage all the time. Amidst the participation, they will surely have their backstage kid games to play with the other contestants. At times you would be amazed to see how long they can play for. They hardly get tired. And as per the rules they are not asked to work for more than eight hours.” On asking how difficult it is to work with children, he quipped, “I do ad films with kids, so you know you have to treat them differently. I make it a point to talk to them before starting shooting. I also talk to them like adult as they don’t like anyone treating them like kids. These things make shooting with them easy.” Has he ever been a part of a stage show as a kid? He averred. “Yes, I remember when I was in second standard, I had to recite poetry on stage. But when I looked at so many people in front of me, I went blank. It took me five to six years to come on stage and it was possible only because of my parents. I would have always been shy had my parents not pushed me.” On his daughters participating in reality shows, the man said, “I used to think that my daughters are talented, but when I see this talent, I think they don’t have a chance of participating in front of them.” Since Dramebaaz is about finding talent in kids, we asked the dada (Anurag is fondly addressed as dada) of the industry if he would give few of these kids an opportunity to act in his films and he stated, “I won’t be making a film around them, but if I am making a film and I need a kid in it, I will definitely pick up some one. This is the best platform to audition and fish out the best of talents.” Lastly, when we asked him about his plan to produce more shows for TV (his last being Love Story) he stated, “I did pitch a few shows to channels, but it did not work out. Once I have the time and the channels are ready to accept something different, I will be producing something again.” All the best, Anurag!!!