This year, Pankaj Tripathi added a new feather to his hat. He turned a producer with a web series titled Perfect Family. He also produced a stage play, Lailaaj, that marked the stage debut of his daughter.
Going forth, alongside acting, Pankaj is keen on continuing his production journey. And the one thing that he wants to do differently is to give his writers, directors and actors all kinds of ‘creative freedom’, which is something he still struggles with in the capacity of an actor.
Streaming has given rise to greater opportunities for actors and technicians and a more democratic way of working. But Pankaj also points out how the pressure of trending and restrictions put forth by copyrights and stringent contracts sometimes interfere with the creative process. So, YouTube that offers greater operational latitude to creators, became his go-to platform to release his first production outing. Speaking exclusively to News18 Showsha, Pankaj opens up on his woes with the workings of corporate streamers.
He explains, “Sometimes when the stakes are more and the investment is higher, too many creative minds get involved. That’s why I decided to put my first production venture on YouTube. We didn’t have to take permissions from any platforms, creative entities or legal teams. I endorse creative freedom. I want a creative person to translate their vision onscreen without any obstacles. It’s the audience who should decide if something is right or wrong.”
What further upsets him is the increased overlap between creative and legal teams. “While shooting for web shows when I improvise a certain line as an actor, I see a creative running towards me and asking me to not say the line as a pre-approval is needed from the legal team. It happened with me. I was confused. I kept wondering if we really need to take permissions from our lawyers to even mouth a dialogue!” rues the Mirzapur and Metro In Dino actor.
Recalling an episode, Pankaj emphasises on how copyright, that protects creators by legally recognising their ownership over original work, can sometimes interfere with an actor’s process. “This one time, I wanted to use a poem in a certain scene in a series. I was stopped because of copyright issues. I told him, ‘Yeh sirf ek kavita hai. Chaar line bol raha hoon sirf.’ They could’ve edited it out in the situation of an issue emerging. But no, they stopped me when I was filming,” he states.
Eventually, he had to take matters into his own hands. “I got in touch with the poet’s son and requested him if I could use a few lines from his father’s poem. He was more than happy. He told me, ‘Yeh toh bahot achchi baat hai.’ I understand copyright issues when it comes to music. But such problems shouldn’t occur when it comes to poetry. Every poet wants their creations to reach far and wide. They would be happy if their work becomes a part of a popular film or the mainstream discourse,” Pankaj further adds.
