As a writer, one needs to read a lot: Ashok B Parmar

Ashok B Parmar, dialogue writer of Piya Ka Ghar Pyara Lage on Sahara One, is the one who puts the show on paper and prepares a physical draft to look forward to. He, for one, believes that historical shows should be given more importance on television rather than soaps.

On a visit to the sets of Piya Ka Ghar Pyaara Lage, we corner Parmar for a freewheeling interview.

A lowdown:

Tell us something about yourself?

(pauses) Well, I started writing from a very small age as it was my passion. I have worked very hard throughout to make a place of mine in this industry. As a writer, I have always put myself into some kind of innovation, may it be theatre or television. I first started by writing for Gujarati shows and drama having written numerous Gujarati plays. Presently, a play of mine that is gaining in popularity is Gandhi before Gandhi.

Which are the television shows that you have written for?

I am more inclined towards Gujarati shows and the ones that I have written are Zakal Bhina Sapna, Kalpana, Maniben.Com, Papad Pol and Hi! Podosi… Kaun Hai Doshi.

How has your journey been so far?

It’s been wonderful throughout. One thing that I like about this industry is that it accepts everyone who devotes him/herself with an open heart. For me, as a writer, it has always been a learning experience, because no matter what, every single day there is something new to learn. Of course, it teaches you something new to adapt and imbibe.

The kind of weight you carry as a writer for a show’s success?

Well, writers are the foundations of any concrete building and in this context, the building is the show. In fact, we are the ones who make or destroy any show. As painting is an art, similar is the art of putting imagination on paper and making it look real. If you go deep, you will find that whatever changes have happened, have happened through writers. As a matter of fact, they are the ones who keep history alive in books for us to experience that era. Every writer leaves his essence back in every word.

How have you evolved as a writer?

As a television writer, one has to learn how not to let viewers’ hand reach for the remote to change the channel. A writer needs to study a lot and talk to people to find out about their life story because every incident has a story to tell. I always keep myself indulged in some kind of reading. A writer gets instant response in a play when people laugh and clap on his dialogues, but on television, the appreciation comes after a week when the TRPs arrives. So, a writer always has a scope for improvement everywhere.

Does every actor impart justice to your dialogues?

Since every actor becomes well experienced with time, they always put in their best to get noticed. For a dialogue writer, the fear never arises, because the actor himself doesn’t want to ruin their dialogues.

How is writing for television different from that of theatre?

For television, you got to work every single day because after every telecast, the TRPs make us bring about certain changes. Television needs continuous improvisation as and how the TRPs fluctuate.

What kind of change would you like to bring in television today?

Indian television is already under the process of a continuous change. If you try to compare Indian television with international shows, then you will never find any change. Our culture traditions are different from theirs as we are bound with numerous rules and regulations which do not let television go beyond it.

What advice would you like to give to aspiring actors?

I would only ask them to be patient and read a lot, because a writer only learns to write after he gains certain knowledge that is gained after a lot of reading.

What are your future plans?

Well, right now I am working on two films for which I have spoken to David Dhawan and Rajan Agrawal. Just looking forward for them to materialize.