Shaheer Sheikh: Entertaining people on TV everyday is not easy

The actor credits the tube for his career, says “it has made me what I am” but is also acknowledges the merits of streamers

From TV serials, web shows and music videos, Shaheer Sheikh, who has been dabbling in different mediums of late, reveals that for him the vision of the director is the most important factor in deciding a project.

Shaheer Sheikh

Last year, Sheikh was shooting for TV show Kuch Rang Pyaar Ke Aise Bhi while filming his OTT debut Pavitra Rishta. This year, he shot for the second season of the web show while filming his ongoing TV serial, Woh Toh Hai Albela.

Ask him if competition from OTT has changed TV in anyway and he exclaims, “I think audiences now have options and they get to choose what they want to see. That is a plus. But often, people don’t watch reruns of most web shows. Television has its own audience.” Calling TV his “first love”, Sheikh credits the tube as “it has made me what I am”.

“I want to stay loyal to TV and bring something new and fresh with each project. Winning the viewers’ heart is big achievement for me. Moreover, TV’s reach is undeniable. Doing a TV show and entertaining people everyday is not easy.”

He admits, he wasn’t looking at TV this year as his focus was “on short films and music videos”, but when he was approached for the TV show, Woh Toh Hai Albela, he couldn’t refuse. Having experienced the digital platform, Sheikh acknowledges its merits.

He says, “In daily soaps, time is luxury as you shoot many scenes in a day. While you get the time to prepare for a web show. You shoot 2 or 3 scenes in one day and you can work on your performance.”

For Sheikh, irrespective of the medium, his approach remains the same. “I like to live the character I essay. Even if I am shooting for a music video and I take the effort to get it right. Like recently, I shot for a music video where I play a visually impaired guy. Though it was a two-day shoot, I worked on the character and it turned out well.”