A 'huge disaster' on live television

Actor and television personality Shekhar Suman has opened up about his early career and his collaboration with veteran actor Jaya Bachchan, including a candid recollection of the first live National Awards show, which he described as a "huge disaster." Speaking on SCREEN Spotlight, Suman recalled an electrical failure and technical chaos during the broadcast, with what The Indian Express reported as "abuses going around" from the OB van. The Times of India similarly noted the "ambitious broadcast did not go as smoothly as planned."

The breakthrough with 'Dekh Bhai Dekh'

Suman's association with Jaya Bachchan began in the early 1990s when he was offered the sitcom 'Dekh Bhai Dekh', produced by her company Saraswati Audio Visuals, which later merged with Amitabh Bachchan's production house ABCL. According to The Indian Express, this role gave Suman his breakthrough on television. Suman recalled on SCREEN Spotlight that he was initially reluctant to return to TV, having already made his Bollywood debut with 'Utsav' in 1987. When director Aanand Mahendroo approached him with the project, Suman initially refused, but changed his mind upon learning of Jaya Bachchan's involvement.

"I got a call one day from Aanand Mahendroo, who said he's making a serial called Dekh Bhai Dekh. I said, 'No no, I'm not interested in serials.' Then he said, 'It's produced by Jaya Bachchan.' So, I said, 'Hold on!' If Jaya Bachchan is backing it, and it's an Amitabh Bachchan production, I'd have a look at it," Suman recalled, as quoted by The Times of India.

Suman praised Jaya Bachchan's hands-on approach, noting that she regularly visited the sets and took an active interest in the show's development. "She was completely hands on. She'd come on the set and supervise. She took personal interest in it, which was very encouraging to see," he said, as quoted by The Times of India.

The sitcom went on to become one of the most remembered television shows of the 1990s and played an important role in Suman's career, according to The Times of India.

Early TV debut and reluctance

Suman's television debut actually predated 'Dekh Bhai Dekh' by several years. He appeared in the 1984 show 'Wah Janaab', written by Sharad Joshi, who also penned Suman's Bollywood debut 'Utsav'. Suman said he was "dead against television" at the time and hoped TV producers wouldn't call him. He agreed to do 'Wah Janaab' because he found the script "so good" and had "huge regards" for Sharad Joshi.

"I found it very embarrassing and awkward to say no to Sharad Joshi because I had huge regards for him. Everybody told me to not do TV at the start of my career. But I said, 'To hell with it,'" he said on SCREEN Spotlight, as reported by The Indian Express.

Ideating with the Bachchans

Beyond the professional collaboration, Suman also spent time with Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan at their Gulmohar Park house in Delhi, ideating for hours, according to both The Indian Express and The Times of India. He also did another TV show with Jaya Bachchan's production house directed by Ramesh Talwar, as reported by The Indian Express.

Recent work

On the work front, Suman was recently seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Heeramandi', hosts a YouTube talk show 'Shekhar Tonite', and founded the Shekhar Suman Film Academy, an acting institute, according to The Times of India.