On International Women’s Day, which is celebrated on March 8, producer Deepa Shahi took time out to visit her office, Director’s Kut Productuions (DKP) and Shahi Productions Pvt Ltd, and spend time with the women employees there. At 81, she definitely is an inspiration for everyone around her, and her unbeatable dedication and passion towards her work transcend into the success that her show Anupamaa, which she is co-producing with her son Rajan Shahi’s, has achieved.
She donned the producer’s hat at the age of 78 with Shahi Productions Pvt. Ltd. And Rajan couldn’t be more proud of her, her new achievements, so he called her his lucky mascot.
Rajan spoke about his mother’s debut production venture, Anupamaa, and how it has impacted society. He said, “Anupamaa has made a huge impact on what she says our value systems are. I believe that a show should have entertainment, and drama, but it’s also very important to impart some value systems through it and show the progressive side of a woman’s journey, like the family, and relationships. And then, of course, Anupamaa became a trendsetter, a game changer, and I think that a lot of the good luck factor happened because it was my first co-production with my mother, Deepa Shahi. I consider my mother my lucky mascot.”
He pointed out that the story was such that he wanted a woman of experience, who is a homemaker but is still empowering others around her, and he couldn’t think of anyone but his mother.
“Anupamaa is a woman-oriented story of a homemaker, and I thought it had to be co-produced by a housemaker, a woman who has seen a lot in life and has always come out of it with a lot of courage, determination, and self-integrity. So I thought my mom should be more of a producer, and I should be a co-producer. Mom’s presence as a producer or involvement as a producer, and her producing the show got that X factor, the luck factor, and also ‘Maa Ka Aashirwad’. As we all say, Anupamaa is not only a show but also ‘Maa Ka Aashirwad’, it’s my mother’s first production venture with me,” he said.
In all the years that he has spent and will spend as a producer, he consciously strives to bring out shows that leave an impression on the viewers with a powerful message, from loving your family to empowering women. He said, “As a producer, I’ve done shows that have a positive message, whether through the character or the depiction. In fact, from Sapna Babul Ka… Bidaai onwards, when I started up production house Director’s Kut Production, I believed it had to be a complete family entertainment, for every age group, from your grandparents to your uncle, aunties, and even children, you can watch the show together.“
His characters are tailor-made for society to start a conversation and engage in women’s empowerment.
“All characters have been very good, be it Anupamaa (from Anupamaa), Abhira (from Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai), Vandana (Baatein Kuch Ankahi Si) we have always tried to hear a woman’s point of view. I think a family should be comfortable watching it together and discussing the issues we have touched on in all our shows. I know shows like with Anupamaa, and I feel it has started a conversation at family get-togethers on what has happened and how it should be dealt with. I feel it is undoubtedly one of the most impactful shows on television currently, and I’m extremely proud of my lucky mascot, my co-producer Deepa Shahi, who turned producer three years ago at the age of 78,” he ended.
