New Delhi: The trailer launch of The Bengal Files turned into more than just a film event. Actress Pallavi Joshi opened up about the changing face of Indian television. Her candid remarks drew attention to how far the industry has drifted from its roots, with Doordarshan once being a benchmark for quality content.
Reminiscing about her early years in the industry, Pallavi said, “I call it the good old days of Doordarshan. Because when Doordarshan started, it was called sponsored programmes. And very good, good directors came on television. There was Govind Nilani, there was Shamba Nigal, there was Ramesh Sippy, there was Sudhanshu Mishra, there was Basu Chatterjee, and there was Yash Chopra.”
She reflected on the experimental era of the 1980s and early 1990s when directors approached the medium with different perspectives. According to The Kashmir Files star, “A lot of people didn’t know how to handle television. Some people handled it like theatre, some people handled it like cinema. Very progressive stories used to come. And those were the days of good old weeklies. So we used to shoot four episodes for 12–15 days.”
Pallavi Joshi criticises daily soaps
Her sharpest criticism, however, was directed at the rise of daily soaps, which she believes has degraded content. “But since this daily soap has come, television has become a monster which has to be fed. And then no one sees what you feed. Fast food, fried food, extremely unhealthy food which is being sold in the market. Extremely unhealthy substance which I don’t think should be, you know… Most of it is not worthy of watching because you don’t take anything good. But I hope that the days of good old weeklies come back and Doordarshan comes back.”
Pallavi Joshi’s work front
Pallavi Joshi is a celebrated Indian actress known for her powerful performances across television and films. She rose to prominence with iconic Doordarshan shows such as Bharat Ek Khoj, Mr Yogi, Justajoo, Alpviram and Rishtey.
In cinema, she has delivered acclaimed performances in films like Andha Yudh, Rukmavati Ki Haveli, Swaraaj, and Trishagni. More recently, she has been widely recognised for her impactful roles in The Tashkent Files and The Kashmir Files, which earned her a National Award for Best Supporting Actress. She will now be seen in the upcoming film The Bengal Files, which is set to hit the theatres on September 5.