After a 4year long hiatus, well know director Anurag Basu (of Tara and Koshish- Ek Asha fame) is back on the sets with SAB TV's, Love Story.

Why did you stop directing TV serals after 'Koshish'?
As a creative person, I cannot do the same stuff over and over again. Today, on television people just repackage the old stories and present them to the viewers. I am sorry, but I really cannot not be a part of this unhappy situation.

So is 'Love Story' genuinely different?
See, it's almost impossible to tell a brand new story that's never been done before, but what we can do is, present the story differently. Our story for this serial is based on the campus-romance of the protagonists (played by Mishal Raheja and Payal Sarkar), which falls victim to political and social machinations.

We even explore how the separation of the parents (Harsh Chaya and Rupa Ganguly) affects their child (Akash) over the years. Also, we will be looking the goon and gun culture prevalent in today's colleges. I will not be showing fictious colleges, where everything is sweet and hunky dory.

Why do you think the Content-quality is dropping these days?
What do you expect when serials are shot a few days before they are supposed to go on air? Ideally a serial maker should be given six months time during which work on a good story and create a sufficient bank. But here we start with just with 10 episodes canned, and so the shortage continues, till the very end, affecting the over all quality.

What do you to say about today's TV stars?
They are just like prostitutes! All they are interested is how much they can make per day. Hence they run from shoot to shoot, without really bothering about the quality of their work. It's because of this very behavior, that TV stars have a short span of life. They only shine until their serial is on, or until they are replaced.

How do you think one can replicate the success of the Saas-Bahu sagas?
Simple, find a few old Hindi-film stories and incorporate them in your serial. This is what Ekta has been doing successfully over the years. Even my Balaji hit, 'Koshish', was based on Jeentendra's 'Jyoti'.

Why do you think most film folk shun TV? And what made you decide otherwise?
You see, I will never degrade a fast-growing medium. But the main problem, at least in technical department, is that nobody knows whose the director. And all creative people hanker for recognition; which is why many of my friend's have quit television for the big screen.

Most of the shows even have a certain 'creative director'?
God! These guys interfere in every aspect of serial making. And the worst part is that they have no creative bone in their body.

Do you think the prevailing trends in television will change ?
Yes it will – it has always been a cycle of sorts. Till some years ago, mythological serials ruled the roost and now we have the family dramas. Possibly, next the genre of reality television will dominate.

What type of reality show will run?
Talent show's like 'Indian Idol' and 'Saregama', which show the rag to riches story have a greater chance at success.

What about 'Big Boss'?
'Big Boss' did not do too well. It could be either because the chosen celebrities were not up to the mark. Or, maybe because since the real-stuff was not aired due to our cultural sensibility and that is what makes such reality shows click. - Anil Merani