Sooraj Barjatya backs Rupali Ganguly’s call for National Awards for TV actors, says 'TV is an art form and demands immense hard work'

Sooraj Barjatya supports National Awards for TV sctors

Television actress Rupali Ganguly recently stirred debate by suggesting that the National Awards should acknowledge the contribution of television actors, who, she argued, work every bit as hard as their counterparts in film.

Now, filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya has spoken out in agreement, supporting the idea that TV artistes deserve recognition at the same level.

Responding to Rupali’s comments in an interview with Telly Talk India, Barjatya said he completely agreed.

“I believe they should. TV is an art form, and it demands immense hard work. If you visit a TV set, you’ll see – it’s a minimum of 12–14 hours of continuous work. In films, actors still get breathers, but in TV, actors must continuously live their roles, and directors must constantly shoot under restrictions, yet create something touching. If I were asked to direct one episode, I’d take a week! So yes, National Awards should include television actors.”

He further highlighted that while National Awards are now presented to everyone from film stars to content creators, television artistes are still overlooked.

“There are National Awards for everyone from film stars to content creators. But there’s nothing for TV artistes. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, others had the advantage of delaying their shooting schedules, but we kept working. When a film star works continuously, it makes headlines. But no one talked about how we, the TV artists, worked non-stop from 6 am to 6 pm during the pandemic. I request the government to consider us also. We work very hard; it would be nice to have some validation.”

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Meanwhile, Sooraj Barjatya’s Rajshri Productions has made a comeback to television after a five-year break with Manpasand Ki Shaadi. The series follows Aarohi Shinde, played by Esha Suryawanshi, who questions her family’s traditional views on marriage and insists on choosing her own partner. Co-starring Akshun Mahajan as the male lead, the show explores themes of generational conflict, tradition versus modernity, and the pressures of family expectations.

As for Rupali Ganguly, she continues to lead one of Indian television’s most successful shows, Anupamaa. Since premiering in 2020 under producer Rajan Shahi, it has consistently topped TRP charts and remains a staple in Indian households.