TOI:I look up to Ekta as a mentor-Prashant Bhatt

Prashant Bhatt, started his acting career as child star in 'Kachchi Dhoop' and is best remembered for his role in 'Kyunkii...Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi'. It has been through an impressive drift from acting to creative direction to fiction head of a GEC. He was in Ahmedabad for a promotional trip when TOI caught him in a chatty mode. Excerpts from the conversation:

Now that you are not facing the camera. So aren't you missing it?
Not yet. I have been away from the camera since last three years. I'm not been tempted so far to act again. I really don't know when will it be next when I face the camera. But, it is funny to observe that whenever I'm going out for promotional trips (as fiction head), many viewers and media persons still think I'm part of the particular show (which we may promote) as an actor.

You are enjoying this new phase as creative honcho, isn't it?
Absolutely! It is a new learning process for me. As a creative head at production house, I wasn't able to give a creative insight for promotion of a show. It is now that I'm involved in market research, promotional strategy along with giving my inputs for the betterment of fiction shows. Earlier, it was one or two shows that I could tag as my baby; but now — all the fiction shows of the channel are my babies and need equal attention. There have been good and bad points in this stint but that's the learning. Importantly, this phase is creatively satisfying and I'm not feeling any major difference because I'm dealing with same persons from the industry with whom I've worked for 12 years.

You worked for Ekta Kapoor's creative team for long. How's your rapport with her?Ekta is someone who's closest to me in the TV industry. We share a cool bond. We keep meeting many times for dinner and keep discussing creative insights. I look up to her as a mentor, guide. In fact, our channel is in talks with her production house to work on a fiction venture.

And what next on your aspiration list?
I don't have an aspiration list. Television started as a hobby for me —and I love channelising my creative energies.Usually people look at films as a step forward in creativity. Film scripting needs patience as the continuous process of re-drafting goes on till it is shot. I don't have patience for all that. I enjoy small screen's pace of work. It's so much fun!