From playing a "divorce expert" to flashing six-pack abs are child actors on the small screen growing up' too soon?
The small screen's little stars seem to be a terribly precocious lot. A few years ago, Avika Gor raised eyebrows when she played a child bride in the show Balika Vadhu, and later, a mature housewife when she was in her mid-teens in Sasural Simar Ka. But take a look at the shows on air now, and you'll find little stars indulging in some pretty grown-up role-playing.
The most recent example of this is 13-year-old Siddharth Nigam being depicted with six-pack abs in his new TV show Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat. Then, on Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, seven-year-old Ruhanika Dhawan aka Ruhi deals very sensibly of her onscreen parents' divorce, while in Udaan, Spandan Chaturvedi (7), plays a bonded labourer.
Siddharth, who was previously seen in Dhoom 3 doesn't seem to think that sporting six-pack abs is a big deal. "I learnt sword fighting and horse riding for Ashoka and worked on my look and body to get into the character. I'm careful about my diet. Yes, the show has many tough stunts; but being a gymnast, they aren't too tough for me. My previous show Mahakumbh too required me to have six-pack abs," he told us.
Siddharth's dream is to win an Olympic medal for India and is training towards it.
Producers say that while child actors may sometimes essay mature roles, they are aware (as are their families) that it is all playacting. "It doesn't affect them in real life," says producer Sudhir Sharma, adding that they do try to be careful about the dialogues the child stars are given and their study/exam schedules are always given priority. Sudhir worked with child actors in Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha.
Another director, Ravindra Gautam (of Bade Achhe Lagte Hain fame) says he implements certain rules on his sets: No age-inappropriate portrayals for child cast members, no heavy dialogues. He also points out, "Children on set are well taken care of. Everything is adjusted as per their schedules. They are pampered and given separate rooms."
Young star Ruhanika Dhawan's mother, Dolly Dhawan, says that they don't let her get affected by content on the show: "She once asked us what does baanjh' (a woman who cannot conceive) mean? We told her she doesn't need to know. After working in the show, she knows what divorce is, but she also knows her real family is a happy one."
Dolly says that Ruhanika has fixed shoot hours, and she reports to the YHM sets only post-5 pm. Homework is done on the sets, with co-stars like Divyanka Tripathi often supervising. Teachers and the YHM team extend their full support to the young actress.
Siddharth Nigam also takes a two-hour break between his shoots, to catch up on schoolwork.
Producer and director Rajan Shahi feels that the children of today shouldn't be thought of as the ones who grew up 20 years ago, with very little exposure. He feels if a child actor is comfortable with what he/she is doing, there isn't reason to worry.
"There are children who train rigorously for excelling in swimming, tennis, cricket etc. (Then why not in acting?) If they can maintain a balance and parents are supportive, (it's fine)," says Shahi. However, he adds that show makers shouldn't ask their child actors to do anything they wouldn't want their own kids to. "Children are sensitive to certain things and this should be considered while devising a show," he says.
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