Harsh Chhaya recalls times when TV shoots meant 8-hour shifts and fixed weekends off

Mumbai, May 7 Veteran star Harsh Chhaya, at his candid best, reflected on the changing work culture in the television industry.

He recalled a time when actors would shoot for only eight hours a day, with both Saturdays and Sundays off, despite dealing with the same amount of workload as they do now.

In an exclusive conversation with IANS, the actor spoke about how television schedules were once far more balanced despite delivering successful yet hectic and long-running content.

“It used to be a lot of work even back then, but we worked only for eight hours because the industry functioned that way. An episode would air every week and people today cannot believe that we used to shoot daily from 9 am to 6 pm with Saturdays and Sundays off,” shared Harsh.

Talking further about the disciplined schedules during his early years of television, he elaborated, “We shot like this for almost two-and-a-half to three years. It was not as if we didn't work hard. The shoots were simply prepared in a more organised way. We used to shoot from 9 to 6 and weekends were off.”

He quipped, “If a new scene came in at 5:30 PM, we would worry that it might stretch till 7, because the shift was supposed to end by then. But there is a huge difference today. Now people work 12-hour shifts and are still constantly fighting against time because shows need to air five days a week.”

Talking about Harsh Chhaya, the actor has been a part of the entertainment industry for over three decades and is known for his powerful performances across television, films and OTT.

He gained immense popularity through shows like ‘Hasratein’, ‘Tara’, ‘Koshish - Ek Aashaa’, ‘Margarita’, and many other hit projects.

Apart from television, Harsh has also featured in films like Company, Corporate, Fashion and many others.

Currently, the actor has been receiving praise for his performance in the OTT series Undekhi, which also stars Varun Badola and Gautam Rode.

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