Veteran actor Varun Badola reacts to whether Ekta Kapoor ruined the Indian Television's content; says 'she changed the face of it, whether for the good or the bad'

has been a well-known actor on Indian television for many years, and he has just begun to explore streaming options. In a recent interview, Varun discussed the condition of Indian television and
's long-standing effect on the medium.
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He stated that he spoke with Ekta once about the types of shows she was making, but he concluded she wasn't the type of person who would listen.
Varun shared his thoughts about Ekta during his chat on the Zindagi with Richa YouTube channel. Varun said, "More than spoiling the content on TV, Ekta Kapoor changed the face of Indian television, whether for the good or the bad. She went from strength to strength because the shows were earning money.
In our industry, when corporates get involved, they don't care about the art form; they just want to earn money. Once Ekta had said in an interview that if you want to make a show your way, put in your own money and make it, and she wasn't wrong.
You have to deal with so much pressure otherwise."
Varun further quipped about the shows and their audience, "I don't agree when people say that the B-tier and C-tier audience likes to watch regressive content.
When good shows came on DD, people were still watching them. In the lockdown, the Mahabharat and Ramayana were watched so much. The regressive shows, I think, people see them as comedic. Ekta saw an opportunity and she seized it. Hum Paanch, Koshish… Ek Aasha were her shows, and I discussed it with a lady at Star Plus who was against Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.
She was educated and wondered if it would be right to show the audience content like that.
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But they overruled her and started the show."
Varun went on to explain whether any of his comments upset Ekta Kapoor and his different approach towards TV shows and their content, "With
, she said it was similar in the Kyunki space, even sets looked alike, but she was again overruled. And see how the shows became mammoths. Balika Vadhu was a much better show, it had different sensibilities. People do get influenced by TV, so the first thing we were always told was that the show has to be aspirational.
In the very beginning, I had expressed my disapproval to Ekta with regards to content, but I had figured out then itself that she is not the kind of person who would listen.
"
"I was just an actor then. She seized an opportunity, and as a businesswoman, she had every right to do that. I don't agree with a single show of hers, I had even told her that I would go and do something else other than her show. After Koshish, I didn't do anything with Balaji until Apharan. She knows I am an actor with a very different mindset," he added.

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