Shaleen Malhotra debuts as director with Seven And A Half Dates

Acting may be his strength but writing runs just as deep for Shaleen Malhotra who catapulted to fame with his breakout role in Arjun 2012 The actor has now stepped deeper into the world of storytelling by launching his production house Luck Films with close friend and codirector Suyyash Rai Three years of crafting ad films have paved the way for his first series Seven And A Half Dates headlined by Karan Wahi and Surbhi Jyoti In conversation with midday the debutant director shares how the dream took shape and why he chose to build it with friendsExcerpts from the interviewWhen did you decide to launch your own production houseI think it was always the plan When I entered the industry I had thought that when I turned 35 I should have my own production house I had just said it out loud to the universe I didnrsquot know things would conspire and it would happen I started with making ads three years ago Seven And A Half Dates is the first show I really wanted to make something liberatingLR Surbhi Jyoti Suyyash Rai behind Karan Wahi on the set of lsquoSeven And A Half DatesrsquoWould you say this is an outlet for the actor in youI think this is just one way of showing to the world that beyond acting there is also a writer inside me It is creatively very satisfying which is something I realised when I was on set When you manage to create something yoursquove imagined that satisfaction is very high I now know what a director feels when actors give a good take Itrsquos a very liberating experienceOnce you decided to take this step what did you learn about yourself and the work you doI always thought I was very restless and an impatient guy I still am especially on set but I learnt that I can also be patient From producing ads to directing Seven And A Half Dates I didnrsquot realise I could be patient There is a childlike energy in me They call me the energizer bunny on set But I have become more patient waiting for a project to see the light of day to cast people It was new to me because I have never been on the other side An ad campaign gets done within a month A show could easily take months mdash from creating casting selling the idea to getting a team together We took about eight months for the show I also learnt that I am not a bad writer But I never thought I could directWhen did you begin training as a directorI learnt it on the set People who Irsquove worked with helped me I have always loved to observe So when I was acting on set since my first show Irsquove always been observing and asking questions But I never knew it would help me as a directorDid you ever feel like quittingNot at all Because I know I didnrsquot write this story to sell People who know me know that I can write There was a time when I used to read a lot and write poems Irsquove always been a writer but Irsquove never gone public with it I wrote this story because it came alive in my mind I wrote it for me Of course I took help to write the screenplay Dialogues have always been my strength Suyyash one of my closest friends heard it and that was thatMany people avoid mixing business and friendship Were you hesitant at allNo Suyyash is someone I can collaborate with happily I know that even if someday I call him and say not to do it he will not ask another question We are like brothers looking after each other This is the first time wersquore working together and it happens to be both our debuts in direction and productionWhat did your risk parameter say when you startedI have always been a risk taker I only follow my gut Sometimes it backfires but if I change myself then I also change the positives that came along by following my gut The risk was high It will be high until the show is out But I had a feeling that if I made it from the heart people would love itWhat is Seven And A Half Dates about And were Wahi and Jyoti your first choicesI think itrsquos a piece that will touch everyonersquos heart for sure Itrsquos relatable new and conversational Itrsquos a love story ultimately I wanted to work with friends first Karan and Surbhi brought their professionalism and ideas I let them improvise to fit their dialogue delivery meterDid you knowShaleen Malhotra is now also dabbling in voice overs for dubbed Tamil and Telugu content