Varun Badola answers if Ekta Kapoor ruined Indian television forever, says he spoke to her about it: ‘Sunne waalon mein se nahi hai'

Indian Express

05-06-2025

Actor Varun Badola has been a celebrated name on Indian television for years, and has recently started branching out on streaming. In a recent interview, Varun spoke about the state of Indian television, and addressed Ekta Kapoor's influence on the medium over the years. He said that he spoke to Ekta once about the kind of shows that she was producing, but he realised that she isn't the kind of person who was willing to listen.
Giving his views on Ekta, 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 your own money and make it, and she wasn't wrong. You have to deal with so much pressure otherwise.'
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'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 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. But they overruled her and started the show,' Varun added.
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Further explaining if he thought these comments would upset Ekta, Varun Badola said, 'With Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, 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.'