Chetan Hansraj Recalls Gruelling TV Days: ‘I Worked 22 Hours Non-Stop, Took Nap On Sets'

News18

a day ago

Chetan Hansraj recalls working 22-hour days for three years in early 2000s TV, calling it a transformative experience.
At the height of Indian television's early 2000s boom, when Ekta Kapoor's productions dominated prime time, actors and crews often worked at an unforgiving pace to keep up with the industry's soaring output. Actor Chetan Hansraj, a familiar face in several Balaji Telefilms dramas of that era, has recalled just how demanding the schedule was and why he still considers it one of the best periods of his life.
Speaking to Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel, Hansraj revealed that during the early years of his television career, he was juggling three shows at the same time – Kkusum, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, and Kya Hadsaa Kya Haqeeqat. 'I was doing three shows at once. I was shooting non-stop. I used to shoot 22-hours-a-day for those 2-3 years in the beginning, non-stop. I would take a nap whenever I got a chance. I would sleep in between shots. I used to carry on like that," he said.
He explained that while he occasionally managed a day off, about once every week or two, it was usually only when exhaustion forced him to slow down. Otherwise, he worked continuously, moving from set to set with barely any rest.
Unlike some of his peers who have spoken critically of the long hours, Hansraj described those years as invaluable. 'It was the most amazing experience of my life," he said, referring to the early 2000s as the 'golden period of television."
Expressing gratitude to Ekta Kapoor for giving him the opportunity, he shared how quickly his career and financial situation improved. 'When 2004 started, my bank balance wasn't that great. In fact, it was too weak. But, by the end of 2004, I got married, I bought a house in Bandra and I bought a car, my first car so my life was transformed," he recalled.
Hansraj's memories echo accounts from other television stars who worked during the same period. Shweta Tiwari, who played the lead in Kasautii Zindagii Kay, recently told Bharti Singh on her YouTube channel that she sometimes filmed for 72 hours without a break. 'Our industry was known for the fact that no one ever used to sleep or take rest. I used to shoot for 72 hours straight, without a break. After working a 30-day schedule, I used to get payment for 45 days, and that is because my first shift used to be from 7 in the morning to 7 in the evening, and the second shift was from 7 in the evening to 2 am in the morning," she said.
Actor Krystle D'Souza has also spoken about extreme work hours, telling Siddharth Kannan that she once worked for 60 hours straight, even fainting on set from exhaustion. 'I have fainted on the sets so many times. The team had to call for an ambulance. I would get IV drips and medicines, and go back to shoot. There was no time even go to the hospital, (laughs) they would bring the hospital on set," she said.
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