(From top) Nausheen Ali Sardar, Kulraaj Randhawa and Ronit Roy

There is no doubt about the fact that a new and a saleable face attracts attention. Maybe that’s the reason why channels and production houses try to hire an actor in such a way that he or she becomes their property for a stipulated period of time.

Actors under an exclusivity contract can’t take up outside work and have to remain happy with a fixed amount of money (big money though!). This trend brings to mind the studio system that ruled Hollywood before the star system happened. In India, too, the trend was there with most studios like Bombay Talkies having actors as salaried employees.

The soap factory, Balaji Telefilms, prefers to have actors sign the exclusivity contract with them. That way the person devotes his /her whole time to the company’s soaps and in return the company gives him/her name, fame and moolah.

Actress Rucha Gujrati (launched by Balaji Telefilms Kkusum) bore the brunt of breach of contract when she signed UTV’s Bhabi at the same time as Kkusum. Balaji boss Ekta Kapoor was miffed and retaliated. Thankfully things were brushed under the carpet with an amicable but secret agreement.

Nausheen Ali Sardar who was bound by a Star TV contract faced a similar situation when she decided to make a comeback to Kkusum. Nausheen was doing the obscure Star serial Kaalchakra at that time and going back to the much successful Kkusum was a wise career move. But, alas, that wasn’t supposed to happen as her contract with Star did not allow her to appear in a show for Sony.

So what do the actors say about these contracts? Actor Amit Varma was bound by a contract by Star One for a year when he was doing Hotel Kingston. “It did not apply to all actors, though. They wanted some of us to be the exclusive faces of Star for a year. Since I do one show at a time, I was okay with it. Moreover, it was nice as they paid me extra money. It happens with production houses too but actually to each his own. Till the time you get good experience it is all right. But I am not signing any contracts anymore (he is doing Kituu Sabb Jaantii Hai on Sahara now)’’.

Kulraaj Randhawa had signed an exclusivity contract during her year long stint with Zee TV, when she was doing the sitcom Kareena Kareena. “See, for shows like Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin and Kareena Kareena which have a single female protagonist, the channel can’t afford to let them work elsewhere because they are like a brand asset. They are justified in a way because if these exclusive faces work elsewhere, people won’t be interested in these shows, right? But importantly the time period should not be very long. If within the stipulated the exposure and promotion is good (as in my case), then it makes sense,” says the perky actress.

It was decided that actor Ronit Roy had to remain in Sarrkkar till the death of his character in the serial. He had a hard time when he was sandwiched between an offended Ekta Kapoor (for whom her was doing two K serials) and Zee TV (Sarrkkar was launched in April last year and his character died in September).

“It’s agreeable if both parties are okay with it and it is done mutually.” But about the contracts that he had signed, he chooses not to talk about. “Let’s not get into that,” he says. Then that’s what most actors prefer, not to talk about their contracts.

Mandira Bedi the (very beautiful) face of Sony-Set Max is supposedly the brand ambassador of Sony but had the freedom to do a Sahara show ? Dial One Aur Jeeto. But Jassi...star Mona Singh agreed to be a property of the channel till the end of the show. So the system is not same for everyone. New actors are more likely to sign long-term exclusivity contracts while established names choose to chain their freedom less.

In this respect one can also mention the so-called camps which exist in Bollywood. There are Bollywood actors too who choose to remain loyal to their set of directors and producers. For example the Ram Gopal Varma camp doesn’t want its actors (who they launch or re-launch) to work for outside banners. But then it happens more in television than in films.

Aashish Kaul, Vice President, Brand Development, Zee TV says, “Independent acting works more in films as films are performance driven, TV is more of a writer’s medium. A Smriti Iraani is not hot selling outside the character of Tulsi. In television people are not crazy about stars, but for characters. So what is true for TV may not be true for films and vice versa. This (exclusivity contracts), is more of an experiment like other experiments.’’

Apart from actors like Kulraaj, Zee TV also has the winners of the Zee Cine Stars Ki Khoj Contest, Shawar and Aditi, under contract (in spite of the fact that not much has been done for them). Veteran director Ravi Rai says, “It doesn’t happen much in the production houses (barring Balaji) and it happens more in channels like Star and Sony. It takes a lot of money to take care of a star. It’s a costly affair. I think it will just coexist as it is not easy to own a star.’’