Anil Kapoor in 24

24 aired its Season I finale last Saturday. Are you as depressed as fans of the show are?

(Laughs) I’ve been in Dubai for quite some time now and through Twitter, I have been getting feedback on how people didn’t want the show to end. Most of them are like, ‘What do we do now on weekends?’ I, for one, will miss playing Jai Singh Rathore for a few months. But for me, it’s been a break from the show for a while now because I have been here shooting for Welcome Back (with John Abraham). I will be back in Mumbai in January.

That’s when all the planning for the second season of 24 will start… the scripting, the screenplay, the casting…. It’s been a fabulous journey, this one year. Made a lot of friends… the whole team has become like a family. That it’s ended is bittersweet… there’s always the next season to look forward to.

When you started out, did you ever think it would become so popular?

To be honest with you, when I was shooting, I knew that this subject… this script… the character of Rathore… would click. It’s a format that’s worked all over the world… so there must be something magical in it, you know. I knew that the right team would do the trick. When I got the team on board, I knew that something magical would happen. But yes, the unanimous response has taken me by surprise… very, very pleasantly. I am pleased, very proud of 24.

What was the high point of the 24 journey for you?

I am happy that whatever I set out to do, I managed to do that without compromising a bit in any way… emotionally, financially, physically…. I just didn’t look back. I went in thinking that no matter what happens, I had to go into this all guns blazing. There was a time when I fell ill, but I didn’t stop to rest for even a day. I was like a horse with blinkers… you can call it madness! (Laughs)

The wrap-up party that we had for 24 was so memorable. I have been to many premiere and wrap-up parties all over the world, but this was one party where everyone seemed so happy and proud of what they had been part of. People were coming up and thanking me for bringing 24 to India. It was so satisfying for me as producer and actor to see something like this.

Looking back, is there anything that you would have done differently? Anything that you think is a lesson for Season 2?

Ya, of course! There is a list of dos and don’ts that we have come up with. 24 is a massive production… keeping track of everything — the emotional continuity… the physical continuity… the logistics. A production of this scale had never been attempted before on Indian TV. But there are so many things that we could have done better in every department and hopefully, we will correct all that in Season 2. The writers, the director Abhinay (Deo), the channel (Colors), me… all of us have to make Season 2 even better.

Do you think 24 has revolutionised television or is the term used a little loosely since it is just one season old?

To be honest, Season I has just been a feel of what things are to come. I don’t want to say things like I have done the ultimate thing for Indian television. This is just a small step and a little bit of a nudge for future writers and producers to at least try and attempt something new. We must learn to respect the audience… no one can take the audience for granted. When it comes to setting a trend, I can proudly say that it’s a show that can be watched anywhere in the world. 24 has brought in the youth audience that had completely stopped watching Indian television. That has been a huge achievement for us. And somewhere, I feel, that success can’t be measured.

How’s it been shooting for Welcome Back in Dubai?

After 24, this feels like a holiday! I feel that I go to a spa everyday (laughs). When it comes to backbreaking work, nothing can beat 24. Not even films.

Priyanka Roy

How can 24 improve in Season 2? Send in your suggestions at t2@abp.in and we will share them with Anil Kapoor