This CID shuns over-exposure -- Shivaji Satam

When you think of Shivaji Satam you immediately conjure up the image of an honest crime investigating officer. It was way back in 1988 that Shivaji Satam dominated the small screen with the Marathi serial Ek Shunya Shunya which had him playing a detective. 100 inspite of being a Marathi serial had immense viewership which could be compared with that of Ramayana according to the maker. Now, for the past two years Satam is being seen on Sony TV playing a similar role in the crime investigative thriller CID, produced and directed by B P Singh.

Satam who has a theatrical background started with children’s theatre in 1977. He even won Maharashtra State Government award for the Best Actor in 1997 for the play Dhayani Mani. “I lived in Byculla in my early days. Out there Ganesh Utsav was celebrated in a big way. There would be variety shows and plays organized for entertainment of the masses. It was from there that I developed an interest in theatre,” he explains.

Talking about his association with B P Singh, he says it dates back to the days when Singh was with Doordarshan shooting a drama in which Satam acted. Since then they seemed to have formed a successful creative partnership.

Satam is an actor who has acted in Hindi, Marathi as well as English serials/films/dramas. “Acting in different languages is a different experience each time,” he says. “As an actor your perspective changes everytime you act in a new language. I played a Maharashtrian character in A Mouthful Of Sky. I have also done two English movies English August and Split Wide Open with Dev Benegal. I acted in Kshitij by Singh, Aakar and Choo Mantar all of which were Marathi serials.”

Satam has been acting in a lot of films. Infact he does more movies than television. “I feel too much of television is not good for an actor. When you are over exposed, the viewers tend to lose interest. Presently CID is my only serial on air. It is an interesting role and I enjoy it a lot. Films offer me a wider platform to portray myself in a different role each time,” he confesses.
Among all the film directors he has worked with so far, he admries Mahesh Manjerakar the most. Both Singh and Mahesh have been his long time associates and according to him, B P Singh is one of the best directors on television.

As a matter of fact, all the actors on the sets of CID seem to be pleased working with a director like Singh. Ashwini Pandey, Daya Shetty and Aditya Shrivastava all echo Satam’s feelings.

Satam has done movies like Ghulam-e-Mustafa, Pukaar, and the much talked about Nidaan by Mahesh Manjerakar which deals with a sensitive issue. It’s been a great going so far for the talented actor.

Lopamudra Bhattacharya