Mohd Iqbal Khan: There are limitations on TV, you cannot do a lot of things

It is often hard for actors to choose between the three mediums — films, TV or web — when it comes to which one offers the most variety. For actor Mohammad Iqbal Khan, each one of these mediums have their own charm. But he feels there are too many limitations on TV.

“From a creative point of view, for any artiste today — be it actor, director or writer — there is more freedom on web. Then come films. TV has all these limitations because now you cannot do a lot of things on it,” quips the 40-year-old, who was seen in the web show Crackdown, and will be seen next in Jalsa, with actor Vidya Balan.

Ask Khan why TV can’t take many risks and he feels it is because the small screen is a family-centric medium. And this, he believes, is one of the reasons which compels actors to branch out to different mediums.

“In India, people watch TV together with their family, so the content has to be like that. Lots of channels’ research says women watch a lot of TV, that’s why a lot of stuff is made for women. So nobody is really wrong. If you feel the need to venture out, you should,” says Khan, who has starred in TV shows such as Kaisa Yeh Pyaar Hai and Waaris.

So, does he also agree that since TV shows go on for a long time, it can get repetitive for an actor, enough to burnout?

“I really don’t know. Everyone looks at things differently,” he replies, adding, “If you had asked me this question maybe 10 years ago, the answer would have been different, I don’t know what my answer will be after 10 years. But I feel as an actor, whatever you are doing at that point of time, you are doing it because you are committed to it… unless and until there is a creative fallback.”