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Category: Fiction

  • Digital expansion is beneficial for broadcast industry: Deepak Segal

    Digital expansion is beneficial for broadcast industry: Deepak Segal

    MUMBAI: Deepak Segal has over three decades experience in the film and television industry. His repertoire of work includes key positions to drive content strategy across media giants like Fox Television Studio India, Sahara Motion Pictures, Star India and Star Plus. Now, as head of content at Applause Entertainment, Deepak Segal drives the studio’s vision of building a content hub that tells great stories across mediums, catering to millions.

    Apart from creating good content, Segal is extremely passionate about aeroplanes. In fact, he has an encyclopaedic knowledge of aircraft – be they World War II fighters or more modern airplanes. Segal was in the air force before he ventured into the broadcast industry. As the son of prolific Bollywood director Mohan Sehgal (who launched Rekha in Sawan Bhadon), he had film-making in his veins, and eventually decided to follow in his father’s footsteps.

    With Applause Entertainment riding high on the success of Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, Segal spent some time with Indiantelevision.com’s Shikha Singh, sharing his thoughts on OTT content and the broadcast industry, how it has evolved, and much more.

    Excerpts from the interview:

    On handling Covid2019:

    The Covid2019 pandemic is disrupting every industry. Due to the lockdown we stopped filming Criminal Justice. We have restarted the shoot 15 days back by strictly adhering to all the protocols laid down by the government. The pandemic has slowed down the overall process. We coordinated post production work over Zoom calls. The editing and soundtrack was completed remotely.

    For Scam 1992, we had barely finished the shooting when the virus struck; all the additional work like audio, soundtrack, visual effects and sound design happened during the lockdown. The team that was working on it stepped up during this new norm and we delivered the story in record time. The Applause Entertainment and SonyLiv teams did a brilliant job to make it happen.

    On the studio’s content strategy:

    At Applause Entertainment, we made a conscious decision to invest in creative content rather than make a pilot, develop concept around it and commission it. We have put all our creative and financial minds to make it work. Also, it is like a new way of working in the industry where you get the confidence in the platform as they are investing huge money into it. Now, we are in a position to partner with OTT platforms for scripted shows. In a way, you have proved to them that you can create a premium drama that India requires. So far we have 15 shows on air and it has worked for us in many ways. We are also in the process of developing the Indian version of the super hit British psychological drama series Luther. Currently, we are in the writing process. We are also developing The Seeker, it’s a bigger project than we’re used to and we are working with international writers for this.

    On upcoming original series Call My Agent:

    Call My Agent is the Indian adaptation of French workplace comedy Dix Pour Cent (Call My Agent), originally created by Fanny Herrero and showrunner Cedric Klapisch and represented by TF1 Studio and France TV Distribution. Narrated through the POV of four high-profile agents of celebrities, Call My Agent will tell the behind-the-scenes stories of the magic and the madness that keeps the star system running. Fragile egos, manipulation, shenanigans and insecurities come to the fore as the agents traverse the world of glitz and glamour. The series stars Rajat Kapoor, Soni Razdan, Aahana Kumra and Ayush Mehra and each episode will feature real-life celebrities who play a fun and exaggerated version of themselves. After having directed several films across genres featuring A-listers, Shaad Ali has decided to helm this project and leap into the world of premium drama storytelling. As far as the acquisition is concerned, we get formats from all sorts of markets. Acquiring an international series and adapting it to the taste of Indian audiences is also challenging. The show is set to go on the floors late October.

    On the challenges of adapting foreign IP:

    OTT has created a new set of audience that is looking for premium content. A lot of people have graduated from viewing daily soaps.

    While adapting international shows, you need to conceptualise it a little longer. The scale at which international content is filmed is very different from our scale. Every show has its own challenges. We need to adapt the characters and make it more relatable to Indian audiences. Apart from the main characters we also need to keep minute details in consideration like background, language and people. References have to be appropriate. A lot of things depend on the writing. The challenge is to make the script resonate with viewers by adding local elements. Our primary objective is to stick to the original story line. We want the story to travel across India, which is why understanding the universality of the story is crucial. 

    On the original vs adaptation conundrum:

    From the beginning we have been creating original shows. It is not like we only do adaptations, it is generally a mix of both. Undekhi, Avrodh and many other shows were original. Even when you buy the rights to a book and adapt it, you need to build the characters first and make the storyline impactful.  

    On collaborating with Banijay Asia:

    Banijay is the producer of the show Call My Agent. We are the studio and they are the producer. We have worked with them on Hostages and there are other shows in the pipeline as well. By now we have teamed up on a lot of projects, so there is a trust factor involved. For Call My Agent, Applause Entertainment holds the IP.

    On the rise in demand for OTT:

    OTT got a big boost due to the pandemic. Theatres were shut down, TV production was halted, so the only source of entertainment was OTT content. We churned out content during this period also. There are many studios who are capable of producing a huge volume of content, Applause is one such platform.
     
    On production houses shifting from linear TV to OTT:

    Yes, people are flocking to OTT content, but television shows are still immensely popular in India. Both mediums have different sets of audiences but they are not mutually exclusive. A viewer who watches linear television also watches OTT content. Various streaming platforms have become hugely popular among the Indian audience due to a number of reasons. For production houses it is always beneficial to diversify the segment and expand their footprint in the digital medium. Any expansion of the process helps to maximise the industry. Acting talent emerging on OTT content is quite phenomenal which is usually not available on film.

    On identifying stories:

    Story is one of the key factors, which is followed by the relevance and connectivity of the subject. Then we discuss with the creative team how we pan it out into 8-10 episodic series, keeping the audiences engaged and entertained with strong storytelling at its core. We observe how the characters scale and how much potential it offers us to create shades for them/build room for innovation.

    The irony is, there is nothing easy about selecting stories and how you want to tell them. While family dramedies are highly appreciated in our country, timing the witty remarks and the dynamic of character, the premise sets etc, make it imperative that they flow well. Else the simplest constructs can go unnoticed or not create an impact on the viewer.

    On picking genres:

    We are looking at all sorts of genres as we want to reach out to all buckets of audiences. Today the viewers are open in exploring different genres and as creators we want to have diverse content. With Scam 1992 – The Harshad Mehta Story we have created a financial thriller, Avrodh is a gritty and realistic account of the surgical strike, Mannphodganj Ki Binny is a dramedy set in the heartland and Hello Mini is a thriller. We are open to all sorts of genres.

    Of course, we listen to what the audience has to say. Digital has become a great way to gather insights, understand consumer psychology and their points of view on topics. It gives a leverage to mould out setup, characters and story telling.

    On competition in the content creation space:

    Competition is there in every field; you have to make sure your product stands out above all. A strong content is the deciding factor. If you are telling great stories, you will have an audience.

  • Paramount Players hires Jeremy Kramer as president

    Paramount Players hires Jeremy Kramer as president

    MUMBAI: Paramount Pictures has hired former 20th Century Studios executive Jeremy Kramer as president of Paramount Players.

    There were reports that Kramer was up for the post at the genre label, which was tasked with creating films from "unique, contemporary" voices.

    “Jeremy has a proven track record of nurturing talent, both established and new, supporting their vision and helping them execute at the highest level – from Let’s Be Cops to Kingsman to Deadpool,” said the studio’s motion picture group president Emma Watts, who previously worked with Kramer at 20th Century Fox. “There’s isn’t a movie that he’s worked on that he hasn’t made better. The challenges of ensuring that Paramount Players grows and addresses the demands of our various audiences are formidable and we know that Jeremy is up to this task and we welcome him to our team.”

    Joining Kramer at Paramount Players as senior EVP is Ashley Brucks, who has overseen both instalments of A Quiet Place and other Paramount hits. 

    “The Players team is all the more strengthened by the addition of Ashley Brucks, whose taste, relationships and expertise have been a guiding force in many of Paramount Pictures’ recent hits. We look forward to what she will accomplish in this new opportunity,” added Watts.

    Kramer began his career as a producer for Noah Baumbach’s directorial debut Kicking and Screaming in 1995. After stints at the MPCA and Orion, he was tapped as senior vice president at Miramax Films production in 1998. In 2004, Kramer joined DreamWorks, where he worked closely with Ben Stiller and Stuart Cornfeld’s Red Hour Films.

    Brucks has overseen production of several hit films at the major studio over the past decade, including the Paranormal Activity series. Currently, she is supervising for Paramount an upcoming revival of Scream, as well as an adaptation of the Broadway musical version of Mean Girls, a show written by 30 Rock star Tina Fey, with Lorne Michaels producing.

    “My years working with Emma and Jim [Gianopulos, chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures] at Fox were some of the most enjoyable and rewarding days I’ve had in the film business, and I am fortunate and excited to make movies with them again,” said Kramer. “We’re excited to build a slate of commercial movies that will empower new voices and experienced filmmakers to deliver the original movies that audiences crave.”

  • Elegance Bratton to helm Hellfighters documentary

    Elegance Bratton to helm Hellfighters documentary

    MUMBAI: Five Fifty Five and Rainshine Entertainment announced the production of a new feature documentary Hellfighters, to be directed by marine corps veteran, and Sundance and Tribeca Film Festival alum, Elegance Bratton.

    The film profiles African American Jazz pioneer and music mogul, James Reese Europe, who was a lieutenant in the 369th Infantry Regiment known as the Harlem Hellfighters, the African American military unit to fight on behalf of the United States during World War I.

    “As a veteran and artist like James Reese Europe, I immediately knew I wanted to tell his story,” said Bratton. “WWI was driven by Europe’s desire for control of Africa – there is a cruel irony in that the Hellfighters believed the only way to gain full meaning of U.S. citizenship was to sacrifice their lives for an America consumed with their own degradation. I am grateful to Five Fifty Five and Rainshine for creating a platform for this project."

    Bratton began making films as a U.S. Marine after spending a decade homeless. He previously directed the documentary Pier Kids: The Life and the short film Walk for Me. His short film Buck premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

    Hellfighters reunites the descendants of James Reese Europe and Noble Sissle (Shuffle Along) to explore their legacies, and features interviews with former secretary of State and four-star general Colin Powell, music director of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and musician Jon Batiste, Grammy award winning rapper Black Thought of The Roots, Grammy Award-winning jazz musician Wynton Marsalis, Zora Neale Hurston Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University Robert O Meally, and many more.

    Chester Algernal Gordon will produce the film alongside Kate Baxter, founder & CEO at Five Fifty Five. Rainshine’s Neeraj Bhargava and acclaimed film producer Sunil Doshi will  executive produce  the documentary film.

    James Reese Europe was born in 1888 to Henry Europe, a formerly enslaved man and employee of the Internal Revenue Service, and Loraine Europe, a teacher. At a time where there was no clear path to prosperity for Black Americans, he would become the most prolific composer of the ragtime era, igniting the Harlem Renaissance and inventing Afro-Latin Jazz, as well as founding the first Black musicians union. At the peak of his music career, he enlisted in the U.S. military during World War I. With him, he brought jazz and Black culture to France and the global stage.

    “The film packs a punch of perspective considering our director’s uncanny interrelatedness to the story. Elegance is a saxophone-playing, Harlem-residing, ex-military, French-speaking student of African American Studies," said producer, Kate Baxter (Five Fifty Five), who after pursuing the story as her next project, found the perfect collaborators in Elegance and co-producer Chester Algernal.

    “It’s not very often you get to tell stories about people whose shoulders you stand on. Without the Hellfighters’ sacrifice 100 years ago, we wouldn't be able to make this film," said producer Chester Algernal.

    Rainshine Entertainment, chairman & CEO, Neeraj Bhargava said, “Five Fifty Five and Rainshine Entertainment recently announced a joint venture to provide a platform for communities globally to tell their own unique stories. Hellfighters, our first production together, is a story that is highly relevant in the current times and a testimony to our vision of bringing meaningful and extraordinary stories to audiences worldwide.”

  • Banijay Brands unveils new licensing deals in Asia

    Banijay Brands unveils new licensing deals in Asia

    MUMBAI: Banijay Brands has announced a range of new licensing agreements Mr Bean, MasterChef and Simon’s Cat in Asia, ahead of the region’s week at the festival of licensing.

    This year British comedy star Mr Bean celebrates 30 years of continual distribution and to mark the occasion, Banijay Brands has partnered with Bzmedia to open licensed bubble tea stores in China, where up 22 stores have launched across various cities and further expansion is expected.  The company is joining forces with Hong Kong-based manufacturer and distributor, Toyeast, and partnering with BMW to produce a die cast model of Mr Bean’s classic Mini and plush products based on the iconic character have been renewed with Kin Hsing in Taiwan. Mr Bean is represented by four agencies, Asiana, Black White Orange, MediaLink and Empire in Asia.

    For global culinary hit MasterChef, a new cookware, tableware and kitchenware range will be available in Indonesia on online retail store for household products,  dusdusan.com in 2021, in a deal with Indonesian company PT Homeco. This news follows the recent launch of MasterChef hand blenders in South Korea with SJ Trend.

    Other existing business in this key region includes continued growth for animated hit Simon’s Cat through three agencies CLICK!, Block 12 and Enpop. South Korean agency Enpop are growing awareness for the brand through a partnership with Samsung for licensed digital accessories such as wallpaper designs for Samsung handset users worldwide.

    This follows recent deals in south Korea including Simon’s Cat plush toys with Nooritoys and mobile phone case accessories with OGA Prince, as well as an apparel deal in China with Quanshang. The mischievous cat will feature across various locations of 9 Lives Cat Clinic in Hong Kong in a partnership across three years.

    Banijay Brands brand licensing GD Jane Smith said, “These extensions for Mr Bean, MasterChef and Simon’s Cat are great examples of how we can offer fans a variety of ways to enjoy their favourite brands beyond the screen. This region continues to be a significant market for our growth and it’s brilliant to announce these deals at the festival of licensing’s Asia week.”

    The Banijay Brands portfolio includes MasterChef, Temptation Island, Peaky Blinders, Survivor, Deal or No Deal, The Inbetweeners, Big Brother, Mister Maker, Operation Triunfo, Eat Well for Less, Simon’s Cat, Mr Bean, Don’t, Sunday Brunch, Tipping Point, The Biggest Loser, Ready Steady Cook, Black Mirror, Miss France, Maddie’s Do You Know?, Wipeout and Crystal Maze.

  • No cause too small for Covid2019 warrior Chhitra Subramaniam

    No cause too small for Covid2019 warrior Chhitra Subramaniam

    MUMBAI: At the peak of the Covid2019 pandemic, actor Sonu Sood was hailed as a messiah by media and public alike, with good reason. Where the government was getting panned for its handling of the crisis and the distress of migrant workers, Sood was single-handedly helping stranded labourers, students and health workers, often out of his own pocket.

    While Sood was in the spotlight for his acts of altruism, there were others like him – also from the entertainment industry – working in the shadows. One such who went beyond the call of duty to serve others is Chhitra Subramaniam.

    As a creative producer, content development and production executive whose career spans cinema, television and advertising, Chhitra Subramaniam dons many hats. She has worked in Ram Gopal Varma’s Factory, Percept Picture Company, Viacom18, Turner International & Wiz Films and is now the senior vice president at Kross Pictures (a South Korean production company). But when the Covid2019 pandemic struck like a bolt from the blue, she took time out from her cushy job and became involved in relief efforts.

    In the past months, Subramaniam has devoted her time and energy to different humanitarian endeavours: from alleviating hunger, giving over 3,000 ration kits, medicines and sanitary pads to the less privileged, helping schools and supporting community kitchens, to providing vanity vans for women cops. The film producer started by providing vanity vans to the Mumbai police, and even helped deliver a woman’s baby!

    Recognising Subramaniam’s selfless service during the crisis, "The Better India" and ATE Chandra Foundation awarded her the Covid2019 Soldier Award. Looking back on her experience, Subramaniam said she believes that once you start any initiative with a pure intent, other people come forward to help.

    When the nationwide lockdown was announced, Film Data Management expert and Subramaniam’s close friend Neil Sadwelkar had posted on Facebook about ways in which the film fraternity can help frontline caregivers. Sadwelkar needed someone who could take this initiative forward. Jay Dantara, a young editor put a whatsapp group called Film Makers for Front Line Care, and a few likeminded people joined it. At that point, Subramaniam took charge and spearheaded the initiative along with Gaurav Bose and others. She contacted Ketan Rawal, one of the top owners of vanity vans in Mumbai. He contributed 16 vanity vans for free and these were stationed near Nagpada junction, Sion’s LBS Marg, Bandra’s BW Sealink Toll Plaza, Kherwadi Gosiya Masjid and Dahisar Check Naka, among others.

    Read more about Chhitra Subramaniam 

    The Vans were given free by Ketan Rawal but entire maintenance cost, remuneration of attendants and drivers was undertaken by Producers Guild of India (PGI) and Project Mumbai was the NGO partner. 
    While Subramaniam ran the whole operation and collected funds from the Producer's Guild, Rawal provided the drivers and attendants , who were paid more than their regular wages. This ensured employment of 34 daily wage workers from the film industry when there were no jobs to be had. The vanity vans ran for two months till 15 June 2020.

    “We wanted to help the city police. Especially women personnel, who were working long shifts and didn’t even have access to toilets because everything was shut down. From there on, I wanted to do more and help as many people as I could,” said Subramaniam.

    After that, she started approaching people on her own through social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. She jokingly said that while people stalk celebrities on social media, she was stalking Covid2019 warriors. Describing how the industry came together in aid of those struggling to make ends meet, Subramaniam added: “Devashish Makhija, writer director of acclaimed films Ajji and Bhosale, put together a Facebook group and started adding various people who were doing relief work. So, we became like a tribe of relief workers and we started helping and supporting each other in different relief work.”

    She has since been helping raise funds for five community kitchens that were feeding 10,000 people a day, and continued to distribute rations to those less fortunate, for whom the consequences of this pandemic have been brutal beyond belief. Then, she scaled up this work to provide medical care, food and any other services to those in need by being part of the helpline ‘Need Help, Can Help' set up by Raj Mohan.

    A Dehradun resident, Mohan has already planted 2.5 million trees across India. At the outset of the pandemic, he came up with the ‘Need Help, Can Help’ initiative and started a helpline. But he required volunteers who could manage the helpline and work on ground zero level, so he asked for help on Facebook. Subramaniam was the first to respond, and with the help of a few writer friends and people from the film industry, she managed to put together a team of volunteers. They ran this helpline for three months. Through this helpline, Subramaniam and her team delivered rations and medicines all over the city.

    Pad Squad was co-founded by Chhitra Subramaniam (Film Producer) Taranjit Kaur (Actor,Poet) Devashish Makhija (Film Director), Surya Balakrishnan (Advertising Film Director), Monica Raheja (Producer), Niiya Nia (Actor & activist), Gillian Pinto (Actor), Shillpi A Singh ( Writer, Journalist, Humanitarian), Mayuri Joshi Dhavale (Entrepreneur) Mentored by Bilal Khan (Activist Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan), Lara Jessani (Human Rights Advocate).

    The movement has now grown to include over 54 individuals called ‘Padsquadders’ from over 26 cities –they distribute pads to marginalized communities across cities including Mumbai, Pune, Ranchi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Delhi, Ghaziabad, Kalimpong and Lucknow.

    Explaining how Pad Squad came to be, she said: “I had distributed sanitary napkins in the month of May to women in Nalasopara and Andheri’s Yaari Road. Then Taranjit Kaur started collaborating with my ration work and she suggested that we give sanitary pads, because when people don’t have enough to eat, how will women buy the most basic essential, sanitary pad. Bilal Khan, who has been doing social service for the past seven years and works very closely with people in bastis, advised that we distribute the sanitary napkins in the same basti for three to four months. This has set the philosophy for Pad Squad. Initially, we invested our own money and then slowly we started receiving funds.”

    Posted by Chhitra Subramaniam on Wednesday, 19 August 2020

    According to her, a lot of people are working on an individual and group level under this initiative. It is a people’s movement comprising members of the film fraternity that includes writers, actors, and filmmakers. So far, Pad Squadders have distributed more than four lakh sanitary napkins.Subramaniam didn’t stop there. She supported community kitchens being run by Bilal Khan (Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan), Lara Jessani (Human Rights lawyer) and Anil Hebbar (Helping Hand Charitable Trust) that fed 10,000 people every day till 31 August.

    She started collecting funds in mid-May, helped raise around Rs 80 lakh for the community kitchen, and also recruited new people to the cause – like Gangs of Wasseypur and Masaan producer Guneet Monga.

    “Monga started a Ketto fund for the community kitchens and raised over Rs 30 lakhs. Taraa Varmaa Sengupta of ‘Feed My City’ donated a huge amount. Ujwal Thakkar who is my Mentor, and Venkat Krishnan of Living My Promise, both incredible human beings and doyens in the Social and Development sector ,have been huge backbones and support to the work I do. And I keep approaching people and keep raising funds for the community kitchens. Now, 3,500 are being fed every day,” the tenacious lady said. 

    Subramaniam, with help from Anil Hebbar, is helping set up another community kitchen in Bhandup for the less privileged there.

    Subramaniam is also a stakeholder and team member with the livelihood project called Shramik Sammaan, started by Khan, Jessani, and Hebber, which aims to create employment opportunities for migrants who returned home. Based on Gandhi’s Gram economic principles, Shramik Samman has launched several projects to generate paying work for the migrants. Subramaniam has managed to get Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee onboard to promote this initiative. She added that five projects are already in operation since August and there are 64 more in the pipeline.

  • Banijay Brands, WP Brands partner up for two global hit shows

    Banijay Brands, WP Brands partner up for two global hit shows

    MUMBAI: Banijay Brands has appointed brand management agency WP Brands to represent Peaky Blinders and Simon’s Cat in Australia and New Zealand, as part of the continued expansion of its brand footprint.

    Global hit Peaky Blinders is a BAFTA award-winning BBC One series created and written by Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises and Locke) and produced by official brand owner, Caryn Mandabach Productions and Tiger Aspect Productions. Season five aired on BBC One last year and delivered the show’s highest ratings yet. The series has been televised in more than 183 countries, as is available for streaming on Netflix.

    Simon’s Cat is a worldwide phenomenon, viewed in over 100 countries, with 7 million fans on Facebook, 2 million followers on Instagram, and more than a billion views on YouTube.

    Created by award-winning illustrator, animator and director, Simon Tofied, Simon’s Cat features the hilarious antics of a mischievous white feline and his long-suffering owner Simon. First posted on YouTube in 2008, the Simon’s Cat brand scored international success across multiple categories including gaming, publishing and apparel. There have been more than 80 million digital sticker downloads and in excess of 18 million mobile gaming downloads with further titles in development.

    Read more news on Banijay

    Banijay Brands brand licensing group director Smith said, “WP Brands has a stellar reputation and we are thrilled to now partner with the business on these hugely popular brands. We have a shared passion and belief in the appeal for customers in Australia and New Zealand.”

    WP Brands MD Lim Mi-Kyoung said, “WP Brands is excited to be working alongside a phenomenal media partner like Banijay Brands and we are looking forward to further building on the consumer products offering in our market. We can’t wait to bring fans more opportunities to engage with these two exciting and wildly popular brands.’’

  • Endemol Shine gets ready for a different Bigg Boss 14 season

    Endemol Shine gets ready for a different Bigg Boss 14 season

    MUMBAI: The three most popular features of Bigg Boss are- its host Salman Khan, Bigg Boss’ voice and finally the house. These three actually form the backdrop of every image that a viewer has about Bigg Boss throughout a season’s journey. The other bit that a viewer remembers is the participants and the variety of emotions that run amok in the house. 

    On 3 October, the biggest reality show from Colors is all set to make a comeback with its fourteenth season. The 2020 edition will only see celebrities; no commoners like in the previous years. But before the contestants step in, let’s take a quick look at what’s been going on inside the Bigg Boss house, which without any doubt has been a constant participant in every season.

    Production major Endemol Shine India has been producing BiggBoss year-on-year for Colors. Its CEO Abhishek Rege shares that format wise there are no changes with the usual tasks being hurled at the competitors; however, production has been planned differently.Larger shoots and performances and tasks have been planned for the beginning of the season, before contestants enter the house.Other precautions have also been taken. A team of six crew  have been mandated to take or bring food, regular supplies and props into the house. The PPE clad assistants will have no interactions with the outside world,; they will be in complete isolation.

    RubinaDilaik, Abhinav Shukla, Jasmin Bhasin, Aly Goni, Jaan Kumar, Shubhangi Atre, Karan Patel, Nishant Malkani, Gia Manek Eijaz Khan, Rahul Vaidya, Nikki Tamboli, Shagun Pandey, Pavitra Punia, Neha Sharma and Naina Singh among others are strongly being speculated as the participants for this season. Rege refuses to confirm or deny the names but he admits that all the participants are currently under compulsory 14-day quarantine, which will end when shoots begin early next month. Also, they – along with the crew – will undergo regular Covid2019 tests and health and hygiene will be given prime importance. Medical and Covid professionals have visited the house to ensure that all SOPs for productions and more are being followed  – including the presence of an ambulance – and that the sets are Covid-safe.

    Read more news on Bigg Boss

     

     

    The production house has also hired an external Covid2019 compliance company PWC which has been charged with looking after distribution of masks to celebs and crew to sanitisation to fumigation to taking and maintaining regular  temperature checks.

    Endemol Shine India  creatives normally keep track of local trends and developments before building the narrative and ideas for Bigg Boss every season. This year the theme of the house is largely based on things that audiences have missed out during Covid2019. The celebs will get to use a salon and a spa, a movie theatre, and a shopping mall. But these luxuries will have to be earned by them after succeeding in some thrilling and fun-filled tasks. 

    Rege reveals that Salman Khan will be shooting for the promo on 1 October with the contestants on the Bigg Boss set in Mumbai’s Film City.

    “We are keeping very stringent measures and SOPs.. Salman will also take the swab test prior to entering the set. And, to further ensure safety on the set, we have hired more people than we normally hire every year,” says he. “However, at any given point we will have very few people on set, everybody else will be there on the backend in their respective rooms and other places in isolation. We are not crowding. Usually when any eviction happens, there are lots of guests and visitors that come in.This time it is a no-no.”

    Weekend KaWaar used to be Bigg Boss’main highlight and it featured  Salman Khan interacting with contestants in front of a  live audience. However, this time the studio is taking the digital route.

    “We have created a huge digital wall where what was earlier the studio audience is connected live from their homes,” says Rege. “We have therefore made an arrangement where Salman can see the wall and audiences can see what is happening at the shoot and interactions can happen. So we have still kept the whole live angle working.”

    Read more news on Colors

    Recently, Salman revealed that he returned to host Bigg Boss 14 only because he knew the scale of production of the show would generate employment. He also agreed to accept a pay cut for this season.

     

     

    Like previous seasons, this time too, previous years’ contestants and winners will come in to add to the thrill. Amongst the names being touted are: Sidharth Shukla, Gauahar Khan, and Hina Khan will also bring a series of surprises for the contestants making this season an epitome of entertainment.The banter, quarrels, and one-upmanship, mental games, the behind the scenes gossip and the formation of groups amongst the inmates of the house are what have helped Bigg Boss build a loyal audience over the years. Another high impact Indian property – the IPL 2020 – has till the time of writing turned out to be a runaway winner, attracting viewers in un-believable numbers. Analysts believe Bigg Boss 14 is on course to beat its previous years’ performance as well just like the cricket league is doing. It’s over to the loyalists, the fans, to make that prediction come true for one of Colors biggest annual bets. 

  • Pradeep Dwivedi gives further insights into Eros-STX flagoff

    Pradeep Dwivedi gives further insights into Eros-STX flagoff

    The pragmatic and cheerful boss of Eros International’s (Eros STX Global corporation) Indian operation had come on board at a very crucial time. Within a few months after his joining in January 2020, the big merger of Eros International and US-based STX Entertainment was announced. While a corporate merger comes with its own challenges, the SARS COV2 induced crisis has just multiplied it. Despite the obstacles, the efforts are underway for smooth integration. Eros International Media Ltd India CEO Pradeep Dwivedi gleams with the hope of making an Indian studio that will be recognised globally.

    Other than typical profit and loss benefits, Dwivedi believes the merged entity should be able to build the first compelling Indian studio that will capture worldwide attention both in terms of theatrical and streaming business. Starting 23 September Eros International will be known by its new corporate name Eros STX Global Corporation. The brand is launching a new website along with it. Against this backdrop, the media veteran spoke elaborately on the ongoing integration efforts, possible outcomes of the merger, digital business during a virtual fireside chat with Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari.

    Edited excerpts follow:

    Read more news on Eros International

    Have the companies started working together?

    We are working very closely ever since we started the merger. There is a segmented approach to our business. We have streaming, theatrical, cable and satellite distribution business. We are trying to harmonise these areas to figure out a significant cost synergy to ensure that the combined entity is operating far more efficiently than the two companies were working individually. The logical assumption would be that many companies go for massive headcount reduction. However, the beauty of our merger is that we have very lean and organized teams on both sides. The combined company is of little over 500 people which is not a big number. Moreover, the kind of market focus and talents Eros has is very distinct from the ones that STX brings to the table. The companies are complementing each other. We are working very closely and integration efforts are going on.

    You said you are streamlining your businesses. How are you finding synergies in distribution and syndication in the Chinese market?

    We have been working more on the distribution of Bollywood movies to the Chinese market, STX has been leveraging financing, ideas to create content out of China. I know the tension against China is extremely high currently. There are nationalistic sentiments on accounts of border disputes. In the US, there are nationalistic sentiments around trade disputes. My sense is both are genuinely well-placed concerns. But I think the human spirit will overcome some of these geopolitical issues and we will find a way forward to recommence the business.

    Watch more fireside chats with industry veterans

    How the merger is changing your thought process overall?

    The idea is really that when you combine both there’s a global play that is coming out. The kind of storylines that are emerging and amalgamating across the world can be universally played out. With the rise of OTT, the audience has also become global in a way. Indians are very happily following Turkish, Korean, and Mexican content. In terms of technology, we are making sure the audience who does not understand Hindi slate is able to get subtitles, language conversion which is where our partnership with Microsoft Azure comes into play. We are investing in AI technologies to be able to create consumer access at the most basic level.

    We have 125 million dollars of capital commitment as part of equity capitalization. We are also very choosy about what kind of money we are taking in. As our CEO often says it is not about money, it is about the quality of the money.

    Recently you had to face impairment charges which have led to a negative sentiment overall. Your share price is also going down…

    The movie production side is a long lead side. You invest in talents, directors, stories, and stars. If everything is well, you will have a movie production after nine months. You also have scenarios where producers and directors have gone to such a state that content is not coming out even after three years. Obviously, you have made those advances, there is no way you can monetise half of the content. If you get delayed in content coming out, you take impairment but that does not mean you have taken a cash loss on that. At some point of time, when the content gets produced, when you get the movie out, you can drive back the money as well. The reason for the impairment was taken not due to any losses.

    Over the last year or so, we were very unfairly targeted by short-sellers. They don’t pick a large share but target short-mid cap companies. India does not have this problem as much as the US has. They will also typically target a foreign private issuer because promoters are not based in the US but only listed there for market access. When you start hammering them with all kinds of innuendo, stockholders get distressed and they would possibly try to sell or exit the stock to recover the money they have invested in. Hence, the short sellers would be able to buy it out cheap and would be able to recover huge amounts of money on that. While it is not illegal, it is an orchestrated strategy in the marketplace. We have taken the bulls by the horn. We have filed litigations against all of these short sellers.  Hearings are going on in multiple courts. I can’t share more as it is subjudice now. But I can say, we have been proven right on every single front. When they have challenged our finances, operations, we have been proven correct. Governance is the cornerstone of what we do.

    Read more coverage on Pradeep Dwivedi

    How has the work progressed in the last six months?

    The pandemic has allowed us to do two things very distinctively. Firstly, the mundane stuff including IT system, mail system, technology, digital assets management, reporting standards, IFRS versus US GAAP, all of those are being addressed.  At the content level, where productions have been stopped, there are two subsets of works that are happening. One is of course post-production. The other interesting part is the whole creative part of the work. Just cut to six months before the pandemic did not start. There was a mad rush to put out content. This bit of a pause has given time to writers to think through innovative content. Some of the ideas we are getting now are very interesting, the kind of stories are very compelling. My sense is that once we are moving out of the pandemic, you will see some amazing stories coming out.

    Have your shoots started?

    Our shootings have started but in a very small way. I won’t say it is full-fledged. There are two projects on the floor, and both are outdoors. We are not doing anything in Bombay right now. There is work happening in Himachal, Uttaranchal, and north Karnataka.

    You were supposed to launch Eros Now Prime in June. Have you changed the plan?

    It is still in work for launch. We have readiness because we took Comcast NBC content and there will be content from STX library also. It will have British, American, and southeast Asian content. Eros Now Prime is essentially a premium English service at phase I. There will be some old popular TV shows along with brand new shows. As we move forward, we will put English translation, subtitles.

    You have a fabulous catalogue of music. Has that moved?

    It comes on two levels. One is Eros Music as a label. We are looking at investing more in that label, getting new talents both in film and non-film music. The other is the whole YouTube partnership which is largely to drive the traffic and traction around Eros Now as well. It is a bundled package. We are a strong believer in b2b2c which essentially means we will do partnerships with large players who deal with large consumer ecosystems. We will provide value for them to build stickiness for their own consumption. In return, they will allow us a large consumer base access.

    Where do you see Eros STX in three years?

    As a company, I believe we should be able to build the first compelling Indian studio that has captured worldwide attention both in terms of theatrical outcome and streaming. It's about doing more than business and creating great content & good stories.

  • GuneetMonga , opportunities & innovation with OPPO

    GuneetMonga , opportunities & innovation with OPPO

    MUMBAI: Academy award winner and BAFTA nominee, GuneetMonga needs no introduction. An ace producer, she has been assiociated with films like The Lunchbox, Masaan, Gangs of Wasseypur, What Will People Say and Period. End of Sentence. However, her journey to the top has not been that simple. 

    Western Mumbai’s ever bustling suburb, Versova, is home to several production houses, casting companies, and wannabe stars. At the edge of the sea, the borough  commands high rentals  and harbours even higher hopes for wannabes, perfectly epitomising the Mumbai film industry.
     
    On one side of the main road, the place is crowded with luxury high-rises of  actors and filmmakers and on the opposite side are rows of small cottages, shops, offices, and even gourmet restaurants and cafés. Adjoining the array of small cafés is the barely detectable office of Sikhya Entertainment, the company founded by Guneet Monga and the CEO of which she currently is. .

    At 36, Guneet Monga has emerged as one of India’s most recognised producers, who makes strides by refusing to stick to the conventional Bollywood formula. She is currently post-producing two of her projects SooraraiPottru and Pagglait and is looking forward to make a film set in space by next year. 

    Busy as she is, Monga took time to be part of a promotional and marketing campaign with global smart device brand Oppo with the theme of  #GoBeyondBoundaries around the new phone model Reno4Pro. It showcases her journey of going beyond the boundaries and leveraging technology to create a difference through her movie production business.Oppo used her as their icon because it wants consumers to go beyond their comfort zone to find their true calling and achieve true greatness just like Guneet has done and just like the brand has done with its latest device Reno4Pro. The phone maker hopes that users will find a holistic experience with the Reno4Pro which will also allow them to” sense the infinite” possibilities of expressing themselves.

    Indiantelevision.com’s Shikha Singh got into a tete a tete with Guneet  to understand what's driving her these days and her relationship with Oppo.. Excerpts from the interview: 
    ‎
    How have you pushed boundaries in your career to achieve what you have today?

    After working for over a decade making movies, what I have realised is that filmmaking is a long-drawn process which might take over a year or two, hence it is very important for me to show up every day, no matter what. The journey of a film from its inception to release is long and full of challenges, so we must make sure that we put our best foot forward.

    Starting early in my life was testing. But, now in hindsight, I feel very fortunate to have started out young, as it has offered different perspectives and shaped me to make balanced business decisions. 

    Having a humble beginning from Delhi, it has only been my passion and perseverance for telling stories that has brought me this far. I have just started out, so any celebration feels premature, I have many dreams yet to fulfil and we have a long way to go from here. I’m excited for the journey!

    I believe success lies outside the comfort zone. It's a sum total of finding opportunities, as small as they may seem, and stringing them together with a larger vision.

    How does the brand Oppo relate to you?

    Oppo, has innovation at its core and has continuously believed in pushing boundaries. I identify with their brand values and have always embodied the same values in my work. With the focus of building a stronger resonance with the consumers Oppo’s latest campaign showcases how the journey to greatness starts by breaking free from the pre-existing notions and stepping out of their comfort zone. Leading the way, Oppo’s #GoBeyondBoundaries campaign further aims to empower and inspire the people of India to push limits and sense the infinite possibilities like India's first Oppo Reno4 Pro. 

    The campaign had a seamless narrative combining the product and the philosophy, which instantly connected with me. The way it celebrates ambition of pushing the boundaries and making a personal connection was very well done. Its message of getting out of your comfort zone and reaching out to people to form a deeper connection is what I would like to tell today’s youth as well — to keep striving and continue to reach out will take you on a road less travelled and help you shape your own unique journey.

    Oppo as a brand has always celebrated innovation and believed in pushing the boundaries. These philosophies are something I deeply apply in my own way of living and working as well. I have strived to break the stereotype in the world of movies, and Oppo is doing the same with their technology. Giving the consumers a world of endless opportunities.

    Sikhya Entertainment has films such as Gangs of Wasseypur, Peddlers, The Lunchbox, Masaan and Zubaan to its credit. What is your next move?

    We have two feature films in post-production stage – Suriya starrer SooraraiPottru and Sanya Malhotra starrer Pagglait. Over the last year, we have expanded across platforms. Apart from features, we have also released podcasts for Audible Suno.  My dream project is to make a film set in space and I aspire to make it next year. This one will be for all the girls who dream!

    Do you think it is a great time for independent cinema? Also, what are the challenges for independent content creators.

    I think it is a great time for content creators- independent, mainstream, digital, you name any medium or scale. Audience base has expanded and so has consumer appetite for different content. With OTT and deeper data/internet penetration, viewers are exposed to an array of content. This generates more avenues for content creators. These times are certainly exciting for independent movie makers as their work is travelling faster and farther. 

    Independent content creators mainly faced challenges due to lack of a strong platform to not just present their work but also market it. With OTT players expanding, that has changed a little. However, the new challenge is to sustain the quality of what they are offering. Audiences have more choices than ever and it is important to be able to get them hooked and sustain their attention. There is always something better waiting to attract the viewer and it is just a click away.

    Please Read More: Indian content creators must find out right stories to reach global audiences

    How OTT has opened new avenues for directors, producers or content creators? How has the opportunity increased by the launch of OTT?

    Yes, absolutely. As we now have high speed internet in most parts of the country, we have seen an explosion in creators and viewers. They are already using various platforms like Youtube, Instagram etc. in much higher numbers now. Platforms have grown more than 500 per cent  + in the past couple of years in India. I do feel It will only further scale higher from here. There is also an incredible growth in OTTs and that leads to a direct need for more content. It's definitely an exciting time for content creators.  A number of production houses today are partnering with each other or with OTT platforms to co-create content, jointly gaining from the expertise that each player brings to the table.

    For weeks now, films have been bearing the brunt of cinema complex/hall closures. As the lights are going out on live events, shoots and movie premiers, the only silver lining amidst all this is the rise of the popularity of OTT. The halting of productions may have dried up the content line, but streaming hasn’t stopped via the OTT platforms across the country. At the same time, ad-spends have gone down significantly due to a knock-on effect of the recessionary impact on financial services, e-commerce and automotive industries.

    You have gone to great extent from raising money to crowd-funding and self-financing to bring the right content on TV screens? It is assumed that producers are always rich, but what about creative producers who are working for the right content.

    To me, stories drive those conversations and convictions that lead to innovative ways to generate revenue.  In the process, the idea is to never lose sight of the story we all set out to tell in the first place. To answer your question & given the current scenario, we would see further democratization of this business, which in turn empowers my approach to film making.

    As a producer, I have always followed my gut. Making a film takes a year or two and one has to continue to feel it will stand the test of time and stay relevant when it does release.

    I am grateful that I have been able to build a solid business with making independent films that have travelled globally. We now have a much wider audience base to cater to. I don’t think anyone can ever say what will work or not, it’s always an intuition that you follow and allow it to grow over a period of time.

    Please Read More: Oscar-winning executive producer Guneet Monga joins MUBI India as content advisor

    Please tell us about your upcoming anthology ZindagiInshort?

    Earlier this year we released Zindagi In Short, an anthology of 7 short films, which was a direct-to-OTT release in collaboration with Flipkart Video. The short films are helmed by TahiraKashyapKhurrana, PunarvasuNaik, Vijayeta Kumar, Rakesh Sain, GautamGovind Sharma, SmrutikaPanigrahi and Vinay Chhawal.

    They are one of the first start-up companies in India and incubated many young engineers and business graduates to work in an e-commerce company and with ZindagiinShort, they are helping a young brigade of talented directors to fly in the film industry.I am extremely excited and thrilled that, as producers, Flipkart and I can provide a platform for the aspiring filmmakers. This was a very inspired and charged space where everyone came in and worked. The upcoming Flipkart Original also stars Deepak Dobriyal, SwaroopSampat, Shishir Sharma, Aisha Ahmed, Rima Kallingal, IshaTalwar and Manjot Singh.

    Being India’s first woman to win an academy award, what would be your advice to the youth of India be, so that they can also go beyond boundaries and achieve more in life?

    I’ve always been very ambitious and have used films as a platform for exchange of ideas and encourage free spirit. In the ten years that I have been a producer I have faced plenty of challenges, from not being taken seriously in an industry. I realised my line of work needs a risk-taking nature and I took some bold steps early on. I believe it’s important to chase and follow your dreams and never give up hope and really see through when you believe in. All I’d tell another young woman starting off as producers is to show up every day and keep working. Keep believing.
     

  • Ad filmmakers’ express displeasure over I&B ministry’s guideline

    Ad filmmakers’ express displeasure over I&B ministry’s guideline

    MUMBAI: If there’s one group of production professionals who believe that the ministry of information and broadcasting could have done better with its recently released standard operating procedures (SOPs) for filming again, it is the TV commercial film makers.

    According to the Association of Advertising Producers (ASAP), the ministry could have been more granular or detailed in the SOPs.

    ASAP honorary general secretary and Corcoise Films executive producer Cyrus Pagdiwala points out that the I&B ministry’s guidelines are very loosely drafted, risk factors have not been considered nor has it offered any comprehensive solutions. He believes ASAP’s Covid209 measures are far more encompassing and detailed in terms of safety measures, than the I&B’s SOPs.

    TV commercial film makers have already been on the floors, filming commercials for more than a month now, adhering strictly to the ASAP protocols, which mandate risk assessment and plans, leave of absence if anyone on the production shows symptoms of illness, influenza or a simple cough, safe transport for employees and so on.

    “We are not completely satisfied by the government’s directive. There is no specific detail about how many people can be present on the set. The criteria of 33 percent cast and crew members on the set is extremely vague. A larger production unit can still manage to have more people on the set. I believe in a place like India it is not possible to put a number on how many people can be there on the set. Some errant producers can lie about the number of professionals on the site, if one were to look at the I&B SOPs. In some countries the government has specified that you cannot have more than 45 people on the set so something like that can be done in India,” adds Pagdiwala.

    Cutting Edge Production executive producer and ASAP member Billoo Sandhu agrees that the I&B guidelines are basic. He recently shot an ad film in Chandigarh and believes with the opening up of filming across India, film makers can now start planning big budget commercials which were hitherto a no-no, courtesy the lockdowns and restrictions.

    Says he: “Now shooting is not limited to just Mumbai and nearby places, now we will start looking at other studios. But I think shooting in containment zones will still not be allowed as it is not safe. However, the states which are not film friendly will now allow us based on these guidelines.”

    Pagdiwala is pleased that film makers can now travel and shoot in other locations but says the central government’s announcement has come much too late. “Because, Maharashtra government has allowed shooting two months back. So, this directive laid by the central government sounds weak and too dated,” he further states.

    Cutawayy Films executive producer Gaurrav Dhar opines that the centre’s directive to have a Covid2019 coordinator on every shoot is welcome, though he would like to see a specialist or professional appointee being given that responsibility. According to him the I&B’s guidelines have helped remove the stigma that has come to be associated with Covid2019. “While shooting if there are similar protocols and guidelines across, shooting becomes easier and everybody is in sync,” he adds.

    Ogilvy Group 82.5 Communications chairman and chief creative officer Sumanto Chattopadhyay said that while shooting the team is strictly adhering to all the safety measures. Chattopadhyay has been handling shoots in Mumbai, Bangalore, Kerala and several other places remotely through Zoom calls.

    Ad-filmmakers highlight that with the IPL being flagged of in September, the requirement for TVCs is going to skyrocket. “We hope that October onwards, business will be back on track,” says Pagdiwala.