ITV

Category: People

  • Mathrubhumi Group MD MV Shreyams wins Rajya Sabha by-poll in Kerala

    Mathrubhumi Group MD MV Shreyams wins Rajya Sabha by-poll in Kerala

    NEW DELHI: Mathrubhumi Group MD MV Shreyams Kumar sailed to victory in the by-poll held for one vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Kerala. The voting was held at the Assembly building during its one-day session. 

    A two-time legislator, Shreyams Kumar won the Rajya Sabha seat held by his late father, MP Veerendra Kumar. The death of the 84-year-old media baron on May 28 had necessitated the by-poll. 

    Shreyams Kumar also dons the roles of Kerala Regional Committee chairman of Indian Newspaper Society, VP of News Broadcasters Association, and global vice president of International Advertising Association. 

  • Shyamala Venkatachalam joins Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd as chief legal officer

    Shyamala Venkatachalam joins Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd as chief legal officer

    MUMBAI: Shyamala Venkatachalam has been appointed as the chief legal officer of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL). She started her career as legal and corporate affairs professional at Dynamatic Technologies which designs and builds highly engineered products for automotive, aerospace, hydraulic and security applications in Europe and India.

    After spending close to eight years there, she handled a wide range of issues related to domestic and international contracts, intellectual property, foreign collaborations, banking finance, indirect and direct taxation. 

    With over 15 years in the media industry, Venkatachalam was associated with several coveted brands like Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, Sony Pictures Network, Discovery Communications and, Star India Private Ltd, a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox. She joined Star India in 2014 as executive vice president head business counsel.

    After her stint at Star India, she founded ‘The REMEDIATION Company’. Throughout her career, she continued to manage the legal, regulatory and corporate affairs in the television media and moved up to a senior leadership role over the years.

     Venkatachalam has also authored several media-related research papers and a book titled "Remediation – Digital Transformation of Television.”

  • How Mira Nair post-produced A Suitable Boy

    How Mira Nair post-produced A Suitable Boy

    MUMBAI: Do you know Salaam Bombay director Mira Nair worked on her post-production of Vikram Seth’s  A Suitable Boy, which is making waves globally, from her residence in New York’s Upper West Side? 

    The realisatrice was supposed to be in UK to put the whole show together and deliver the final masters to the BBC, but was stranded in the US on account of the Covid 2019 pandemic. After finishing filming in India on 17 December, followed by a two week break, she jetted down to the UK to get into a “neither world”, working on the post-production. “We have been working close to 12 hours a day, sometimes through the weekends, in order to really distil it to not just the story being correct but also finding its rhythm. It takes a lot,” she told the BBC in an interview.

    But then she travelled to the US and got stuck there when the country got into a lockdown. With a deadline to deliver the show for telecast in June, Nair got cracking on creating a work environment in her study in her apartment.

    Mira – who has homes in New Delhi, Kampala, Uganda, apart from Manhattan – had three devices through which she, like a conductor orchestrated the edits, the musical score (this was created in Budapest), the final approval for the episodes of the six part series with colleagues in India, Australia, UK,  and Los Angeles.

    In fact, if we thought jugaad was being resorted to only by India’s TV, short film, TVC directors and producers, Mira resorted to her own innovation methods too. “We had superstars like Tabu, and all the wonderful actors under their bln aked in their bathrooms with their microphones – their dogs muzzled, and everyone recording in these homemade studios we created with them,” she told The Financial Times.

    The series was filmed in India in 2019 with two units being involved in different locations.

    A Suitable Boy stars the ever so charming and acteur naturel Ishaan Khattar (Maan Kapoor), the ever so composed and alluring Tabu(Saeeda Bai), the newfound talent the vivacious Tanya Maniktala (Lata Mehra), Ram Kapoor (Mahesh Kapoor), Shahana Goswami (Meenakshi Mehra), Rasika Duggal (Sameera Kapoor), Mikhail Sen (Amit Chatterji), Randeep Hooda (Billy Irani), Mahira Kakkar (Rupa Mehra), Vinay Pathak, Manoj Pahwa, Ranvir Shorey, Vijay Verma, Kulbhashan Kharbanda, Namit Das (Haresh Khanna),  Joyeeta Dutta (Tasneem), Dhanesh Razvi (Kabir Durrani), Vivek Gomber (Arun Mehra), Gagandev Riar (Pran Kapoor) Geetanjali Agrawal (Mrs Mahesh Kapoor), Shubham Saraf (Firoz Ali Khan),  Vivaan Shah (Varun  Mehra),  among many other sterling talented actors.

    The fifth episode of the series is slated to telecast this evening on BBC One on 23 August at 9 pm UK time. A Suitable Boy comes on to Netflix worldwide – excepting the US and Canada – later this year.

  • Ajey Kumar steps down as MD of Zee Learn; Vikash Kumar Kar appointed as additional director

    Ajey Kumar steps down as MD of Zee Learn; Vikash Kumar Kar appointed as additional director

    NEW DELHI: Essel group firm Zee Learn on Wednesday notified in a regulatory filing that it’s managing director Ajey Kumar has stepped down. The company accepted Kumar’s resignation in a board meeting which took place on Tuesday, as per the filing.

    In a separate filing, Zee Learn announced that CEO Vikash Kumar Kar will be taking over as an Additional director of the company.

    “The Board approved the appointment of Vikash Kumar Kar as an Additional Director of the Company in the category Executive Director designated as Whole Time Director w.e.f. 19th August, 2020 which shall be subject to approval of shareholders at the ensuing Annual General Meeting,” read the statement. Kar will continue being the Chief Executive Officer of the company.

    Kar is a senior human resources and business professional with 19 years of professional experience in conceptualizing and integrating best in class practices to facilitate building a sustainable high-performance organization. 

  • Vivek Srivastava gets additional responsibility of Times Network’s news business

    Vivek Srivastava gets additional responsibility of Times Network’s news business

    MUMBAI: Times Network president – English Entertainment Cluster strategy business head Vivek Srivastava will also be looking after the news business of the network. As business head Srivastava who led the growth strategy for the Network’s English Entertainment channels like Movies Now, Romedy Now, MNX, and MN+across platforms will take additional charge of Times Now, ET Now and Mirror Now.

    In his role, Srivastava was responsible to maintain high viewership performance across the English Entertainment Cluster.

    Prior to joining Times Network in 2014, he had a successful stint at Viacom18 Media where he handled Channel strategy for Hindi GEC COLORS as a part of their launch team, then he moved to handle international business and distribution. He also served as COLORS commercial and digital head.

    Srivastava has over a decade of experience in the broadcast industry. He has worked into P&L management, content acquisition and syndication, , international business, distribution strategy and planning, business planning, programming strategy, digital marketing, and audience behavior research.

    Prior to Viacom18, he has also worked with TAM Media Research and IMRB.

  • Subhash Chandra named chairman emeritus of ZEEL

    Subhash Chandra named chairman emeritus of ZEEL

    NEW DELHI:  Zee Entertainment Limited (ZEEL) named Subhash Chandra as Chairman Emeritus, the appointment will be effective from August 19, 2020. R Gopalan has been appointed as Chairman of the Board. This decision was made in a recent board meeting.

    "Shri. Subhash Chandra, vide his letter dated August 18, 2020 has tendered his resignation, as the Non-Executive Director of the Company, which was reluctantly accepted by the Board of Directors. In the mentioned letter of resignation, Shri. Chandra expressed a great sense of satisfaction, having witnessed a Company which he founded 27 years ago, emerge into a global media & entertainment powerhouse. He also expressed his passion as an entrepreneur, to consistently work towards creating a better tomorrow and mentioned about his undivided attention needed for the same," said the company.

    The statement read, “Referred as the 'Father of Indian Television', Shri. Chandra's pioneering vision has contributed immensely to the Company and the Industry at large, creating millions of jobs across the Nation. For his contributions to the Industry, Shri. Chandra was awarded the 2011 International Emmy Directorate Award at the 39th International Emmy Awards in New York. With this, he became the first Indian ever to receive a Directorate Award recognizing excellence in media outside the United States. In recognition of the fact that Shri. Chandra founded the Company and considering his unmatched contributions, as a mark of respect, the Board requested him to act as 'Chairman Emeritus' with effect from August 19, 2020 and the same was accepted by Shri. Chandra. In this advisory role, his rich experience and farsightedness will help the Company immensely and his services, guidance and mentorship will be availed from time to time. This position will not carry any remuneration.”

    The company has also appointed R Gopalan as chairman of the board. The statement read, “Mr. R. Gopalan was appointed as an Additional Director in the category of Independent Director on November 25.2019. Mr. R Gopalan, who has done Master of Public Administration & Management from Harvard University, MA in Economics from Boston University and Bachelor's in Chemistry from Madras University, has a rich experience in economic and financial administration of the country with long stints in Ministry of Commerce and Finance Ministry, and in Manufacturing and Services Sectors. He has been appointed as the 'Chairman of the Board' with immediate effect."

    As an officer of Indian Administrative Services (lAS), has Gopalan has held various responsible positions including inter alia, as Member of Public Enterprises Selection Board, Secretary Dept of Economic affairs, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, CMD Tamilnadu Industrial Development Corporation, CMD Taminadu Newsprints and Papers Ltd, MD Tidel Parks Ltd, MD Tamilnadu Agro Industries Corporation Ltd, Director Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals etc.

    “During his career spanning 36 years, Gopalan gained rich experience in establishing and managing a Venture Capital Fund; Infrastructure financing, Managing Financial Institutions, Creating Institutions & Corporates, leading India negotiation team in WTO, formulating policy(ies) etc,” read the statement. 

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  • Sony SAB ropes in Varun Dhawan for a heartwarming video for the launch of its new show – ‘Tera Yaar Hoon Main’

    Sony SAB ropes in Varun Dhawan for a heartwarming video for the launch of its new show – ‘Tera Yaar Hoon Main’

    MUMBAI: Sony SAB will soon launch a new show titled Tera Yaar Hoon Main, which highlights the dynamics of the new-age father-son relationship and a father’s effort in trying to become his son’s friend. To drive home the uniqueness and freshness of this subject, Sony SAB has brought on board Bollywood heartthrob Varun Dhawan to endorse the show and truly bring out the intricacies of a father-son relationship through a series of warm and endearing memories of his relationship with his own father.

    In a sixty second heart-warming video to introduce the concept of the show, Varun takes a stroll down memory lane, recounting the various instances when his father, instead of behaving like a conventional father, chose to be a pal, a guide, a confidant helping him become the man he is today. Varun beautifully encapsulates his father’s affectionate side by saying “Dosti Ke Farz Mein, Woh Mere Baap Nikle”. It is this very emotion of gratitude, friendship and immense love that Varun feels for is father that forms the core of Tera Yaar Hoon Main, making him the ideal choice as an ambassador for this show.

    What viewers will find in this uplifting video is a son remembering all those bittersweet moments in life, when his father stood by him, not as a preaching authority figure, but as a friend who encouraged him to make mistakes so he could learn better and a guide who steered him towards achieving his wildest dreams!

    Sony SAB business head Neeraj Vyas, “Tera Yaar Hoon Main highlights the nuances of new-age father-son relationship, the emotions, the affection and even some dilemmas it brings. Having worked with him earlier, we are delighted to associate with Varun Dhawan again, it’s always great to work with him. We found Varun to be a perfect fit to portray the classic Indian father-son relationship, his narration of the same has been beautifully weaved into this promo for the show. Sony SAB has been at the forefront of showcasing values driven lighthearted content that brings the entire family together, we hope Tera Yaar Hoon Main becomes a quick family favourite too.”

    Varun Dhawan said,“The bond between a father and a son is indeed unique and finding a yaari in your father is special. Sony SAB’s Tera Yaar Hoon Main is a beautiful journey of every middle-aged father and his attempts at being friends with his teenage son. It is a heartwarming story that reminded me of some of the most cherished moments with my father.”

  • Rakesh Jain joins Sony Pictures Networks India as creative director

    Rakesh Jain joins Sony Pictures Networks India as creative director

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has recently appointed Rakesh Jain as creative director. He joined the company in July 2020. Recently, he was one of the key people in launching FTA GEC Shemaroo TV during the pandemic.

    He comes with over 18 years of experience in the media space where he has led the programming teams from the inception stage and has launched two successful Hindi GECs. He has also been instrumental in creating channel driver properties for Star group, Zee group, and Turner group from the broadcasting ecosystem. Jain worked as a vertical head for the commissioning team of one of the flagship channels of ZEE Network (&TV), he was responsible for shaping the content strategy of the channel. His main task was to identify the viewing needs of consumers and shaping stories and content to meet their expectations.

    Jain comes with a great experience of launching GEC channels. He earlier served as associate vice-president in &TV, and helmed the team of Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain at the time of its inception. Jain was responsible for revamp of a GEC Channel on STAR network twice.  

    From 2001 to 2007, Jain worked in Star Plus as the executive producer and from 2007 till the day Imagine TV shut down, he held the position of the deputy creative director. Jain, who was in Sameer Nair’s core team during the days of Imagine TV’s inception, has also worked as a creative director for JD Majethia and Aatish Kapadia’s Hats Off Productions. He had joined the studio in May   2012 and worked till August 2013

    For the uninitiated Ramayan happened to be his first show on Imagine, and he went on to work with various shows like Jyoti, Chandragupta Maurya, Beend Banoongaa Ghodi Chadhungaa. He also worked on a show called Ganga – a family drama dealing with the prejudice against widows in one of the holiest places in India – Varanasi. Later, he took up the role of editor – vice president at Life OK in 2015.

  • Banijay names Jacob Houlind as Banijay Nordic CEO

    Banijay names Jacob Houlind as Banijay Nordic CEO

    MUMBAI: European production giant Banijay in a recent announcement has named Jacob Houlind as Banijay Nordic CEO. Houlind will oversee all operations across its portfolio of 24 companies, his remit spans Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and the UK and US, following the recent expansion of Yellow Bird.

    Houlind has been Group CEO and co-owner of Nordisk Film TV since February 2006, selling the company to Banijay in 2009. He later took up the position of Group CEO of Banijay Nordic, as a result of the merger of former Nordisk Film TV in the Nordics and Zodiak Media.

    He will be at the forefront of managing the territory’s investment in creativity and content development. Finding, nurturing and developing talent, he will continue to build a home for the best creatives across the Nordics. And, together with Banijay and Banijay Rights, the Nordic division will focus on local and innovative IP with global appeal.

    Yellow Bird US a creative hotbed, produces some of the region’s biggest hits including Survivor, The Island, Fort Boyard, MasterChef, All Against 1, Best Singer, Big Brother, Luxury Trap, Biggest Loser, 71 Degrees North, The Wall, Paradise Hotel,All Together Now, Good Morningand Evening Denmark, Good Morning and Evening Norway, Millennium, The Bridge, Wallander and Netflix’s upcoming Young Wallander, Khalifate, Beck, The Restaurant and Sandham Murders.

     Following the completion of Banijay’s US dollar 2.2billion takeover of Endemol Shine in July, the Nordics portfolio now includes Norwegian outfits Mastiff, Nordisk Film & TV, Rubicon and Screen Media. In Sweden, its outlets include Meter, Jarowskij, Filmlance, YellowBird, STO-CPH, Factory and MAG5. Whereas in Finland, the group has Banijay Finland, EndemolShine Finland and Zodiak Finland. The Danish business includes Metronome, Pineapple Entertainment, Banijay Nordic Mobile and Respirator.

    The integration process is now in progress and is expected to be complete by the fall. Karin Stjärne will subsequently leave the business on 31 August 2020 having been CEO of Endemol Shine Nordics since 2017. While in the role, she built a successful operation, increased international format sales, secured a number of new titles including Family Food Fight, The Wall, The Heist and Lego Masters, and drove a number of returners such as Biggest Loser and Big Brother. Widening the footprint of MasterChef both in number of episodes, spin-off series and new productions across the Nordics, she also helped Norwegian label Rubicon thrive, supporting the sale of the first original Norwegian drama, Beforeigners, to HBO Nordic.

    Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti said,  “Jacob has long been a part of Banijay’s journey. An entrepreneur with a strong creative eye, he is an admirable leader, commercially astute and the best pair of hands to oversee what will be an even more significant region for us moving forwards. With scale, an immense portfolio of IP and some of the best talent in the business, we are excited to see what he and the team have in store for the future. In the meantime, I’d like to thank Karin for her efforts over the years in building up the EndemolShine Nordics portfolio and production offering.”

    According to Jacob Houlind Banijay Nordic has long been the home of some of the region’s strongest talent. Houlind is ecstatic to welcome a host of new creative entrepreneurs into the fold. He adds, “Combining the strengths of both groups and continuing a multi-brand strategy with a strong focus on creativity, I hope Banijay Nordic will long-continue to be a renowned home for the best creatives in the region – on and off-screen, and a home for IP that travels the world. A special thanks goes to Karin who has built a strong operation in EndemolShine Nordics and successfully put new and successful scripted, as well as non-scripted titles on the Nordic map.”

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  • Media mogul Sumner Redstone dies at 97

    Media mogul Sumner Redstone dies at 97

    KOLKATA: The man who ruled over media for decades and is believed to have coined the famous cliche ‘Content is King’, Sumner Redstone, died on 11 August at the age of 97. The cause of his death was not mentioned.

    The Harvard-educated media mogul is the pioneer of multiplex model in the 1960s and turned it into a multi-billion-dollar media empire. He started the trend of bringing movies into shopping malls as well as more than one screen at the same site. Following the success in theatres, he started investing in movie companies. 

    Later in the mid-1980s, when he realised the rapidly increasing value of cable television, he went after Viacom. He bought Viacom for $3.4 billion in 1987 and later he acquired Paramount for more than $10 billion. He did not stop there. His quest for content led him to add CBS to the portfolio in 1999 in a deal valued at $37 billion. As he once said, “I’ve always wanted to win” was not a vague motivational talk as his acquisition of Viacom has mostly borrowed money, a risk very few could take.

    The student of law, his knowledge often reflected throughout his life whenever there was a legal battle to expand or save his empire. Not only is his career in media colourful but he has also been a rockstar everywhere. He worked with an elite US Army unit that cracked Japanese codes during World War Two while he was a student at Harvard. After he earned his law course, he successfully pleaded a case before the US Supreme Court. 

    Redstone always boasted that he never wanted to retire. But in the later years of his life, his health condition made investors, shareholders question if he was fit for the responsibilities anymore. In 2016, he stepped down as executive chairman of CBS. His adventurous ride in media was depicted by himself in one of the most spectacular business autobiographies “A Passion to Win.”

    “Sumner Redstone was a brilliant visionary, operator and dealmaker, who single-handedly transformed a family-owned drive-in theatre company into a global media portfolio,” said ViacomCBS president and CEO Bob Bakish.

    “He was a force of nature and fierce competitor, who leaves behind a profound legacy in both business and philanthropy. ViacomCBS will remember Sumner for his unparalleled passion to win, his endless intellectual curiosity, and his complete dedication to the company. We extend our deepest sympathies to the Redstone family today,” he added.

    Redstone’s later years were full of public disputes with his family members as well as former girlfriends. To a better ending, his daughter Shari E Redstone, who once wanted to go on a different path, gradually took control over the giant business.

    "My father led an extraordinary life that not only shaped entertainment as we know it today but created an incredible family legacy. Through it all, we shared a great love for one another and he was a wonderful father, grandfather and great-grandfather. I am so proud to be his daughter and I will miss him always," she shared in a statement: