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Tag: Ashish Golwalkar

  • Our shows celebrate the common man: Ashish Golwalkar

    Our shows celebrate the common man: Ashish Golwalkar

    Ashish Golwalkar is a veteran media professional who has worked with three of the four big television broadcast companies in a career spanning 22 years and counting. An alumnus of Symbiosis School of Business Management, he wrote/co-wrote many award-winning unscripted format shows for Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, Star TV Network and now at Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India.

    At Zee, Golwalkar played a pivotal role in the launch of shows like ‘Dance India Dance’ exhibiting a flair for unscripted formats. At Star India, he worked as senior vice president, programming.

    In 2015, he joined Sony Pictures Network as senior creative director, (content) and headed all fiction and non-fiction format shows, and was also responsible for commissioning scripted and non-scripted shows for the broadcaster. Under his helm, SPN India went on to launch hits such as ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’, ‘Super Dancer’ and successful editions of popular franchises like ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, ‘Indian Idol’, ‘CID’, ‘Crime Patrol’ and more. In 2018, he was elevated as the head of programming for Sony Entertainment Television (SET) and was given the additional charge as head of content for digital business i.e., SonyLIV a year later. Golwalker is also a passionate foodie and amateur chef who is deeply interested in sustainable farming.

    On 15 August, SPN India concluded the 12th season of its singing reality show ‘Indian Idol’ with a grand finale the likes of which have never been seen before on Indian television. The finale aired from noon to midnight featuring as many as 40 acts led by music industry’s most celebrated talent. Indiantelevision.com’s Varun Markande caught up with Sony Pictures Networks India, head content – Sony Entertainment Television and digital business, Ashish Golwalkar to understand the incredible task of putting together a 12-hour episode, discovering talent via digital auditions and the growing appeal of the show at the end of its 12th season.

    Edited excerpts

    On pulling off a 12-hour long grand finale episode.

    I would credit it to the team effort and the positive attitude of everyone. All the teams worked hard churn amid various safety protocols to wrap up this season with great splendour and fanfare. It was the biggest finale ever! For us, it was all about breaking the clutter and creating a disruption. It was a huge task in front of us. One episode is 1.5 hours long, so a 12-hours programming was equal to packaging 5-6 episodes for one finale. You have one day and you need to fill it up with 12 hours of content, there’s editing, music, musicians, there’s practice that happens, costumes and everything else. It’s taxing, but also very exciting.

    12 years and counting. On the continued success of ‘Indian Idol’ franchise.

    ‘Indian Idol’ has been an exceptionally popular show and a hugely successful format for Sony (Pictures Networks India). It has introduced us to several musical talents from across the country over the years and undoubtedly changed the future of many contestants and made them stars overnight.  And one of the biggest reasons for its success is its approach. While the earlier music reality shows were more focused on following traditional norms of singing, ‘Indian Idol’ accepted and adopted the changing times and made it essential for a singer to not only sing well but also perform well as an artist.

    On unearthing the finest singing talent brought in front of Indian audiences.

    Our focus has always been singing and incredible vocal performance. Even though, we conducted digital auditions this year, we saw massive participation. A lot of young contestants came forward and I must say that all of them have immense potential. ‘Indian Idol’ cultivates and promotes outstanding untapped talent among the youth of India by nurturing them and providing a national platform to showcase their talent.

    On building a connection with the audiences.

    At Sony Entertainment Television, we have reserved the weekends for the talent. If you see, most of our shows talk about the common man, their talent and celebrate that – be it ‘Indian Idol’, ‘Super Dancer’, ‘India’s Best Dancer’, or ‘Superstar Singer’ – our kids singing show. Very soon we will launch ‘Shark Tank’ too which will give an opportunity to budding entrepreneurs, and then there’s Kaun Banega Crorepati as well. KBC is not about talent but more about knowledge which the common man can again connect and seek knowledge. So, all the shows that we’ve developed celebrate the common man through their talent or their knowledge and I think that has been our main USP and something that is working for us and we want to continue to be invested in it.

    On successfully conducting digital auditions.

    During the pandemic the world has learnt how to adapt to difficult and different situations. In fact, ‘Indian Idol’ was our first show where we adopted digital auditions. The response was great, however unfortunately we could not digitalise the entire show and had to package it physically. I think we identify this as a hybrid model that was created post which we did ‘Super Dancer 4’ and recently ‘India’s Best Dancer’ and ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ auditions too. There were a lot of learnings from ‘Indian Idol’ which gave us the opportunity to improvise it for other shows. Subsequently, it’s a hybrid model where there will be digital auditions and then people will have to bundle episodes physically in order to witness the talent. We’ve been both elated and lucky that we have identified some incredible talent through ‘Indian Idol’ and other shows. The audiences are already witnessing this on ‘Super Dancer 4’ and I am sure they are enjoying it as well.

  • On casual sexism & gender disparity: ‘Ishk Par Zor Nahi’ promises something different

    On casual sexism & gender disparity: ‘Ishk Par Zor Nahi’ promises something different

    MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television has strengthened its primetime line-up with the launch of Ishk Par Zor Nahi from 15 March. Ishk Par Zor Nahi, a new-age, young love story of Ahaan and Ishqi – two people who are not just different in personality, but also share polarising viewpoints about marriage. Starring Akshita Mudgal as Ishqi and Param Singh as Ahaan Malhotra, the show is produced by Four Lions Films, and will air Monday to Friday at 9:30pm.

    Sony Entertainment Television & digital business content head Ashish Golwalkar shared that the channel is known for its variety entertainment, unique storylines and lovable characters. His effort is to create a property that can impart knowledge, highlight social and cultural issues prevalent in the society and leave a long-lasting image in the minds of audiences.

    Said he: “We have had a great start to the year, and we are committed to bring forth an eclectic mix of narratives to our viewers. Ishk Par Zor Nahi has a flavour of romance through an accidental couple who are poles apart from each other and nurture different perspectives on marriage, relationships and family. It is a fresh young love story with relatable characters, and we are pleased to partner with Gul Khan and Deepti Kalwani for this show. We are certain the audience will enjoy what the show has to offer.”

    According to Golwalkar, television has a limited scope in terms of creative expression, but what sets Ishk Par Zor Nahi apart is the way the makers have weaved the storyline. He credits Four Lions Films co-founder Gul Khan for coming up with the idea.

    “I’ve been working with SET for the past five years, and we’ve tried to collaborate on a project numerous times but somehow it didn’t work out. Finally, during the lockdown, I approached Khan to create a love drama. From there on, the process of writing, re-writing, casting started,” he detailed.

    The insights of the show are not very sublime or tough it is very simple, the way it is packaged makes it more engaging. It is a simple story of how two contrasting people come closer and eventually fall in love. What differentiates it is the value system, there upbringing, how they respond to societal norms which are deeply embedded within each family, added Golwalkar.

    Khan is looking forward to working with Sony Entertainment Television for the second time. She mentioned that while Four Lions Films is known for making romantic shows, there are many things which remains unsaid; SET has given her the platform to speak her mind and address these underlying issues.

    “In our society, casual sexism has become so common that we have questioning it. In a same household a girl and boy are treated differently, it is engraved in our minds that we have to change once we get married. It changes the way how we grow as an individual and at times bring a full stop to our happiness,” she shared.

    Khan went on to say not to be deceived by the show’s initial impression – it might look like a simple love story, but as the story unravels, audiences will witness intense drama. Normally, it takes three to four months to write the script for a show, but in this case, it took much more time as the makers were trying to strike the right balance. She also revealed that the team at Sony TV was quite demanding, in a positive manner. They were quite precise over what they wanted out of the show. 

    While addressing a virtual conference, Golwalkar clarified that the intention of Ishk Par Zor Nahi is not to influence audiences or instruct them what is right or wrong; rather, it seeks to entertain them and, along the way, subtly raise some thought-provoking questions. He further added, “We didn’t have many launches in the second half of last year but this time we are working on experimental shows, then there is a sitcom genre with Sargam Ki Sadhe Sati, Punyashlok Ahilyabai is doing well for us in the 7.30 pm slot. Our recently launched show, Kyun Utthe Dil Chhod Aaye is also performing well. So, in an all we are trying to bring variety with our fiction shows.”

  • How Sony brought Punyashlok Ahilyabai to life amid a pandemic

    How Sony brought Punyashlok Ahilyabai to life amid a pandemic

    MUMBAI: Since the turn of the millennium, television may have come to be defined by saas-bahu operas, but another genre that has recently struck gold is that of historical dramas. After the success of Maharana Pratap, Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, Porus, and Peshwa Bajirao, among others, Sony Entertainment Television (SET) is all set to create magic with its new show Punyashlok Ahilyabai.

    The historical drama set in the eighteenth century is based on the life of Ahilyabai Holkar, who with the support of her father-in-law Malhar Rao Holkar, defied the pre-defined norms of a patriarchal society. Produced by Dashami Creations and directed by Jackson Sethi, the serial will bring to life the courageous tales of Ahilyabai Holkar for the first time on Indian television. Child actor Aditi Jaltare plays the role of Ahilya, while Rajesh Shringarpure is seen as Ahilya's father-in-law, Malhar Rao Holkar. The supporting cast includes Snehlata Vasaikar,  Krish Chauhan,Srijana Srj, Sukhada Khandkekar, Bhagyashree, Sameer Deshpande, Aryan Preet, James Naivedhya Ghadge, Harshit Kesharwani, Varada Patil and Sulakshana Joglekar.

    The show will showcase the special bond shared between Ahilya and her father-in-law. The story traces Ahilyabai Holkar's journey from a village girl belonging to a shepherd community, to a queen of the Maratha empire who later went on to earn the title of Matoshree. It’s a little known fact that Ahilyabai Holkar was one of the finest women rulers in Indian history.  

    Punyashlok Ahilyabai started airing on 4 January from Monday to Friday at 7.30 pm. It will be interesting to see how it competes with other shows in the same time slot. Star Plus airs Shaadi Mubaraak concurrently, whereas Zee TV telecasts the very popular show Humari Wali Good News starring Juhi Parmar. The latest BARC India data (week 52) shows SET ranks fifth in the (U+R) market.

    The show currently does not have any title or co-powered sponsors. However, the channel has lined up advertisers across categories, right from FMCGs, health and hygiene, to automobiles.

    What sets Punyashlok Ahilyabai apart from other historical dramas on television, said Sony Pictures Networks India digital business and SET content head Ashish Golwalkar is its storyline that focuses on the protagonist’s individual journey rather than her married life. It is a story of bravery, and valour of a warrior woman, and it focuses more on the historical issue that we’ve not seen on television before. Unlike Jodha Akbar or other period dramas, there is no love story or war in the spotlight. Social issues that find mention in the show are still prevalent in our time – whether it is the education of a girl child or religious dogmas. Said he: “It is a journey of a woman who became the queen of Malwa and she was very ahead of her time. During that time, she thought about equality, she was a fundamentalist and a true reformist. She kept her kingdom before herself. It’s essentially a historical drama, but within the limits of drama, it is as authentic and real as we could make it.”

     

     

    Golwalkar, who belongs to Indore, wanted to make this show for a very long time. He was keen on telling stories that are relevant in today’s time and believes in being authentic in approach. He avoided glamourising the characters as it will not be relatable to the audience.

    “The shows that we have done, whether it was Mere Dad Ki Dulhan, Patiala Babes, or Indiawaali Maa speaks at length about partnership. So Punyashlok Ahilyabai is a very unique story of a partnership where a father-in-law mentored and helped his daughter-in-law, he chose ability over societal norms. The norm is the son will become the king but he chooses his daughter-in-law as an heir," he elaborated.

    Apparently, over 1,000 girls auditioned over eight months for the part of Ahilyabai. Later, child actor Aditi Jaltare was roped in to essay the lead character. The auditions were highly rigorous as shortlisting was performed about five or six times and then backed up by mock photoshoots by the production team. The creators had a very particular vision of how the persona of Ahilyabai would be represented on screen. The artist portraying her should at all times show a childlike innocence and playful energy when delivering intense dialogues.

    The show is written by multiple writers, while Purnendu Shekhar – who also wrote Balika Vadhu and several other shows – was the script consultant. Shirish Latkar is working on the script and veteran writer Usha Dixit joined the team to pen the dialogues. There are many books which offer a glimpse into the life and times of  Matoshree Ahilyabai Holkar, but the makers sought the help of renowned researcher Sanjay Sonawane, who pitched in the scripts, dialogues, factual details, and tried to highlight intricate details about Ahilyabai.

    The showrunners are going all out to ensure authenticity. Dashmi Creations partner Ninad Vaidya mentioned that the entire set replicating the Malhar Palace was created in a studio near Naigaon. Construction started in March but due to lockdown it was put on hold, and they could finally finish it in the month of August when shooting resumed. He shared, “We visited Maheshwar a couple of years back, so we have designed it keeping that in mind. It is also very similar to Shirdi. We have also re-created Chondi village, which will later be redesigned into some other village in Malwa. On the studio wall, we have mounted the exterior of the palace and inside the studio, there is a working place.”

     

     

    The production house is relying on graphics, chroma and VFX to add the pomp and grandeur to crowd scenes, while also keeping budgets under control. They have created a background that could reflect that era. The graphics are done by Chirag Rajveer, who created the design even before the shooting took place to have clarity on the background. It is more like a virtual production where the background is created beforehand and then the location is decided. Most of the outdoor sequences in the background are constructed in graphics. As the worker capacity cannot go beyond 65 people, Vaidya is filming with a minimal crew.

    Preparations for the show combined research with an imaginative retelling of the eighteenth century. “We got to know about how they live, what they look like, their language and other details like costumes which is very important for historical dramas,” the producer explained. The costume and the art team travelled all the way to Maheshwar, met local people, did multiple recces to understand the nuances, look, and feel. Costume designing is done by Rohini, who has in the past done six shows for the production house. Her expertise lies in making costumes for historic shows. She designs the costume layout on paper followed by getting the exact fabric before making the costume. Vaidya highlighted that it is challenging to maintain colour code and design costumes for so many people.

    Music in historical shows transports audiences back to that era, so it is a very vital part of the show. For this period piece, the score has been composed by Devendra, who is also the music director for another show on the channel – Mere Sai. Besides narrating Ahilyabai and her father-in-law’s unique partnership, the historical drama not only subverts the norms but also redefines them.  

  • Sony Entertainment Television onboards multiple advertisers Indian Idol 12

    Sony Entertainment Television onboards multiple advertisers Indian Idol 12

    MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television (SET) is all set to unveil season 12 of its popular vocal talent hunt programme, Indian Idol. Produced by Fremantle Media, the show has successfully completed its first-ever digital auditions – Ghar Se Manch Tak Ka Safar – in the new normal, and will begin airing from 28 November, every Saturday and Sunday at 8 pm only on SET.

    Just like Kaun Banega Crorepati, the makers of Indian Idol 12 have decided to take the digital route amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Auditions were conducted virtually, thereby making it easier for aspirants to participate from the safety of their homes. Taking on the mantle as judges will be singers and musicians Neha Kakkar, Himesh Reshammiya and Vishal Dadlani, while Aditya Narayan will host the show.

    SET and digital business content head Ashish Golwalkar said, “Indian Idol’s successful run for over 15 years and 11 seasons is a testimony to the fact that music lovers and TV audiences love watching it and listening to the variety of voices every year. Our theme this year Ab Mausam Phir hoga Awesome -Indian Idol 2020 ke Saat truly embodies the need for a change in mood of the people and what is a better way than an amalgam of music and entertainment.”
    This year, Indian Idol season 12 is co-presented by Maruti Suzuki and Colgate. The show is co-powered by Patanjali Kesh Kanti, Nestle Munch, Macho Hint and Firstcry.

     

     

    The show is supported with robust marketing initiatives, a 360-degree integrated communication, all of which would be rolled out to drive the brand experience across locations. According to Golwalkar, Indian Idol is an impact property that attracts lots of eyeballs on its own. The main USP of the show is its unique talent. He shared that the marketing team is leaving no stones unturned to create enough opportunities in order to bring viewers. A lot of preference is given to digital mediums. The network is utilising SonyLiv as a platform to create buzz. Sony TV is also looking at conventional mediums like print and outdoors.  

    Golwalkar revealed that the channel has already shot six episodes which includes three days of auditions and three days of mega auditions. The team is extensively looking at the safety guidelines. He added, “We are strictly adhering to government protocols, we are not only following norms but also ensuring that when kids are coming back from travel, they are tested for Covid2019. We all know that this pandemic is extremely unpredictable, hence we regularly sanitise and fumigate our set, shooting premise, location where contestants are staying.” He also added that the team is strictly maintaining social distancing norms, with there being a proper partition between the three judges. Instead of a live in-studio audience, viewers will get to participate through digital mediums.

    Host Aditya Narayan shared that crew member and contestants have been given hand sanitisers, gloves, masks and face shields. In fact, it is mandatory for people present on the set to wear PPE Kits. According to him, it was the most difficult phase of the shooting.  

     

     

    Fremantle MD Aradhana Bhola said, “2020 has had its set of challenges on various fronts. We are delighted to bring irresistible entertainment to the audience with season 12 of Indian Idol and hope that it will touch the right chord with them, yet again. It is our sincere hope that this season’s mix of talented singers with their inspiring human spirit will eventually lead to the people of India choosing their most loved idol. A feat that would make the entire Indian Idol team’s toil worthwhile.”

    Indian Idol has always been a big-ticket property for Sony Entertainment and as per media reports, the opening week of season 11 clocked 6.63 million impressions. There were a slew of advertisers for the season including Colgate, Ceat, Firstcry, Dairy Milk, Bikaji, and Lotus Herbals.  

  • KBC 12 and the sponsorship puzzle

    KBC 12 and the sponsorship puzzle

    MUMBAI: Sony TV’s Kaun Banega Crorepati is one show which has stood the test of time. In its twentieth season in India, the game show is still popular and appreciated by people of all ages. KBC has always been synonymous with knowledge; it is a platform where contestants’ brains have got them big winnings year-on-year. And, of course there is the iconic host of the show upon whom India dotes, the thespian Amitabh Bachchan. SET has already released the promo for this year.

    However, this year, KBC is going to be different. To start with, the contestant selection process has gone digital owing to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in the country. Interestingly, SET shared the first glimpse of the KBC’s newly constructed set where the shoot starts from today. It has been reported that there will no audiences during the shoot, but only one member with the participant will be allowed to be present in the seating area.

    The broadcaster has already signed two premium co-presenting partners for the game show – Tata Salt and Vedantu. The race for lining up other sponsors is on; however no new names have been released by the broadcasting team, until the filing of this report.

    Media planners and buyers opine that Sony is currently charging Rs four lakh for a 10-second spot, which would be aired on the standard definition and high definition feeds. The industry view – in the best case scenario – is that KBC being a flagship property, will see those rates holding and, in the worst case, getting shaved by five to 10 per cent on the upper side.

    “All big properties have opened at similar to last year’s rates,” says Shripad Kulkarni & Associates principal Shripad Kulkarni. “Nobody is expecting overall ad spends to be more than 80 per cent of the last festive season. Moreover, IPL will suck away a big chunk of the budget, so all the big properties are staring at a 15-20 per cent lower yield. Other television genres would see a bigger hit in net yields,” mentions Kulkarni.

    Media Ant founder Samir Chaudhary also echoes a similar sentiment and suggests that the rate card for KBC is similar to what it was last year. “In the usual scenario the channel would have booked 80 per cent of the inventory in advance and only 10 percent would be left for spot selling. The situation has changed now due to festivities and the IPL. Since all of these are getting bunched up in terms of timing, the spends will get distributed,” he avers.

    Chauudhary adds that the network does not have too much time before the show comes on air, so it might have to do both sponsorship and spot sales simultaneously, unlike prior years when it first got the sponsors in and then sold FCT at a premium.

    KBC has always been a premium property that has attracted brands from across the categories. In 2019, Vivo V11 pro and Mahindra Marazzo were the co-powered sponsors along with additional associate sponsors. The game show has the ability to cut across all ages and the brand equity of the legendary actor Bachchan has helped it make a grand success over the years.

    Havas Media buying national head R. Venkatasubramanian believes that KBC will finally get support from advertisers and sponsors even though that looks like a challenging task currently. Says he: “This is a high investment property and clients will choose a vehicle on which they are getting ROI and KBC does offer that.”

    According to ex- Madison Media chief operating officer Anita Bose, as agencies and clients are not meeting, one can see a big difference between closing a deal face to face versus doing it online. She notes that even if KBC is a successful property with a great track record, clients are not willing to spend that kind of money that’s being asked. It is one of the reasons why KBC got postponed, she shares, adding “starting a reality show will be challenging because of the pandemic, the client portfolio will also be different now. They are being very cautious.”

    The pessimists and naysayers are of the view that due to the fact that cases of Covid2019 are continuing to rise and the IPL is coinciding with the festive season, television is not finding the going easy. Their view is that IPL may end up eating 40 per cent of viewership, which could lead to a drop in GEC viewership, with the movie and news genres continuing to hold strong. Red lights may start blinking for the entire TV sector if the festive season doesn’t live up to its promise and expectation, setting TV channels back for the rest of the year.

    Bose further reveals that due to the economic slowdown, clients are hesitant to spend. As far as discounts or incentive plans are concerned, she thinks there will be no cash price offs from channels. “I think there will be other value offers which will make sense to clients. The channel will not reduce the price, as it is a matter of prestige but what makers can do is to give more value addition on the network and that is how the selling will happen. Also, depending upon the client’s requirement they can tailor it accordingly.”

    She adds that since KBC is a format which follows the original, there are lots of dos and don’ts which advertisers have to adhere to, unlike other shows where the flexibility is more.

    Venkatasubramanian highlights that the show will also get support from mobile, consumer durables, automobiles, and tyre categories that are more than willing to pick up a slot on the 12-strong KBC sponsor rack. He believes that “ecommerce brands will probably go in for spot buy deals with edtuech companies stepping on to the podium.”

    We can only wait and watch and see if his predictions will come true.

  • SET gets back to basics with new series IndiawaaliMaa

    SET gets back to basics with new series IndiawaaliMaa

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) GEC Sony Entertainment Television (SET) has always differed from the rest of the pack in that it has done well with stories which appealed to the younger demographic and in more urban settings. (Remember the smash hit JassiJaisiKohiNahin, Bade AccheLagate Hai, Patiala Babes).

    Now, SET is all set to bring another series IndiawaaliMaa which tells an endearing relatable tale of a mother who helps her son through difficult times. The daily premieres on 31 August and will air from Monday to Friday at 8:30 pm.

    The show is produced by Jay Productions and has Suchita Trivedi (Kaushalya), Nitesh Pandey (Hasmukh), AkshayMhatre (Rohan), and Sheen Dass (Chinamma) in the main lead.

    Jay Productions founder Kinnari Mehta says the idea of making IndiawaaliMaa  was spawned eight months back when writer Imtiaz Patel narrated a story about a mother’s journey traveling to London for her son who gets into  trouble.

    “A few months back in a meeting with Sony TV, I narrated the idea,” she shares.  “They instantly loved it.” 

    Originally, the plan was to film in London, but with restrictions on travel and budgets brought about by the pandemic, the story was tweaked with Mumbai as a location.

    According to Mehta, the studio faced many challenges while drafting the script and shooting while adhering to all the SOPs with limited crew.  Additionally, multiple units where shoots are happening simultaneously, are being resorted to ensure that there is no overcrowding in one location and social distancing is maintained.

    Also, due to restrictions on travel, the team is doing most of the coordination over Zoom calls.

    Kinnari says, “We wanted someone who looks like my mother and for that, we conducted auditions, practically from the entire industry and the biggest challenge we faced was most of the women who are in their forties  have toned bodies. I couldn’t relate to them. When Suchitra came for the audition, she wore a normal saree, hooped earrings, and donned messy braids. I instantly chose her for the role as she perfectly fits in it.”

    As far as Nitish Pandey is concerned, Mehta wanted someone who is like a strict father but also a loving husband.

    “This is a show which will allow all of us to know the heart of a mother – the heart of an unconditionally loving  Indian mother –  closely. IndiawaaliMaa is not just a show it is an  emotion. A story that can’t be said and can only be felt,” says Kinnari.

    SPNI  digital business & SET content  head Ashish Golwalkar  says that the show will appeal to almost everyone as at its heart are real human emotions. “A mother is someone who stands by her son through thick and thin,” he says. “And in IndiawaaliMaa,Kaushalya or Kaku, the mother, takes it upon herself to resurrect her son Rohan who has lost direction and is struggling to cope,” says Golwalkar.

    Overall, he is pleased with the way that things are progressing with SET. Says he: The channel has always focused on relevant topics and at younger audiences. Our content is mostly around people and laughter. The Kapil Sharma Show is doing relatively well."

    He  is happy that the production of Kaun Banega Crorepati has commenced last week with extremely high safety precautions for its host Amitabh Bachchan and crew members. It may be recalled that Bachchan was discharged from hospital earlier this month after recovering from Covid2019. Says Golwarlkar: “We lost KBC around August and its shooting schedule was postponed. Hopefully, it will be launched next month.”

    The good news is that auditions for both Kaun Banega Crorepati and Indian Idol have been completed and the participants decided. Indian Idol is set to launch in end-October, replacing India’s Best Dancer which is in its final  stages.

    During the lockdown, Golwalkar has observed that audiences are preferring shows which are full of nostalgia. “There is no denying that digital consumption is growing very fast. I head content for SonyLIV and see that the younger generation watch more on the digital platforms,” he shares.He further adds, “Our digital platform still gets a lot of traction from Tarak Mehta KaUltaChashma, Balveer, The Kapil Sharma Show and India’s Best Dancer. A lot of television consumption is slowly shifting to digital but it is just the change of screen. I believe television is as relevant as it was before.”

  • SonyLIV 2.0 seeks to refresh through new-age, youthful vibe

    SonyLIV 2.0 seeks to refresh through new-age, youthful vibe

    KOLKATA: While the lockdown demotivated many, it did not stop OTT platform SonyLIV from taking a bold stop. With new content in-store, SonyLIV is reviving itself as SonyLIV 2.0. A new team which took up the role to lead the platform last year has reimagined the transformation. As the streaming war in India continues with Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, ZEE5 and MX Player being leading names, the rebranding is likely to give leverage.

    “We wanted to become more new-age, youthful, user-friendly. That was one thing which we wanted to say through the new logo design. Secondly, the V of LIV also resembles the tick mark. So, the entire design came from the fact that this is the right choice of entertainment,” said SPN digital business marketing head Aman Srivastava. The new logo emphasises the ‘liv’ part in a bright yellow colour in contrast to a colourful background with streaks of purple, blue and orange.

    Srivastava said they are informing existing customers about new content through notifications and emailers. Moreover, there is a way to interact with these consumers on the app itself. Apart from that, he adds that SonyLIV has been present on all digital and audiovisual platforms which provides it with the right kind of target audience including its network channels, major platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. He added that SonyLIV was always well-played from a distribution point of view as its available across devices, platforms and telecom players. 

    He is also confident about customer retention even after the lockdown easing as it will have new content every week. Moreover, he added that live sports has also started and the sports fans are coming in and there might even be some more new sports content. As television shootings have resumed, catch-up content will also come back. Together, original, live sports, catch-up content will keep subscribers engaged. 

    Just after the launch, SPN digital business and SET content head Ashish Golwalkar said that it would start the journey with Hindi and English content. Although the English library has always been heavy of the streaming platform, it has now collaborated with the best creative minds of the country for good local content. 

    “Currently, we are starting with Hindi and English content. In English content, we have content from Sony Pictures Television, our own studio. We have acquired some content from ITV and NBC. We have an existing Lionsgate library. We have a rich rapporteur of English content. Now, we are launching with Your Honour. We will launch five shows in the next two months.  We have content planned for Hindi, Marathi and English. We have very enriching content from TVF as well,” he said.

    Golwalkar admitted that the space is highly competitive but even then he feels there is a lot of space for content in certain genres like comedy or content that is Indian in approach. According to him, there is not much content in the genre. The online content that is coming from India is revolving around crime, thriller and dark subjects. There are a lot of other stories that can be told and that will allow SonyLIV to create a niche for itself. He added that they would be launching around 15-20 originals in the next 12 months. Some of the content can be dubbed in major regional languages in the coming days.

    The first original with which the rebranded platform started the journey was Your Honor, Created by Applause Entertainment. Deepak Segal, the content head of Applause Entertainment said that it is one of format among six which were acquired from Israel. The show was first adapted and produced by it and then SonyLIV was approached. It has three shows coming up on SonyLIV.

  • Sony Entertainment Television’s India’s Best Dancer to premiere on 29 February

    Sony Entertainment Television’s India’s Best Dancer to premiere on 29 February

    MUMBAI: After the roaring success of Super Dancer – a dance reality platform for kids, Sony Entertainment Television will launch India’s Best Dancer, a platform for dancers between the age group of 15 – 30 years on 29 Febraury. Industry’s best and most proficient names in the field of dancing, Malaika Arora, Geeta Kapur and Terence Lewis will helm the mantle as judges of the show and will leave no stone unturned to pick the finest talent and challenge them week on week reiterating what the show stands for – Jab Tak Best Nahi, Tab Tak Rest Nahi. 

    The show marks the comeback of ace choreographer Terence Lewis on television as a judge after 8 years. Hosted by the impeccable duo Bharti Singh and Harsh Limbachiyaa, India’s Best Dancer will air every Sat-Sun at 8 pm.

    Produced by Frames Production Company, India’s Best Dancer will showcase the journey of some of the best talent who, with their solo performances, will compete to win the title. The show promises to be the toughest dance reality show on Indian television and the makers have ensured to make it challenging at every step. Starting with the Auditions, the contestants will get only 90 seconds on the clock to impress the judges with at least 3 Power Moves to head further in the competition. As the clock keeps ticking, the judges, or E.N.T specialists, will keep a close eye on the Entertainment, Newness and Technique that the contestants bring forth through their dancing. 

    While Malaika will assess the ‘Entertainment’ quotient in each act, Geeta will look for ‘Newness’ in the moves and Terence will account for perfection in the ‘Technique’. The second phase of Mega Auditions will see the selected contestants battle it out in pairs and trios post a solo performance to move into the next round. In the Grand Premiere, the judges will announce the Top 12 contestants as the Best Barah who will have a respective mentor in the journey ahead. Week-on-week these 12 contestants will have to impress the judges and audience alike to move closer to winning the most coveted title of India’s Best Dancer!

    The show auditioned across various cities to find talent that is not just the best but contestants who are constantly bettering themselves every single day. Passion, dedication and determination is what defines the talent on India’s Best Dancer and the audience will see a perfect mélange of power-packed performances and inspiring stories every week.

    Sony Entertainment Television content & digital business head Ashish Golwalkar said, "After the successful season of Indian Idol, we are excited to announce our very own IP – India’s Best Dancer, a platform that focuses on bringing forth only the best of talent and showcasing their journey. It has been our constant endeavor to bring forth formats that are not only clutter breaking but also high on engagement with our audience. For the very first time, the audience will get to see contestants in a dance off at the initial rounds of India’s Best Dancer. To ensure that the contestants keep putting their best foot forward week-on-week, they will be mentored by the best choreographers in the industry, reiterating the core of the show – Jab Tak Best Nahi Tab Tak Rest Nahi. Judging this kind of talent is not an easy feat and we are confident that our panel of judges – Malaika Arora, Geeta Kapur and Terence Lewis will do justice to their role of the ENT specialists, scrutinizing talent on the Entertainment, Newness and Technique they bring to the table. Bharti and Harsh mark their debut as the hosts of a dance reality show and we are confident they will charm their way into the hearts of our audience."

    Frames Production Company producers Ranjeet Thakur and Hemant Ruprell said, "India’s Best Dancer as a format is not just tough but in true sense a test for the best. While the talent that has participated is outstanding, it’s their journey in the show that will redefine the level of dancing and entertainment. There are various stages in the show that have never been explored on television so far and we are confident that these will engage the audiences throughout the course of the show. It is always a great pleasure to collaborate with Sony Entertainment Television, and we value our long-standing association with the brand."

  • Reimagining SonyLIV: the story begins

    Reimagining SonyLIV: the story begins

    MUMBAI: Way before international streaming giants entered the Indian over-the-top (OTT) market, Indian broadcast networks had already rolled out their digital offerings. Sony Pictures Networks India's (SPNI) digital arm SonyLIV – one of the early-movers in the “streaming race”, is now undergoing transformation under a new leadership team. While its business has largely been driven by advertising revenues and catalogue offerings till now, the streamer is all set to increase its focus on subscription and original content.

    Led by digital veteran Uday Sodhi for around half a decade, SPNI rejigged its team, plonking in old-time SPNI executive Danish Khan to lead it, adding to his responsibilities as business head of its leading GEC Sony Entertainment Television. Khan roped in the A-Team that works with him at SET, Ashish Golwalkar and Aman Srivastava, to also help him revitalise SonyLIV. Golwalkar, the content head at SET will now help build the streamers slate, while Srivastava, who steered the rebranding and positioning of SET, will also have the digital business marketing title on his visiting card. Amogh Dusad as head – programming and new initiatives, digital business has been given the mandate of strategic planning, operations, viewership management and analytics for SonyLIV.

    Golwalkar says his experience at SET will help him steer the streamer’s content play well. “As we jokingly say that on SET, in any case, we make digital content. The digital traction of SET is very good because as a channel we are largely urban. We are focussed on metros and newer metros and the urban markets and digital growth is also happening here which very nicely coincides,” he says with a twinkle in his eye. “In terms of learning, of course, it is a different medium. So we will have to evaluate the content basis that.”

    “However, there are certain inherent aspects that we have as a network in terms of the ethos of content and the kind of people we talk to. I think we will take a lot of synergies from that piece and we will navigate those people who are already there on the network and look after how we navigate them to our own digital platform as opposed to them straying to some other OTT platforms. I think that’s going to be a challenge but I think we’ll do it,” he adds.

    Golwalkar confesses that for any streamer the real traction for subscription is driven by premium sports or premium content and SonyLIV is going to play both. As the network already has premium sports properties, the major focus will be on originals for the next few months.  “Anyway, we did not have any significant original content play before this,” he says.

    In terms of language, Hindi and English are going to be important languages, followed by Marathi and Bangla as SPNI already has linear television channels in those markets. The platform will also consider some of the south languages also.

    “We already have Sony Pictures Television content, some of it is with other OTT platforms. So we will see how we can attract more studios and international content to SonyLIV, the talks are on. These relationships with the international studios are forged over many years. Some of the relationships we already have and some of them we intend to kind of build,” he comments on English content portfolio.

    “We have just started SVOD last year. We started the relationship with Lionsgate which gives us almost 400-500 hours of content. Some of the bigger shows from their slate include Power, Anger Management, Sweetbitter. We strengthened our Hollywood offering with SPT content also. We believe that there is an audience for English content also. It has just been six to eight months into the journey.  I think we will continue to push and strengthen Hollywood offering,“ comments Amogh Dusad, another key person in the transformation.

    “We are looking at the entire piece like a strong SVOD service coming and the idea is to be in touch with the consumers whether online or offline or on any social media or the basic consumptions on the app to ensure that what we show on the app  is in sync with his /her taste and preferences. And a lot of work is going to happen in the next two months,” Dusad adds.

    The reason for the SVOD shift: with higher investment in originals and acquisition of premium TV content, reliance on just ad revenues is proving a challenge for Indian streamers. The subscription curve is growing at a faster clip than the ad revenue one, although the Indian market is going to remain an ad-led one as per experts. A recent KPMG report projects subscription revenue from OTT platforms to grow to Rs 22 billion in FY20 and Rs 62 billion by FY23.

    “The insights tell you what are the triggers that get a person to start sampling the product and what is it that keeps the person as well. So what it helps especially for us is to design the consumer experience around that,” explains Srivastava. “So, one is an experience which is on the app, the other is the interaction with the brand outside the product as well. We will also have to work on is where do you get the consumers as insights will play a role where you find a like-minded set of audiences. All of these help in defining the consumer journey – some of who are on the platform, some of who are not on the platform and some who are not even aware of the platform. So we are going to work around all three sets of people using all kind of insights we get on or outside the platform.”

    Is pricing going to stay put or will a new package be drawn up?

    “Everything is up for change. As all were saying, all businesses go through a transformation, so SonyLIV, the digital business in SPN, is going through one such transformation and everything is up for discussion. What we are very sure is that we are going to shift the focus more towards subscription, currently, a large bulk of it is ad revenue. It’s a no-brainer that if anyone wants to have a play in this, we will have to drive subscription,” Golwalkar sums up.

  • Sony takes audiences to the crossroads with new show

    Sony takes audiences to the crossroads with new show

    MUMBAI: After being a leader in introducing mythological shows, Sony Entertainment Television (SET) is taking a different route. The channel’s latest offering is Zindagi ke Crossroads, a 39-episodic interactive show where the studio audiences will put forward their opinions on the challenges faced by the protagonists of the show.

    Produced by Shabina Khan, it will premiere on 6 June 2018, every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8.30 pm. Television actor Ram Kapoor will be the host who will not just encourage the audience to share their views but will also delve into the ‘whys’ of their decision making to bring alive the melting pot of opinions in the audience for the narratives showcased. The question thrown open to the audience will be “what would you have done if you were at this crossroad?” The idea is to get families to sit tight on the couch.

    Mahadev, who is the concept and screenplay writer of the show, narrated the concept to Khan after which she realised it is an appropriate show for the times. It has been in planning mode for two years.

    The investment for the show is close to Rs 75-80 lakh. Sony head of non-fiction Ashish Golwalkar said, “There is no amortisation. Generally, you have one set and you’ll shoot everything in that, but that is not possible. This story demands different locations and places and that is why the cost goes up as far as fiction shows are concerned.”

    Commenting on the promotional and marketing strategy, Sony EVP and business head Danish Khan said that SET will be using digital and multimedia platforms to promote the show. “The important thing is to convey to the people what the format is and it is very difficult to convey the format unless we sample it, so what we are communicating is, this is the story, this is the protagonist and this is the crossroad, what would you do if you are in the protagonist’s place?”

    Golwalkar said that the format of the show is very tough to explain and since it is a chat show, people will typecast it very soon. “Our focus will obviously be on airing it on our channels, also Dus ka Dum will air on Monday and Tuesday, so we will run promos there as well.”

    Given the other fast-paced and action-oriented shows on air today, it will be worthwhile to see how the audience will react to such a programme.

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