ITV

Tag: Deepak Dhar

  • Colors doubles down on weekend programming with ‘The Big Picture’

    Colors doubles down on weekend programming with ‘The Big Picture’

    Mumbai: With few days left for the launch of its new show, ‘The Big Picture’, Colors TV is gearing up to cement its position as one of the most preferred weekend destination for TV viewers. The new launch builds on the success of its previous unscripted shows – ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi’, ‘Dance Deewane’ and ‘Bigg Boss’.

    All set to launch this Saturday, 16 October, ‘The Big Picture’ will also mark the Television debut of Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh, who will host the quiz show based on general knowledge and visual memory. According to the channel, the new show will air between 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekends followed by ‘Bigg Boss 15’ hosted by Salman Khan. With these two big entertainers, the channel hopes to see record viewership on the weekends.

    According to Viacom18 – head of Hindi and Kids TV network Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Colors TV currently occupies 24 per cent market share in terms of viewership on weekends. “The pandemic has led to a trend where families are coming together to watch on TV. So, we are doubling down on the weekends with two big properties,” said Jaipuria. “There was a clear white space that we wanted to address for our viewers. Audiences have missed theatres for 18 months, so we brought Ranveer Singh, one of the most versatile actors in Bollywood, to drawing rooms.”

    The 26-episode show will air over 13 weeks and feature multiple contestants vying to win the grand prize of Rs five crore. The show format is owned by ITV Studios Global Entertainment B.V and is produced by Banijay Asia and SKTV. “Everybody has been bogged down by the pandemic. So, when there was a programming opportunity at Colors, we took the show to them because the format encouraged audiences to play along,” said Banijay Asia – founder and chief executive officer Deepak Dhar. “And, there was a tremendous response for the digital auditions of the show that began in July.”

    Viacom18 believes in a TV+ strategy and ‘The Big Picture’ format definitely has an interactive element, where viewers can ‘Play Along’ via the OTT app Voot. Apart from fixed commercial time (FCT) inventory, the channel is keen to take away a bigger share of the advertising wallet as the festive season spends grow bigger.

    “It’s a win for advertisers because they won’t just engage with the audience via regular inventory on the channel but have the opportunity to customise and communicate their brand messaging and reach their customers in a clutter-breaking manner,” said Jaipuria ahead of the show’s launch. The show’s sponsors include BYJU’S, Bikaji, LIC, and Haier refrigerator.

    The channel has cleverly incentivised audiences to engage with the show by adding monetary rewards for viewers. For example, there is an element called ‘India wale lifeline’, where a contestant may choose to ask a friend for help with a question. The show has made it such that the person who helps with the correct answer will also share in the prize money. “If I win Rs 100 by getting the correct answer, the person who helped me will get Rs 25” explained Jaipuria.

    The channel has gone live with a multi-media campaign on 8 October across TV, digital, print, and a high decibel OOH campaign covering billboards, bus shelters, auto-rickshaws, and kiosks across cities like Bombay and Delhi and states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.

    “We have the largest reach on TV with 121 viewers and a solid fanbase of 110 million on digital,” said Jaipuria. The show will be also promoted across Jio platforms which has a reach of 300 million. Viacom18 has also engaged with fans by sending them a personalised invitation from Ranveer Singh to catch the show premiere.

  • Colors to launch ‘The Big Picture’ on 16 October

    Colors to launch ‘The Big Picture’ on 16 October

    Mumbai: Hindi general entertainment channel Colors is all set to launch its quiz show ‘The Big Picture’ on 16 October starting at 8:00 p.m every Saturday – Sunday. The show will telecast on Colors and stream simultaneously on the OTT platforms Voot and Jio TV.

    Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh will make his television debut as the host of the show, which will be co-presented by ed-tech brand BYJU’S, with Bikaji, LIC, and Haier Refrigerator as ‘associate’ sponsors.

    “We have been earnestly preparing for this show for a long time, and I can’t wait for the audience to play along and be a part of this unique proposition,” said Singh. “The format of the show will allow me to closely interact with the audience which makes it even more special.”

    A next-generation quiz show, it’s based on knowledge and visual memory, allowing the contestants to answer 12 visual-based questions and stand a chance to win the jackpot of five crores. Additionally, the viewers can also participate and win money with the Weekend and Weekday play-along on Voot app.

    “Whether it is introducing home-grown properties or adapting international formats, we push the envelope of innovation to give the best of fiction and non-fiction shows to our viewers,” said Viacom18, head of Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network, Nina Elavia Jaipuria. “We are excited to kick off the festive season on a high note with the launch of two big properties – ‘Bigg Boss’ and ‘The Big Picture’ to keep the momentum going.”

    “People today consume and reciprocate well to any visual-based content and the concept of ‘The Big Picture’ is based on this insight,” said Viacom18, chief content officer – Hindi mass entertainment, Manisha Sharma. “It is a new-age, contemporary, and never seen format that will give the audience, playing from the studio and from the comforts of their home, an opportunity to answer questions based on pictures and walk away with the prize money.”

    Based on the international format owned by ITV Studios Global Entertainment B.V, ‘The Big Picture’ will be aired in India in association with Banijay Asia and SKTV. “Our collaboration with COLORS for the internationally acclaimed title ‘The Big Picture’ brings forward an intriguing format molded as per the Indian mindset and milieu,” said Banijay Asia, chief executive officer, Deepak Dhar.

    COLORS has devised a 360-degree multiscreen, multicity, high investment campaign spreading across the length and breadth of the country to build visibility and awareness of the show. A high-frequency promo campaign will run across the network and non-network channels, Local Cable channels, and major DTH service operators, along with ads in key HSM publications and an extensive out-of-home campaign on billboards, bus shelters, radio cabs, railway and metro stations, auto rikshaws and tempos.

    “The show is all set to nurture millions of dreams across the country and as brand partners, we hope to celebrate the spirit of Indians and also inspire a love for learning,” said BYJU’s, marketing head, Atit Mehta.

    On the digital front, the network will launch innovative campaigns like ‘The Big Picture Ki Paathshala’ and ‘#TaqdeerKiTareekh’ on the OTT platforms, social media, Voot, and Jio TV. In the launch week, the audience will also get a personalised invite to watch the show from Ranveer Singh using AI technology.

    As a part of the influencer outreach, Colors has roped in notable social media personalities and artists to bring alive the concept of ‘The Big Picture’ by posing against popular monuments and iconic locations across various cities, as well as to optimise its impact and reach.

  • Zee Tamil announces launch of new reality show ‘Survivor’

    Zee Tamil announces launch of new reality show ‘Survivor’

    Mumbai: Tamil GEC, Zee Tamil on Tuesday announced the launch of its upcoming reality show, Survivor. The hugely popular global reality show is adapted for the Tamil market by the content production and distribution company Banijay Asia.

    Helmed by the production giant – Banijay, the franchise’s global success of Survivor is aptly reflected across every international adaptation of the show in multiple languages, resulting in a strong fan base world over. The show is the ultimate game of human survival designed to truly test every aspect of its contestant’s mental and physical strength, the multi-channel network said in a statement.

    “As a channel, we have always committed ourselves to engage our audience with innovative content and variety in reality entertainment. Survivor will definitely set new benchmarks in reality show formats in India. From the production value to the portfolio of talent, Zee Tamil has truly embarked on a journey in partnership with Banijay Asia to redefine quality entertainment in the market,” said ZEEL, EVP and South cluster head, Siju Prabhakaran.

    Banijay Asia’s CEO and co-founder, Deepak Dhar added, “Survivor is a show that has a global fan base. The format is unique, adaptable, and has the potential to match audience sensibilities across the board. The Tamil industry has always been experimental and bringing a reality show of this nature will only broaden the genre further. Zee Tamil has always been a frontrunner in bringing innovative content to its audience, and we’re excited to be partnering with them.”

    The launch of the show on Zee Tamil is soon to preceded by a promotional campaign. The show will also be available to watch on Zee’s OTT platform, Zee5.

  • Production powerhouse Banijay unveils new brand identity

    Production powerhouse Banijay unveils new brand identity

    MUMBAI: A new giant has emerged on the global TV production front with the completion of Banijay’s takeover of the Endemol Shine Group last week.  And the group has gone in for a rebranding exercise, revealing what it calls a new and contemporary brand identity. The merged parent entity and its operations have been called Banijay and will cover 22 territories, 120 plus production and a catalogue of over 88,000 hours of content.

    New logos – with an iconic pinkish B attached to every company logo – a fresh colour palette and an overhauled website have been unveiled. Globally,  Banijay Rights continues to lead distribution activities, while all territory-level holding companies will soon switch to Banijay. In India for instance, Banijay has three firms under its belt: Banijay Asia, Endemol Shine India and SOL India. Each of them has had the “B” attached to their logos and each has the tag identifying them as a Banijay company. While Banijay Asia is led by Deepak Dhar, Endemol Shine India has Abhishek Rege at the helm and SOL Productions has Fazila Allana and Kamna Narula Menezes leading it.

    The rebrand was imagined and executed by leading global creative partner Moving Brands with website design and build handled by Alchemy Digital.

     “The acquisition of Endemol Shine Group marks a major gear shift for our business and that had to be represented in our branding. We now have unrivalled global reach, an abundance of high-quality, multi-genre titles, and some of the best creative entrepreneurs in the world,” said Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti. “Celebrating our values, the significant breadth of our new offering and our continued investment in innovative IP, the simple, yet effective branding, provides standout alongside versatility, and we hope in years to come, our B will act as a beacon for ground-breaking storymaking and a stamp of excellence.”

    Among its global  top shows figure:  Survivor, Big Brother, Peaky Blinders, Temptation Island, MasterChef, Wallander, The Kardashians, Mr Bean, The Wall, Hunted, Black Mirror, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Deal or No Deal.

    With Bassetti fully in charge as CEO, Endemol Shine Group CEO Sophie Turner Laing is slated to exit by end this week. French entrepreneur Stéphane Courbit, who helped stitch together the deal, serves as chairman of the group. Total pro-forma revenue of Banijay-Endemol Shine  for 2019 totted up to  Euros 2.7 billion.

  • Banijay Asia collaborates with Kamal Haasan, Turmeric Media to create regional content

    Banijay Asia collaborates with Kamal Haasan, Turmeric Media to create regional content

    Mumbai, 20 January 2020: Banijay Asia has been quick to position itself as the leading content creation hub in India and South East Asia following its launch two years ago. After developing successful business partnerships with six brands across genres, Banijay Asia today announces the collaboration with Turmeric Media Networks Private Limited  and Kamal Haasan to produce content across screens and languages.

    Combining the massive fan base of Kamal Haasan and Deepak Dhar’s expertise in content creation and production, the two parties will join forces to gain a strong foothold in the South. The partnership will also see the two entities come together to create long and short-form content across OTT and television.

    “We wanted to partner with someone who knew the crux of the content creation and production business. Hence we were in a conversation with Deepak for a while now. With his extensive knowledge in the field, we could see the potential of venturing into a new space of creating regional content in India with Banijay Asia. His understanding of the craft and network have been invaluable in making it a reality. We are excited to collaborate with them to create revolutionary content across all screens and languages,” Kamal Haasan states.

     “In less than two years, we have created content across genres which has been widely accepted by the viewers. With this partnership, we are confident we will be able to create material which will suffice demands and be appreciated by vast audiences. Along with the mainstream market, we would also like to target the regional base, creating ground-breaking titles for the masses. We at Banijay Asia are proud to have partnered with a personality like Kamal Haasan, who has been a part of our industry for close to 60 years,” Banijay Asia CEO and founder Deepak Dhar comments on the partnership.

     “We are so excited to partner with Banijay Asia. Deepak has an unblemished record of creating success out of many new initiatives in the content space. This association is going to be no different. It is an honour for us to showcase Mr. Kamal Haasan’s expertise in the entertainment business. We are confident that this team shall conjure up some brilliant content that will keep the viewers “spellbound, ”  Turmeric Media founder R.Mahendran adds.

  • TV & Video People of 2019: Part III

    TV & Video People of 2019: Part III

    In the final installment of TV people who mattered in 2019, we take a look at executives who left an impact on the industry. As mentioned earlier, this is a representative list and by no means comprehensive. And it is in random order, with no order of importance in the listing. Read on and give us your feedback on our selection.

    Megha Tata

    Discovery India was reeling from a failed foray into the factual general entertainment genre; it’s India boss Karan Bajaj had parted, when it turned to media vet Megha Tata to come and stabilise what looked like a rocking boat. Motivation was at a low with teams unsure of the direction the network would take. Professionals who had been brought in for the GEC foray had to be pared, the existing team for factual programming had to be given the confidence that all was well and would be going forward.

    Tata – who changed her name from Monica to Megha a few years ago following guidance from her spiritual guru – has since done admirably. She has reallocated roles for senior managers, put in place her senior A team and Discovery Communications India looks set to be on a good growth path once again.

    With an advertising sales and management background, Megha has forged and strengthened relationships with major advertisers. This at a time when the industry has been going through a severe slowdown. Along with her team, she has been working on launching new language channels, apart from unveiling its streaming app.  Programming investments which were on a slow track are being ramped up.

    Megha’s management and growth efforts will begin to yield fruit in the coming months. But for now, she has earned respect from her peers on the path she has taken.

    Partho Dasgupta & Sunil Lulla

    He finally did it. Partho, the former Times group professional, put in his papers at the ratings agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), bidding adieu to an organisation he helped build from ground up.

    Said he at the time of his departure: “I have enjoyed my innings at BARC. Now it’s time to get some well-earned rest.”

    What he did not say is that he was constantly torn apart between the carping and cribbing of the various broadcasters, someone or the other of who suffered at the hands of the weekly Thursday ratings death knell.

    What happened at The Times group took place even at BARC. Sunil Lulla who replaced Dasgupta when he left The Times Network stepped into his shoes at BARC too. Sunil has his task cut of for him, he has to find solutions for diversifying the ratings firm into digital ratings, something which could not take off under Dasgupta as they could not get industry consenus.

    Kalli Purie 

    For long Arun Poorie was the face of the India Today group, but over the past couple of years, it is his daughter Kalli who has come to the forefront, driving it into new areas, apart from consolidating  existing properties. With her father as chairman, Kalli occupies the vice-chairperson’s position in a group which reaches a gargantuan 120 million plus visitors across all its properties every month.

    A clutch of 20 digital first multiplatform channels – News Tak, Sports Tak, Bharat Tak, UP Tak etc – and The Lallantiop are some of the properties which keep the millenials engaged on their handsets. News channel Aaj Tak continues to be the top news service in an ecosystem, even as its YouTube version has crossed more than 20 million subscribers.

    Then she runs the the print publications ranging from India Today to Reader’s Digest to Cosmopolitan to Harper’s Bazaar. Of course, there is the group’s globally well-known conclave which brings in business, political, art, scientific, leaders from all over the world, including India.

    Sources within the group say, this despite, Kalli, an Oxford graduate in politics, philosophy and economics, who began her career as a journalist, is just getting started. Forays into esports, gaming, are being studied.

    She was honoured with 'Outstanding Media & Entertainment Award' at the annual 21st Century Icon Awards in London two weeks before being awarded as a powerful woman in media in September 2019.

    Shibasish Sarkar

    For the Anil Ambani group which has been struggling and sunk to its lowest in terms of revenues, a company that has been a shining star is Reliance Entertainment. Leading it has been Shibasish Sarkar who was elevated as chief executive officer — content, digital and gaming at the beginning of 2019. Shibashish joined the company as group chief financial officer in 2007 and has held several positions such as chief financial officer (over eight years) and chief operating officer (three years) since then.

    He was instrumental behind changing the face of the company after setting up a joint venture business model with leading Bollywood filmmakers such as Rohit Shetty, Neeraj Pandey, Anurag Kashyap among others. The company has also been producing television shows through its division Big Synergy, animation shows for kids channels and digitial premium originals for channels as well as streamers such as Netflix.

    He has put in place professionals of the likes of former Discovery marketing head Rajiv Bakshi as CEO of the TV division, and Tejonidhi Bhandare for the animation unit to help him accelerate the growth of Reliance Entertainment. All eyes will be on the upcoming theatrical releases Love Aaj Kal and Kabir Khan’s 83 which is on India’s win in the 1983 cricket world cup.

    Karan Bedi

    If before last year, one were to ask industry professionals about Karan Bedi, the answer would be Karan, who! But it’s no longer so. The son of filmaker Bobby Bedi came into his own in 2019 with the successful rollout of the Times group’s MXPlayer. As CEO of the streamer, he leads a team of more than 300 professionals. MXPlayer has more than 175 million active users in India and it ended 2019 with more than 280 million monthly actives.

    With a recent fund raise of $110 million in his coffers, Karan is charging into launching digital video originals. The streamer already has 15 of them on the platform, 10 of them exclusive, with a plan to launch a score or more premium shows in the next four months in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Punjabi, Bhojpuri and Bengali in partnership with some of the big industry players. 

    The young professional who has more than a decade’s experience as an entrepreneur and professional is also steering the service into music, gaming and international markets.

    Aditya Pittie

    Aditya is the dark horse whom TV is finally beginning to take note of. The six foot seven inch executive – probably the tallest entrepreneur  in the industry – reorganised his group in 2019 under the umbrella of In10 Media. It currently consists of EPIC TV – which many had written off – its OTT version EpicOn, free to air channel ShowBox, documentary app DocuBay, production house Juggernaut, and digital news portal Latestly.

    With a family background in real estate, Aditya was an absolute stranger to media, cutting his entrepreneurial teeth as a national distributor of Patanjali products. It was then that billionaire Anand Mahindra called on him to partner and run the ailing EPIC TV. A quick learner, Aditya cobbled together a team of professionals with better experience than him and since then there has been no looking back.

    He believes that the group is a work in progress and has just started on its road to growth.

    Deepak Dhar

    Deepak Dhar is among the rising stars in India’s production landscape. Since convincing Marco Bassetti to have him as his equal equity partner for Banijay Asia two years ago, Dhar has produced more than 600 hours of content, 14 shows on air with another eight currently under production.

    Amongst the shows: Hostages and Roar Of The Lion for Hotstar Specials, Parchhayee for Zee5, The Kapil Sharma Show for Sony TV, ARRived for YouTube, Nach Baliye 9 for StarPlus and Masters Of Taste With Gary Mehigan for FoxLife.

    This aside, Dhar has forged strategic partnerships with actor Salman Khan’s Salman Khan TV to create linear broadcast content and digital formats, as well as cricketer MS Dhoni’s production banner for premium content for multi-platform distribution in India and Southeast Asia. A deal with GroupM’s Motion Content Group has also been signed.

    The much experienced former Star India and Endemol Shine India executive, has his eyes on expanding into south east Asian countries like Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia. He believes he can use India as a production hub, creating content in different Indian and Asia languages for the region.  

  • Banijay Asia partners with The Natural Studios to explore action-adventure genre

    Banijay Asia partners with The Natural Studios to explore action-adventure genre

    MUMBAI: Banijay Asia and The Natural Studios have announced their partnership to bring high-octane content to the Indian and Southeast Asian markets. The collaboration will bring scripted and non-scripted content in adventure and thrill genre on television as well as OTT platforms soon.

    Banijay Asia CEO & founder Deepak Dhar says, “At Banijay Group and Banijay Asia we constantly look at pushing new trends into the market. In the last 17 – 18 months we already produced almost close to 25 shows in this market. Now we are constantly looking at new genres and content and given the evolving content landscape, we have got into a new partnership with Bear Grylls’ company National Studios to enter the new genre which is more adventure and thrill-based content. We are looking at pushing a full slate of ideas under this partnership.”

    The partnership will bring out both scripted and non-scripted content in the action-adventure genre. “Right now, the content landscape is changing so much with the SVOD players, I think a partnership with Bear Grylls in the adventure-thrill space will bring out both scripted and unscripted content,” informs Dhar.

    With the new partnership, the company’s target audience would be youth. “Action and thrill content is something that the youth enjoys and it’s possibly for the SVOD space because a lot of youth are watching SVOD content. It’s a very organic fit and I am excited to develop content along with Bear Grylls,” he adds.

    The group partnership is the first for The Natural Studios, a JV launched with Bear Grylls and Delbert Shoopman in October 2019. Combining Grylls and Shoopman’s expertise in the adventure space with Deepak Dhar-led Banijay Asia’s extensive territory knowledge, the united operation will create and build the high-octane genre in the subcontinent. With work already underway on a development slate of projects in India and Southeast Asia, they hope to announce their first green-lit title in the coming weeks.

    The Natural Studios Co-CEO Delbert Shoopman comments, “Conversations with Deepak followed almost immediately after launching the JV. Together we all could see the potential of venturing into a new space in India and Banijay Asia’s knowledge and contacts have been invaluable in making it a reality. Already, the response from the market has been positive and we are all looking forward to working together to establish a new genre and original IP.”

    “In 20 months, we have made Banijay Asia into a credible and creative content driver, which delivers high- quality content to clients across the board. The partnership with The Natural Studios came at the perfect time, as we look to create and bring new genres into the country and the region. Adrenaline-fuelled projects have been relatively unexplored with huge potential on the horizon, and with Bear and Delbert, we are confident we have what it takes to turn this genre into a must-have for buyers in Asia and around the world,” Dhar comments.

    In a short span of 20 months, the content creation group has produced 25 shows -spanning languages, platforms and audiences across television and digital with 600+ hours of content and 14 shows on air and 8 in production right now.

    Over the months, Banijay Asia has collaborated and devised strategic partnerships with the talents who are best in their business like Salman Khan’s TV, MS Dhoni’s Dhoni Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Group M’s Motion Content Group, Talpa Global and Wavemaker to create content across television and web platforms for Indian and South-East Asian audiences.

    “Including original scripts and adaptation of international formats is always the first step to expand and create something new as well as unique. Additionally, building meaningful strategic alliances with A-listed talent to not only expand the business but also ensure a quality product. In addition to that, advertiser-funded programmes like the one with GroupM is a great step as it has the potential for massive revenue. We are looking at Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia in terms of expanding,” says Dhar.

  • Banijay to acquire Endemol Shine in $2.2 billion deal

    Banijay to acquire Endemol Shine in $2.2 billion deal

    MUMBAI: Now that’s what we call a mother of an acquisition. French production company Banijay Group  – which is headed in Asia by Deepak Dhar – has announced that it will acquire the Walt Disney: Appollo Global Management-owned Endemol Shine Group at a sticker price of $2.2 billion.

    A press release stated that the deal will encompass Endemol Shine’s 120 production labels with an estimated 66,000 hours of scripted and non-scripted programming together with over 4,300 registered formats. Upon completion of the acquisition, Banijay Group will own almost 200 production companies in 23 territories and the rights for close to 100,000 hours of content. The merged entity will have around 100,000 hours of content, making it the largest non-US production outfit. Total pro-forma revenue of the combined group is expected to be approximately $3.3 billion for the year ending 31 December 2019.

    Parleys for a deal between the two have been going on for more than 18 months now. The asking price early on was a humungous $4 billion, which lead to other interested parties like talent agency Endeavor and ITV losing interest quickly.

    The acquisition will be financed through a capital increase of Banijay Group and committed debt financing, which includes a committed full refinancing of Banijay and Endemol Shine’s existing financial debt, supported by Deutsche Bank, Natixis and Société Générale. Endemol Shine’s respective debt was approximately $486 million ($539.5 million) and $1.83 billion ($2 billion) as of December 2018. Postclosing, the combined group will be held by LDH (67.1 per cent ) and Vivendi (32.9 per cent).

    LDH is a holding company controlled by Financière LOV (52 per cent), Banijay chairman Stéphane Courbit’s investment arm. LDH has the following other shareholders: the Italian Group De Agostini with 36 per cent  of the capital, and Fimalac, the investment company of Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, which will own 12 per cent of the capital through a reserved capital increase dedicated to the financing of the Endemol Shine acquisition. In addition to a direct investment in LDH, Fimalac will reinforce its long-term partnership with Financière LOV by increasing its stake in Financière LOV from 5.75 per cent to 8.4 per cent.

    The press release stated that: “Boosting Banijay Group’s scripted credentials and further building its reputation as a go-to provider of high-quality unscripted IP, the combined catalogue is expected to include some of the world’s best known brands and formats such as Black Mirror, Versailles, The Millennium Trilogy, Peaky Blinders, Big Brother, MasterChef, Survivor, Temptation Island, Wife Swap and The Island. Furthermore, with a significantly broader brand portfolio, and larger creative platform, the combined group will be in an even stronger position to create, nurture and drive fresh IP for both linear broadcasters and new players.”

    “Endemol Shine brings an incredible array of industry-leading talent, globally-renowned brands and high-quality creative content. Combining the resources of these two companies will instantly strengthen our position in the global market, and our capabilities across genres will further define us as a go-to provider of first class IP worldwide. Welcoming the Endemol Shine brands and talents to our existing business will signal enhanced opportunities in the marketplace, and we are all excited by what the future holds for the combined entity,” said Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti.

    “At Endemol Shine, we have continually inspired and entertained audiences around the world, a testament to every single person across the Group. This deal takes us into a whole new and exciting chapter and into a new enhanced global content house with many opportunities ahead,” added Endemol Shine Group CEO Sophie Turner Laing.

    The merger – when it is approved by the authorities  – is likely to lead to a rationalisation of manpower at both the groups.

    In India, Endemol Shine is amongst the top three production companies by revenue and is headed by CEO Abhishekh Rege. The overseas merger will probably result in him once again reporting to his former Endemol Shine India boss Deepak Dhar who has since gone on to set up Banijay Asia. The latter has been on an overdrive and in a very short span of time has emerged as amongst the top 10 producers in India. The Rajeash Kamat, Paul Aiello-headed Emerald Media group is one of the equity owners in Endemol Shine India.

  • Banijay Group’s Deepak Dhar on adapting shows for OTT, regional foray and digital dynamics

    Banijay Group’s Deepak Dhar on adapting shows for OTT, regional foray and digital dynamics

    MUMBAI: Deepak Dhar, who has witnessed the evolution of reality shows from close quarters, recently also worked on India’s first digital fashion reality show. Despite his expansive knowledge in the field, Dhar humbly depicts himself as a fresher in the game of digital reality show as what works on television will not necessarily work on streaming platforms.

    Back in 2018, ex- managing director of EndemolShine India Deepak Dhar partnered with Paris-based independent content creation company Banijay Group to expand its operations to India and South East Asia. Under the guidance of Dhar, the production house has already created a number of shows both for broadcasters and streaming platforms. After having a strong start in the cluttered market, Dhar thinks there is a long way to go. Aftrer launching Myntra Fashion Superstar, the format of the show developed together by Monia S Pinto, Banijay Asia team and Wavemaker team, Banijay Asia CEO and founder spoke to Indiantelevision.com.

    Edited excerpts of the interview:

    You have seen the evolution of reality shows in India when you were associated with EndemolShine India. How different is the experience of the first digital fashion reality show?

    I have been doing reality since the evolution of reality television. But now I think the time is to unlearn first and then to learn the new tricks of the digital or the web game. Obviously, what works on the TV and linear space, does not work on the streaming side of the business. So from that perspective, I am quite a fresher and newcomer because you are constantly either learning or unlearning from what one has done in reality TV in the last 10-15 years. We had to craft this show in a very different manner for it to be consumed on our platform.

    What was your target audience for the show?

    The show is streaming on the Myntra app. The target audience is largely, I would not say just youth but, anybody who really samples the Myntra app and anybody who is conscious about what they want and at what price they want. Its a very large audience there that is consuming a lot of e-commerce platforms and I think thanks to Myntra we got an opportunity to keep them engaged.

    How efficient is the influencer-driven content strategy to target consumers as it is gaining more prominence with time?

    It is. I think this whole social media influencer theory is coming from the fact that there is so much time spent on social media and thanks to that there are celebrities and influencers who are influencing trends and patterns, the way content needs to be consumed and curated. The fact that we spend so much time on mobile phones, I think there is a huge captive audience there.

    Are you looking at more digital reality shows?

    Yes, clearly. But it is not that we are looking at digital reality shows and are not looking at linear traditional reality shows. We are producers who are right in the middle of doing a lot of good TV content and a lot of new media and digital content as well. So, we are servicing both sides of the game.

    It has been more than one year for Banijay Asia’s journey in the Indian market. How was your experience? Have you been able to fulfill your initial target?

    We have taken off to a very strong start. Having said that, this is only a start, there is a long way to go. But the fact is we have done Arrived for YouTube, we have done Kapil Sharma Show, Nach Baliye , Roar of the Lions for Hotstar, Hostages for Hotstar, Parchayee for ZEE5. All these for a 12-14-month-old company, I think is a decent start. I think we can do a lot more and we will for sure.

    You have already worked with Hotstar and ZEE5. What are your plans with international players, especially Netflix and Amazon Prime Video?

    As you can see, our portfolio is extremely diverse. We do a lot of stuff for TV and OTT, both non-fiction and scripted. Our development strategy is considerably diverse and balanced. From that perspective, we are an all-round studio working for Hotstar, ZEE5, Netflix, Amazon, ALTBalaji or across the board. For me, the excitement lies in the fact that we can develop all kinds of content and there are takers for it as well. Who would know a docu-drama like Roar of the Lion, MS Dhoni would come on board and take it to Hotstar. These are signs of changing times. Having said that, we have a very balanced strategy to be across all platforms, not just on two.

    How does your pipeline look for the rest of the financial year?

    A lot of scripted and unscripted projects are lined up. The OTT business will see some different projects while some conventional ones for the traditional side of the business.

    Are you focusing equally on broadcasters?

    That is our strategy. We are here servicing the broadcast side of the business. We are doing a big scripted show on TV as well which we will announce soon.

    Is there any particular demographic in your mind while you are producing shows for OTT platforms?

    I would say largely a lot of the youth is consuming OTT content. Having said that, we have broken that myth with Hostages because that show went really wide. My mother-in-law came and said, “Deepak, finally you made a great show.” I asked which one? She said Hostages. I was surprised to know she watched Hostages as she is an avid viewer of daily soaps and music realities. She watched an entire show in one night. It gives me one trend inside the home that youths are not the only who are watching OTT platforms.

    What’s your plan to foray into the regional market?

    We have a strategy and development plan for that. Very soon, we will hear some announcements again. We have a different strategy for the regional market because one kind of strategy would not work in various different markets. Tamil and Telugu would be the first because those are the big ones. Because you have to stagger your plan, you can’t go to five-six markets together. Obviously we will be taking one step at a time.

    You have been associated with the industry for a very long time. How has the OTT boom worked for content creators?

    You know there used to be like five networks and they had a certain way of creating content. They had their certain demographic, they knew their audiences very well and would create more audiences too. But now the entire ecosystem has opened up overnight. It is not just five broadcasters, there are ten OTT players. The kind of content they are looking for is very different from traditional content. As a content creator, I see that is a very big opportunity and not in terms of the number of shows but kind of shows also. Just another thought from what my mother-in-law told me. Earlier it used to take seven to eight months which used to last two to three years or as long as possible. It took me six-seven months to make Hostages and she consumed it overnight; the shelf life is over. That just tells me the kind of opportunities that lie.

    What are the main challenges of content creation in the ecosystem currently?

    I would not see these as challenges but as more opportunities. The pipeline needs to be working twice as more furiously because stories are getting consumed in one night, characters are becoming relevant or irrelevant in one night, you need to create more and more content, you need to have the right set of creative entrepreneurs and you need to constantly look for them.

  • Deepak Dhar, Nikhil Madhok on Hotstar Specials show, content creation, consumption trends

    Deepak Dhar, Nikhil Madhok on Hotstar Specials show, content creation, consumption trends

    MUMBAI: Hotstar’s bid to create big, bold and authentic stories and innovate across formats and genres for its much-anticipated Specials landed the streaming service a collaboration with Deepak Dhar’s Banijay Asia and MS Dhoni’s Dhoni Entertainment for its first show. The mini-series, ‘Roar of the Lion’, is a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible comeback story of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) going on to win the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) off the back of a two-year ban.

    “It’s not just about cricket but the human spirit of fighting back. So it didn’t actually take much time for us to say that we should do this together and then Deepak and team have worked really hard to make this come alive,” says Hotstar EVP and head original content Nikhil Madhok.

    Dhar, who was struck by the idea during the last IPL season, believes a comeback story of this nature hasn’t really been told from a sports and entertainment perspective.

    “That space itself is a virgin space and something which is very unique to us and if Mahi [MS Dhoni] was to really lead it and tell us himself how he was doing it, there’s a great space for a show there. So that’s where I started putting the jigsaw puzzle and took it across to Nikhil and Gaurav [Banerjee] at Hotstar and then we started together collaboratively building this,” recounts Dhar.

    For Dhar, it was the coming together of the right story, right platform and right people to embark on this journey. Hotstar as a brand is widely considered as the home of cricket in India. With over 150 monthly active users, the platform was a natural fit for a show of this nature. Having recognised the power of the story, the streaming service plans to throw its might behind the show making it available in multiple languages. Going forward, there’s a good chance of Star Network’s formidable repertoire being leveraged to maximise the penetration of this show.

    In order to ensure reach, every product needs to be marketed and promoted right. While Dhar is the creative force behind the project, does he have a say in how Hotstar presents the show to its consumers?

    “I’m not involved, but I do have a bit of a say there. There are specialists and people who know that side of the game better than I do. I understand the content and the creative or the production side of the game so obviously, after a point you’ve got to let go, you’ve got to say everybody is obviously putting their best foot forward. But I do have a say on how this should be put out,” argues Dhar.

    Documentaries, as a genre, remains largely untapped in India, often not even seen as a mainstream entertainment medium. While Dhar is a tad nervous ahead of the show streaming, he’s also convinced that Dhoni’s story is bound to become a trendsetter for the genre.

    “I think with this show, that’s really bound to change. We’re exploring this in an untold manner, so there is a little nervousness as being one of the creators. But I think it is going to be very fresh, very different from the way you see either a documentary or a scripted series,” the former Endemol Shine India boss points out.

    While the story is bound to excite fans of Dhoni and CSK a great deal, the makers also expect a lot of young people to form the core viewing group for the show.

    “I think when people will log in, I suspect that they will find it difficult to slot it in a particular genre. Hopefully, they’ll just say that this was a really inspirational tale,” adds Madhok.

    While Hotstar and Banjijay could end up joining forces for another show post ‘Roar of the Lion’, the latter is in the midst of developing a diverse range of projects catered for viewing on platforms as part of its joint venture with Dhoni Entertainment.

    “This is what all producers and all content creators have been waiting for and it has finally happened with all kinds of content being accepted,” Dhar states.

    While the industry has slowly veered towards finite storytelling in the last five to seven years, Dhar says a mini-series would have found no takers a year ago.

    “People wouldn’t have even entertained this conversation, but today they are wanting to collaborate on it. So obviously things have really changed, forget in the last five years, in the last 12 to 24 months things have really changed,” he says.

    Madhok describes India as a unique market that will continue to witness the growth of both TV and digital. He sees a great deal of innovation in content, with both mediums delivering a fantastic amount of variation.

    “Digital is about individual consumption and that also means that you need to cater to much wide array of tastes and that’s what’s driving the whole thrust towards a huge amount finite consumption,” he highlights.

    The IPL spot-fixing scandal remains among the biggest and most controversial cricket stories of our times. Given the subject, protagonists and the secrecy around the entire affair, Hotstar and Banijay seem to have a sure shot winner on their hands. In fact, Madhok articulates rather aptly.

    “Usually either the ideas tend to be niche or the platforms tend to be niche. For the first time, we are putting together an idea which is massive on a platform which is the country’s biggest. I think the marrying of those two will hopefully produce a fairly dramatic result,” he sums up.

    Is a sequel in the offing?

    “I think the story has great merit to come back because it has some strong magnets, but obviously we have to get the first one out of the way,” Dhar responds with a smile.