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Tag: Deepak Dhar

  • Endemol India and Lionsgate collaborate on a project

    Endemol India and Lionsgate collaborate on a project

    MUMBAI: There have been many instances in the past where big production houses collaborated to create cinematic brilliance on the big screen. Now, news comes that Lionsgate has made its way to Indian shores for the first time.

     

    One of the leading global entertainment conglomerate, and Endemol India, operating under the banner ‘Eyedentity Motion Pictures,’ will co-produce the sports drama Warrior in Hindi for the Indian subcontinent.

     

    Warrior (2011), inspired by Lionsgate’s critically-acclaimed North American release of the same name, will be the first film jointly produced by the two companies in India.

     

    “We have got a prestigious title that a lot of people have been vying to get into the country, but we have beaten the competition to it. We have isolated a few other titles as well, but currently we are focused on this acquisition,” said Endemol India CEO Deepak Dhar. “Action-filled and emotionally powerful with themes of forgiveness and the enduring bonds of family, Warrior will be a quality film made with top-of-the-line production values that we believe will strike a responsive chord with Indian audiences.”

     

    The partnership was negotiated by Rohit Tiwari at Morris St. Advisors, Lionsgate’s agents in India.

     

    Commenting on the association with Endemol India, Lionsgate president of worldwide television & digital distribution Jim Packer said, “Lionsgate is committed to identifying opportunities to produce and deliver motion pictures, television programming and other premium content to one of the largest and fastest-growing markets in the world.”

     

    Inspired by the American film of the same name, Warrior tells the story of two estranged brothers and deals with their struggling relationship with each other and their father. The film will be adapted for Indian audiences and re-written for Indian tastes. Its focus on contact sport will be integral to the storyline and will position Warrior as one of the few sports dramas made in India.

     

    Lionsgate COO of international distribution Andrew Kramer added, “Warrior is the kind of locally-produced property based on timeless themes that we expect to resonate with mainstream commercial audiences in India, and our partnership with Endemol’s Eyedentity Motion Pictures will bring valuable local expertise to our venture.”

     

    Lionsgate is a global entertainment company whose roster of mainstream commercial releases includes The Hunger Games and Twilight franchises which have grossed nearly $5 billion combined at the worldwide box office.

     

    Eyedentity Motion Pictures and Lionsgate are currently finalising the cast for the film which is scheduled to go into production in December 2014.

     

    “We are looking for established actors to reprise the role of the two brothers and the role of the father, which has been made iconic in the film,” adds Dhar.

     

    Endemol India has also partnered with Fox Star Studios for its ‘emotional thriller’, Traffic in the recent past. It marks the foray of Endemol into Hindi film industry as its first venture. Traffic is the Hindi adaptation of the critically acclaimed Malayalam blockbuster of the same name and will release in April 2014. The movie showcases a high voltage drama and a battle against time when stakes run high and life is in danger. The film stars Manoj Bajpai and Jimmy Shergill in the lead roles along with Bengali actor Prosenjit, Parambrata (of Kaahani fame), Divya Dutta, Kitu Gidwani and Sachin Khedekar. It will be helmed by the national award winning film maker Rajesh Pillai and adapted screenplay by Suresh Nair; with music by Mithoon.

     

    Eyedentity Motion Pictures (the film arm of Endemol India) marks its film debut in the southern market with the bilingual film (Tamil and Telugu) Anaamika (adaptation of Kahaani) in association with Viacom18 Motion Pictures and Moving Pictures. South actress Nayantara depicts a woman’s search for her missing husband that brings her from US to Hyderabad and is aptly supported by actors Vaibhav Reddy and Pasupathy.

     

    The film is directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Sekhar Kammula which is slated for release in April, 2014. Screenplay adapted by Sekhar Kammula and Yandamoori Veerendranath, music and background score composed by National Award winning music director M.M Keervani.

     

    With such a busy slate and more movies in the pipeline, Endemol India’s Eyedentity Motion Pictures looks set to become a production house to reckon with in the coming years.

  • Channel V celebrates the real Heroes

    Channel V celebrates the real Heroes

    MUMBAI: Come February 23rd and new heroes will be born. Channel V, the country’s number one youth GEC, is coming up with a new show that shares stories of sexual assault and in the process instills fear in the accused and the feeling of strength in the victims. Simply called Heroes, the new show produced by Endemol India, not only makes the youth aware of the hazards in the society but also shows means and methods to bolster themselves and combat such situations.

     

    Heroes is a re-enacted drama series based on the incidents of sexual assault which happens in various places such as hospitals, offices, schools and colleges and happens to people of different social strata, different gender and different age. The show will contain narration by the victims and the actual incidents faced by them will be recreated in the same episode.

     

    Each 60-minute story will bring one sexual assault story to light from the point of view of the victims. From the time when they were being harassed to that threshold moment when they could not take it anymore and fought back. These stories will celebrate the fearlessness of the people fighting against the many social institutions trying to bring them down. Finally what will emerge are the real Heroes of our society, of our country.

     

    Says Prem Kamath, EVP & GM-Channel V, “The new motto of our channel has been ‘V Correct Hai’ and what can be more correct than a show like Heroes. Sexual assault happens in our society every day in some form and a show like this will make people more cautious and also empower them against all the forces at play. The show reiterates our belief in the philosophy that the abuse will stop when the silence does.

     

    On creating a format that deals with real life issues such as sexual harassment, Deepak Dhar, Director and CEO, Endemol India says, “We are determined to create a show for the audiences and get them to take notice of this unspoken yet massive plague like issue which women in India face on a daily basis. The format competently tackles the behavior and addresses the education barrier which is lacking. ‘HEROES’ is also an ode to the women whom have shown the courage to walk out of such thorny affairs with their head held high.”

     

    Starting 23rd Feb, 2014 watch Heroes, every Sunday at 7pm only on Channel V.

  • ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi’ to return soon in a repackaged avatar

    ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi’ to return soon in a repackaged avatar

    MUMBAI: “When you burst the blocks of your life, a blockbuster is created,” says filmmaker Rohit Shetty, who after giving blockbusters like the Golmaal franchise and Chennai Express is set to take on a new role that of a TV show host. The director, who is known for reviving the action genre on the celluloid, will be hosting the fifth edition of Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi with the tagline “Dar Ka Blockbuster”.

     

    As the tagline suggests, the show is going to burst the fear blocks of 12 celebrities in its upcoming edition, the announcement  was made amid much fanfare in the city last night. The show is set to return on the General Entertainment Channel – Colors after almost two years. With a changed format that will see 12 celebrities and no commoners, the show will be shot in Cape Town, South Africa over a month.

     

    “Few people from the production team are already in South Africa to make sure that the pre-production work is all done and set,” says Endemol India CEO Deepak Dhar, who is producing the show. Another group is ready to fly next week with the contestants.

     

    The last season of the show that premiered on Colors in June 2011 was also shot in South Africa. Dhar says that the country has been chosen again because the Endemol South Africa team is really well-equipped and would be helpful in coming out with a season full of adrenaline-rushing adventure.

     

    Dhar describes this season as a “really mean season” as the level of stunts have just gone up and the animals coming on the show are going to add to it. “With Rohit on board, the scale of the show has elevated. Plus, some of the best stunts from the Fear Factor US have been replicated,” he says.

     

    To give the audience a close view of what a contestant is going through while in a box full of cockroaches or a cage full of snakes, multiple cameras will be used. “Go Pro cameras, fly cameras and a lot of other hi-tech devices will be used to capture all the actions in the best possible way,” says Dhar.

     

    However, it is not so much about the technique in terms of filming as much as it is technique in terms of stunting, he remarks.

     

    But considering the varied types of stunts, a lot of new techniques have also been used to capture them. “The kinds of stunts we have picked up this time are varied in nature. We have chopper stunts, car stunts, bike stunts, underwater stunts besides a lot of other interesting activities that will make the show really entertaining,” says Colors Weekend programming head Manisha Sharma, adding that the show will be packed with edgy content and will explore some of the most interesting locales of South Africa.

     

    Dhar says the budget has also gone up by about 20 per cent as compared to the last season. While he doesn’t disclose the figure, a reliable source from the channel informs the production of a non-fiction show like this costs approximately 50-60 crore.

     

    Hitherto, the slot hasn’t been decided as the production is yet to begin. “That’s a discussion that going on internally as well,” says Colors CEO Raj Nayak when we quizzed him if KKK is going to replace India’s Got Talent. However, for the time-being what is fixed is that the show will be aired during the weekends.

     

    The last season was aired after Indian Premiere League got over. However, Nayak thinks that since cricket has become a year-round affair, it isn’t a threat for the show. “We may start the telecast alongside IPL,” he says as he remarks that if big budget Bollywood movies that were not released during the IPL season earlier can be released then KKK can also be telecast. However, if it runs parallel to the IPL, the channel may think of running a ticker with the score of the cricket match being played on that day.

     

    Nayak says that discussions about the advertisers and sponsors are still on. However, the channel is expecting good sponsorship deals. “Our sponsors come last as we ask for lots of money and a lot of negotiations go on,” he quips.

     

    Media planners think there shouldn’t be a problem in getting interesting deals for a show like KKK. Madison Media Sigma COO Vanita Keswani thinks that since the show is coming back after a gap, the interest of the viewers as well as the advertisers around it will be enthusiastic.

     

    “The telecast of a format year after year leads to decaying of the idea. A break is good as it would bring certain rejuvenation,” she says and adds the show already has a brand name that will work for it. As far as the sponsors and advertisers are concerned, Keswani thinks that till the time the content of a show is good, they will put in their money. “Any way, these days the advertisers look for better content and not ratings as ratings may or may not come in even if the show is good,” she remarks.

     

    Contestants who will be vying to conquer their phobias comprise Ranvir Shorey, Nikitin Dheer, Mugdha Godse, Dayanand Shetty, Rajniesh Duggall, Rochelle Maria Rao, Gauahar Khan, Kushal Tandon, Pooja Gor, Mahhi Vij, Salman Khan and Geeta Tandon.

  • Endemol India takes Hindi re-make rights of Traffic

    Endemol India takes Hindi re-make rights of Traffic

    MUMBAI: Endemol India‘s motion pictures arm Eyedentity Motion Pictures has acquired the remake rights of Malayalam emotional thriller, Traffic.

    The film will have an eclectic ensemble cast with Manoj Bajpai in the leading role. Traffic is slated to go into production in July and is scheduled for release later in the year. Rajesh Pillai, the director of original Traffic, has signed up to direct the Hindi remake as well.

    Based on an inspiring true story, the plot of Traffic intertwines multiple stories around one particular incident bringing together five protagonists from diverse backgrounds and a series of events that change their destiny. This emotional thriller with a powerful narrative and a dramatic climax has been adapted in Hindi by Suresh Nair.

    Endemol India CEO Deepak Dhar said, "Our acquisition of Traffic heralds the advent of Eyedentity Motion Pictures in mainstream Bollywood cinema. At Endemol, we have always believed that if the content is strong, it will always find its audience and Traffic meets that criteria in every respect. As part of our move into a new phase of significant growth, we look forward to producing some great content for the silver screen."

    Eyedentity Motion Pictures will produce 3-4 films every year with an equal mix of scripts for both regional as well as mainstream Bollywood audiences.

  • Nayanthara to play Vidya Bagchi in Kahaani remake

    Nayanthara to play Vidya Bagchi in Kahaani remake

    “A State Govt. cannot ban a film cleared by the Censors, says Tewari even as Court extends stay on Vishwaroopam”MUMBAI: After roping in critically acclaimed filmmaker Sekhar Kammula to direct the remake of Sujoy Ghosh‘s Kahaani for the South Indian market, Endemol India, Logline Productions Pvt. Ltd and Select Media Holdings Pvt Ltd have finally found their Vidya Bagchi in actor Nayanthara.

    Starring as the female lead in several commercial films, Nayanthara has delivered super hit films across languages in the South and is well known for her character-driven roles.

    Nayanthara said “I am extremely delighted to be a part of this movie. The character of Vidya Bagchi was beautifully essayed by Vidya Balan and I should say I am lucky that Endemol approached me for this role. It is definitely a performance oriented role and audiences will see me in a completely different avatar!”

    Kammula said, “I am very excited to work with Nayanthara on this project. Going by her previous work, I truly feel that she can express and connect with the audiences beautifully. It‘s this endearing quality of hers that makes her our Vidya Bagchi!”

    Endemol India CEO Deepak Dhar said, “With Nayanthara on board, audiences will get to see a whole new Vidya Bagchi. Nayanthara is very well known for her power packed performances and we are certain that she will not disappoint her fans this time around as well!”

    The film is slated to go on the floors soon and the rest of the cast is currently getting finalised.

  • Kammula to direct Tamil, Telugu versions of Hindi film ‘Kahaani’

    Kammula to direct Tamil, Telugu versions of Hindi film ‘Kahaani’

    NEW DELHI: Endemol India and Select Media Holdings have signed critically acclaimed film maker Sekhar Kammula to direct the Tamil and Telugu versions of the Bollywood blockbuster ‘Kahaani’ for the south market.

    Kammula is known for some path breaking films. From his debut film ‘Dollar Dreams’ to his latest movie ‘Life is Beautiful’, this director has been a recipient of awards and accolades that range from the National Film Awards to the Nandi Awards. His film Happy Days that released in 2007 was very well received by the audiences and trade analysts alike. It won him the Nandi Award, the Filmfare and Dasari awards.

    Vijay C Kumar, a Nandi award winner for the Film Godavari, will be the Director of Photography and Marthand Venkatesh , another Nandi award winning editor for films like Arundhati, Daddy and Tholi Prema, will be the editor. Renowned novelist Yandamoori Veerendranath will be co-writing the adaptation of this bilingual film along with Sekhar Kammula.

    Producer of popular shows like Bigg Boss, Fear Factor, Savdhaan India, The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, Endemol India has already acquired rights to remake the Vidya Balan starrer and will take this forward in association with Moving Pictures – the film production arm of Select Media Holdings Pvt. Ltd. Currently both the production houses are in talks with a couple of renowned actors from South to essay the powerful characters

    Kammula said, “Kahaani is a brilliant work of cinema and I am delighted to be a part of this recreation along with Endemol India and Moving Pictures. It is a character driven script and the characterization will have local appeal. Our adaptation will retain the thrill and essence of the original, but will also add a unique dimension to the film.”

    Deepak Dhar, CEO – Endemol India said, "We feel that Kahaani is a great film to commence our film operations in the South. We are confident that Sekhar will deliver to our audiences’ expectations. He is popularly known for his coming-of-age brand of cinema and we are certain that this movie will add yet another feather to his hat.”

  • Endemol bags remaking rights of Kahaani in Tamil and Telugu

    Endemol bags remaking rights of Kahaani in Tamil and Telugu

    MUMBAI: Known for making shows on Indian television like Bigg Boss and Fear Factor, Endemol India has forayed into the film making business.

    Starting their foray, the production company has already acquired remaking rights of the Sujoy Ghosh-directed Vidya Balan-starrer Kahaani in Tamil and Telugu.

    “After having produced content for some of the biggest format shows in the country, we realised that it was time for us to venture into something new. Film making was always on the cards and we are delighted to finally set out to actually do it. We are already lining up projects for 2013 and are extremely excited about our first project, the remake of Kahaani which will be in production soon,” Endemol India CEO Deepak Dhar said.

    Will the Tamil and Telugu remake be a low cost affair like the original? “The South markets have their own dynamics and cost structures. We will be producing these films at levels comparable to medium to high cost films that one sees down South. We are investing in the best of talent and technical talent to do justice to the original script,” quipped Dhar.

    Sujoy Ghosh, who produced the original script, will also step in as the producer for the remakes and will be working with a leading director from the South Indian film industry.

    Would Ghosh direct the remakes? “Ghosh would continue to be involved in this project from the scripting to the first copy as a creative producer. His learnings and creative skills will be utilised to the fullest by us on the project. But to do justice to the local language and the market dynamics, we will be investing in the best of directorial, writing and technical talent down South,” Dhar observed.

    Endemol India is currently in talks with a couple of leading actors from South for the lead role in the remake of Kahaani. Will the original characters be there in the remakes too? “We are currently writing the script for both languages keeping in mind the local culture and sensibilities. We will retain the original characters but who will play them and how they will play out will be a matter of time before we announce them,” answered Dhar.

    Filming of the remakes is slated to begin in September while the release of the film in the two languages is earmarked for early January.

  • ‘Fiction will help us scale up’: Endemol India managing director Deepak Dhar

    ‘Fiction will help us scale up’: Endemol India managing director Deepak Dhar

     For Endemol India, it has been a roller coaster ride. The international content creator has established itself as a leader in the reality TV genre and has expanded into other strands of content. Now the gameplan is to speed up on the fiction front.

     

    Endemol, which produced 1400 hours of content in 2010, is planning to scale up in several verticals including regional language, sports and food and lifestyle programming. The company recently formed a JV with Rhiti Sports, the company which manages Indian skipper MS Dhoni, for sports formats.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto, Endemol India managing director Deepak Dhar talks about the company’s growth plans.

     

    Excerpts:

     

    What progress did Endemol make in India last year?

     

    The progress has been 360 degrees. Initially, we were known for reality. Now it is not the only thing; we are known for other strands of non fiction also.

     

    We have an array of fiction shows. We have moved into regional as well with Bengali and Southern language content. We have also gained from being in the Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) space.

     

    How does India compare to other Asian markets?

    It is growing. The entire world is looking at us. Our parent is looking at what India can do. We did over 1400 hours of production last year. We have done well if you look at the state of our productions or business development. We have had double digit growth.

    Could you shed light on how you are scaling up the fiction business?

    We are seeing ideas that can be exploited in the Hindi GEC space. They can also go into the regional space, south, Bengali, Marathi. We are looking at slots that need newer storytellung. We are meeting with our broadcast partners to see what the synergies are.

     

    We do a lot of non fiction and format work. In terms of scaling up, growth will come from fiction.

    We will be making two to three announcements in the next few weeks.

    What kind of shows are you looking at?

     

    We are not focussing only comedy or only drama or only thriller. We are known for 360 degree entertainment solutions. Anything that fits the household will be our focus.

    Are you looking at forming JVs with local production houses?

     

    We are constantly analysing it. Now we are largely focussing on organic growth. We will look at inorganic growth, but at this point of time there is nothing serious.
    ‘Now we are largely focussing on organic growth. We will look at inorganic growth, but at this point of time there is nothing serious‘

    In terms of margins, how are you faring?

     

    Margins are always tough in this country, espcially in the broadcast and production sector. In our formats and even our fiction business, we have kept a healthy balance in our margins due to product efficiencies. In a year, we do around nine non fiction shows.

    But in the fiction space aren’t margins squeezed?

     

    They are squeezed but again for us the emphasis is great storytelling. We want to be happy with the stories being told and we will manage the margins. Comedy has its own space. In drama, emotions are integral to the Indian psyche. That will never go out of fashion.

    How do you manage costs?

     

    It is a challenge. Broadcasters are always looking to push costs down without the quality falling. Broadcasters, though, understand that to have a quality product the margins must be healthy. The production house must be given some breathing space.

     

    Non fiction shows have a larger budget. You get a bang for 13-26 weeks and that is it. With fiction it is like running a marathon. You need to have the stamina to push the idea and engage the audience.

    Balaji to some extent has lost dominance which has created a gap. How are ou tapping this?

     

    We have already tapped into this. We are doing three fiction shows at this point of time. We will be adding two more within a month or so. We have stepped into this opportunity. We also look at the competition and what is on the horizon.

     

    Fiction is where the horizon is. The margins can improve in this genre. People will look at us as an Indian producer and not just as a format producer. We will focus largely on fiction.

    Indian production houses are known for doing one kind of show. We are not like that. We do things from ‘songs and dancing’ to reality and action-based shows.

    How were you able to broadbase youreself into fiction?

     

    This has to do with the team. We have Gadgi and Kartik as the creative and business heads. They lend credibility and experience to Endemol’s fiction slate. We believe that if you have the right talent on board, then the right discussions start flowing out.

     

    Geet has worked. Mili Ye at one point really worked. But the story ran its cycle. These stories have been channel drivers for Star One and Star Plus; they will help us consolidate our next line of fiction.

    In the non fiction area, you entered the food genre with two shows. What scope do you see in the lifestyle space?

     

    Lifestyle is a niche space. However, we do not want to leave any space untapped. The opportunity might seem small. But an opportunity needs to be seen.

     

    Documentary and speciality channels are growing in popularity in the West. You will see the same trend happening here. A new spate of speciality channels from science and technology to crime and thriller to food are bound to come in. This is a new space we will be busy with this year.

    Is the approach here different from how you look at other areas like formats?

     

    Yes! In lifestyle you will have to create original ideas; it is not about replicating an idea from the US. We don’t want to simply pick up a format. it has to fit into an opportunity.
    The local version of Wipeout launches tomorrow. Has the format been changed in any way?

     

    Not really. You will see the same thing. It will be extremely engaging, funny and competitive. It is the new next breed of reality shows that we will roll out on Indian television. We want to push trends and get trends into the country.

    What trends are we seeing abroad in the format space?

     

    A lot of game shows are doing well at this point. 1vs 100, Million Pound drop Aare two big game shows. We are bringing them to India.

     

    Deal Or No Deal has done well. We produced 300 episodes of this on the Sun Network. We did five seasons back to back for them.

     

    You will see us pushing a lot of gameshows going forward. Howwever, reality will always be the flavour of the season. People like to watch others in pressure cooker scenarios. This is the spectrum of ideas you will see.

     

    We are also looking to bring in State of Panic to India. Circus Of The Celebrities is another one. It is an engaging, high end primetime experience. The common thread is people being pushed into pressure cooker situations; in others pure true human emotions are glorified on primetime television. As long as the emotions are true, it will help some of these format shows stand.

     

    We are also doing things in the ad funded space. Rin Mera Star Superstar, Fair And Lovely Choo Lo Aasman have done well for us. This is what I mean by having a 360 degree approach. We are pushing ideas in this space. We need top keep a balance between the needs of a broadcaster and an advertiser. You do not want an advertiser funded show to look like one. You have to do something that has been well thought through and engages.

    What is the gameplan to tackle the South market?

     

    We will take our big ticket gameshows there. We are also taking reality shows there.

     

    Currently the South is a growing part of our business. This year we will add a few more fundamental blocks to make it stand on its own.

     

    We are concentrating on the Tamil and Telugu markets. We producing a lot in the Malayalam space as well.
    What balance are you looking at between fiction and non fiction content?
     
     
    We want it to be 50:50. We are on track to achieve this. We have been the market leader in the non fiction space. The challenge is to see how we can fast track our business and sales. We are adding new pieces like sports into our business. This will bring in new challenges as every business has its own dynamic. We have a good tab on the competition.

    How did the tie up with Rhiti Sports come about?

     

    We have been exploring this in terms of doing things in the sports space. We want formats like The Match, Next Great Champ. We are looking at basketball, football, boxing, cricket. Rhiti Sports with their credibility will help us monetise the formats across sports broadcasting and GECs as well.

     

    The sports genre is not tapped in terms of formats. Sports formats are consumed a lot by the youth, kids and women. We have a rich library of content in the sports format space.
    You used to do a Call TV initiative with ETV. How did that fare?

     

    It was a good experience. In the interactive TV space, we do a lot internationally. There was a need to create a low cost game show. We produced Break The Bank. The market size, though, is small. The telecom industry versus the content industry faces its own set of challenges. So we did not push it too hard.
     
    Are you looking at new media?
     
    Yes! We do a lot of content for the mobile internationally. With 3G coming in, we are keen to tap this space. We have formats tailored for the mobile like small comedy interstitials. The youth love to sample something really fast. They are restless. They don’t only want content on the television. A lot of discussions are going on globally regarding how to cater to the mobile audience.
     
    Where do you see Endemol five years from now?
     
    When we came in four years ago, the idea was to Indianise the Endemol brand. Now we want to localise and regionalise the Endemol brand. We want to adapt our content to a lot of regional markets.
  • ‘Though reality shows are expensive, the yields are also high’ : Deepak Dhar – Endemol India country head

    ‘Though reality shows are expensive, the yields are also high’ : Deepak Dhar – Endemol India country head

     Riding the reality format boom, Endemol is stepping up efforts to grab a slice of the fiction content market in India. The company is also planning to foray into regional language content and is in talks with broadcasters like Sun TV, Raj TV and Maa TV.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision’s Nasrin Sultana, Endemol India country head Deepak Dhar also talks about the company’s venture into gaming and Call TV format shows.

     

    Excerpts:

    Most of the shows that Endemol introduces in India are based on international format. What kind of research and creative inputs do you work on to add local flavour to it?
    Whenever we get an international show format to India, we always try to adapt it to the local market. There is certain amount of local creativity that is allowed on the format shows. We try to draw and pull in expertise from other countries and learn from how they are doing the show there.

     

     

    We follow certain standards and practices while adapting an international format. Our in-house Indian teams make sure that the format is tailored to suit Indian sensibilities so that audiences can watch the content with their families around.

     

     

    For example our international property Fear Factor, which has done so well in other countries, was spiced up in India according to the need. Unlike its international version, Khatron Ke Khiladi had 13 female celebrity contestants.

     

     

    With the 13 female contestants in such difficult situations, we delivered nail biting thrill and competition. This was the first time that these female models were making public appearance without make-up. Besides, the Akshay Kumar-factor gave us an upper edge this time in the show.

    Does the India division of Endemol own any original format? Are you selling your format show to other foreign broadcasters?
    Endemol India owns the rights for the musical show Mission Ustad on 9X. The show was produced in association with United Nations. The show featured AR Rehman along with various singers who performed to achieve eight millenium development goals set by the UN. In the show, the contestants also composed and performed original tracks.

     

     

    We are in talks with an UK broadcaster to sell the rights of the show. We hope to seal the deal in two to three months.

    What about your most popular show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge?
    We do not hold any rights of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge. Star India holds rights for the format and the show. Endemol India only produces it.

    Besides Fear Factor and Big Boss, what are the other format shows that Endemol India is launching in the local market?
    We are in talks with a couple of Indian broadcasters to launch some of the format shows that we had brought rights to in Mipcom last year. Right now we are looking to launch format shows like Divided, Set For Life. Wipe Out, Divided and 1 vs 100.

    At the last Mipcom, Endemol had bought rights of shows like Kids are Alright and 11 Cameras for the Indian market. What is the reason that you have not yet launched them?
    These shows are very advanced in its nature to fit with the Indian viewers. They would not have accepted it then. We are launching them in India soon.
    ‘Although Indian broadcasters and producers have tasted success with reality, it is still fictions that work well with all kinds of viewers in India‘

    What went wrong in your not-so-good experience with fictions like Jamegi Jodi for 9X and Full Masti 88.2 for Sab TV?
    Although Indian broadcasters and producers have tasted success with reality, it is still fictions that work well with all kinds of viewers in India. Our weekly sitcoms have drawn good response. We are building up on that front.

    How aggressive are you on the fiction front and will it be in the same comedy space?
    We have a full fledged fiction division in Endemol India. This time we are trying to get away from the comedy genre. Currently we are working on two fiction-based shows in different genres. We are launching a fiction show, Miley Jab Hum Tum, on Star One.

    What steps are you taking to tap the rapidly growing regional space?
    We will be foraying into regional language markets very soon. We have already firmed up our team. Starting with the South, we will get into producing shows for Marathi and Bengali channels. In the South, we are talking to Sun TV, Raj TV and Maa TV.

    With reality shows being so expensive, do you think regional channels can afford them?
    Why Not? Though reality shows are expensive, the yields are also high. Regional players are ready to fork out money for such shows and reap the returns.

    What are the other areas that you are stepping into?
    Endemol is expanding its business in India. Besides producing shows, we are getting into other areas like gaming and call TV format shows.

    What are the shows that you are looking at to develop into the game software?
    We will develop gaming software on the format shows. We are planning a strategic alliance with a gaming company. We will hold the gaming rights for all these shows.

     

    Some of the format shows that we are looking to develop into gaming software include Deal or No Deal, Set for Life and 1 vs 100, among others.

     

    We are also planning to release DVDs with respective broadcasters on various shows.

    Could you elaborate on Call TV shows?
    Call TV is a show wherein viewers can interact with the TV programme host through a mobile. The theme for Call TV shows may vary from astrology to cooking recipe. These shows will be mostly in the non-prime time band.

     

    As of now, Call TV initiative is at the initial stage of formation. We will be introducing th Call TV shows by the year-end.
    For Call TV shows, are you talking to any Hindi news channels?
    We are in talks with some of the Hindi news channels.