ITV

Tag: Ekta Kapoor

  • Ekta Kapoor requests KFCC to withdraw clearance of The Dirty Picture in Kannada

    Ekta Kapoor requests KFCC to withdraw clearance of The Dirty Picture in Kannada

    MUMBAI: The much-touted remake of The Dirty Picture in Kannada by producer Venkatappa seems to have got a jolt after Ekta Kapoor, the producer of the original, filed a complaint against the use of the title.

    In a letter to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), Kapoor has requested the body to withdraw the permission for the use of the title. She has given them a five-day deadline to do the needful in the matter.

    Incidentally, it was the KFCC that had cleared the title for producer Venkatappa‘s yet-to-be-launched Kannada film.

    On receipt of Kapoor‘s complaint, the KFCC executive committee is considering the issue and has referred the matter to a legal expert from whom they are awaiting a response.

    Meanwhile, the film‘s director Trishul has vehemently said that he won‘t change the title and that he is prepared for a legal battle. “There is no bar on keeping a title of any other language film to be made in a different language. There are several precedents before. We have a Kannada film called Housefull (title inspired by Hindi movie) and Bhadra (Telugu title). We have legally obtained clearance from the KFCC. Why should we change the title now?”, the director has reportedly questioned.

    Apart from the title, there will be no similarity between the two films, opined the director. The film will have Pakistani actress Veena Mallik in the lead.

    With the future of the Kannada film now in the dark, film folks have their eyes trained on Kapoor‘s reaction to the Tapas Pal made Bengali remake of The Dirty Picture.

  • Ekta Kapoor emerges as ‘Entertainment Industry Icon’ in Ormax’s survey

    Ekta Kapoor emerges as ‘Entertainment Industry Icon’ in Ormax’s survey

    MUMBAI: Balaji Telefilms’ joint managing director and soap queen Ekta Kapoor has been voted as the Entertainment Industry Icon of 2011, in a Decision Makers Survey conducted by Ormax Media, as a part of their year-end report Front Page 2011.

    The survey was conducted amongst decision makers and influencers in the media business – senior advertisers, media planners and media journalists.

    The respondents were asked to choose one person from the entertainment industry who, according to them, made the maximum impact in 2011. A staggering 46 per cent of them voted for Kapoor. She was chosen for experimenting with unconventional genres in films like The Dirty Picture, Shor In The City and Ragini MMS, and also for providing Sony a much-awaited fiction hit in Bade Achhe Lagte Hain.

    Balaji Telefilms’ winning streak continues with her film The Dirty Picture also emerging as the clear leader in The Most Trendsetting Film of 2011 in the survey. The film dominated this category with a 45 per cent share. It was followed by Delhi Belly and No One Killed Jessica on the second and third positions, with 28 per cent and 12 per cent share respectively.

    The Dirty Picture was chosen as the most trendsetting film for its bold portrayal of a sexually explicit theme, including the lead actress breaking the norms set for conventional Bollywood heroines.

    Speaking about the survey, Ormax Media CEO Shailesh Kapoor said: “The Decision Makers Survey was done to understand the views of senior industry experts on the best of 2011. Balaji Telefilms had a remarkable year in 2011, and it is not surprising that they take the top position in two categories.”

    Detailed results of the Decision Makers Survey will be available in the Front Page 2011 report, which be released in the first week of February 2012.

  • Dharma Productions acquires filming rights of The Immortals of Meluha

    Dharma Productions acquires filming rights of The Immortals of Meluha

    MUMBAI: Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions has acquired filming rights of Amish Tripathi‘s best-selling debut novel, The Immortals of Meluha.

    The first book among Amish Tripathi‘s Shiva Trilogy, Immortals of Meluha, tells the story of a Tibetan immigrant named Shiva who is invited to the kingdom of Meluha where he discovers his destiny. A retelling of the legend of Lord Shiva, this work of fiction found many fans.

    Tripathi’s The Shiva Trilogy consists of three books: The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas and The Oath of the Vayuputras.
     
    Avers Tripathi, “I believe that my books are a result of Lord Shiva‘s blessings. He is a God who excites intense passions. If one wants to tell His story, it can only be done with intense passion and commitment. And that is what I saw in Dharma Productions towards The Immortals of Meluha. I believe that my book is in very safe hands with Karan and his team.”

    Karan Johar will look into finer details, apart from the screenplay. Since it deals with religion and mythology, he will make sure that the subject will be treated with sensitivity.

    The book had attracted much attention since Tripathi announced he was on the lookout for a producer to adapt his book. Producers from Hollywood and Bollywood rubbed shoulders to acquire the film rights.

    Meanwhile, Karan Johar, in association with Ekta Kapoor, is all set to produce a love story with a twist this year. The film will boast of two of the biggest stars of Bollywood.

  • Dirty Picture voted best film, Vidya Balan best actress

    Dirty Picture voted best film, Vidya Balan best actress

    MUMBAI: The Eighteenth National Media Network Film and TV awards, instituted by National Media Network and Akhil Bharatiya Swatantra Patrakar Evom Lekhak Sangh (an association of freelance journalists and writers), has named the winners of this year’s awards.

    As expected, Ekta Kapoor‘s The Dirty Picture has been adjudged the best film and Vidya Balan the best actress for the same film. In the absence of any good performance from the A listers, Ajay Devgn has been named the best actor for Singham.

    Farhan Akhtar will be conferred with best director award for Don 2 – The King Is Back, at the awards ceremony scheduled for January 21, while Anil Kapoor will be conferred the hero of all-time hit award.

    Filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, veteran lyricist Gulzar and Film Federation of India chairman T.P. Aggarwal will be given lifetime achievement awards.

    Ekta Kapoor will be honoured for being a successful film and TV producer.

    On the television front, NDTV has been named the best Hindi news channel while the Asian Academy of Film and TV has been named the best institute for film and TV.

  • Andhra HC asks Censor Board to clarify stand on The Dirty Picture

    Andhra HC asks Censor Board to clarify stand on The Dirty Picture

    MUMBAI: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to come out with its stand regarding stalling the release of Ekta Kapoor‘s The Dirty Picture.

    Vadlapatla Naga Prasad, the younger brother of the late actress, has asked the censor board not to clear the Vidya Balan-starrer for release. Prasad has claimed Smitha‘s character, played by Vidya, portrays her as a woman of loose morals through indiscriminate sex scenes.

    Prasad has charged the filmmakers with filling the film with unrealistic and obscene scenes rather than trying to portray the true picture. He said that the filmmakers hadn‘t even spoken to him to get to know the real Smitha. Prasad insisted that her private life was different from what it is being portrayed in the film.

    Although Prasad claimed that he had served a notice to the Censor Board asking it not to certify the film at all, B Mayur Reddy, counsel for the Censor Board told the Court that they had not received any such notice.

    Justice Vilas V Afzalpurkar of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, while asking the petitioner to serve a copy to the counsel, directed the Censor Board to clear its stand within a week and deferred the case to coming Wednesday.

    The Dirty Picture, produced by Balaji Telefilms and directed by Milan Luthria stars Vidya Balan, Emraan Hashmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Tusshar Kapoor among others, and is scheduled for release on 2 December.

  • Balaji denies ‘Dirty Picture’ is based on life of Silk Smitha

    Balaji denies ‘Dirty Picture’ is based on life of Silk Smitha

    NEW DELHI: Balaji Motion Pictures has reiterated that the film “The Dirty Picture” is the romantic journey of a fiercely ambitious starlet Silk Smitha who dreams of making it big on the silver screen and is not inspired by the story of any person, living or dead.

    Reacting to the legal notice sent by the South star‘s brother V Naga Vara Prasad against the film‘s director Milan Luthria and producer Ekta Kapoor for making the biopic without any formal permission from the family, Balaji said the film “draws inspiration from the strugglers in the 80s whose indomitable spirit made them emerge triumphant and create a unique space for themselves in a male-dominated film industry.”

    ‘The film is not a formal biopic or biography, as is being speculated. It is a work of fiction, and any characters resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental.‘

    “The Dirty Picture” is in essence, a love story, and a celebration of the never-say-die spirit of every industry newcomer.

    The clarification comes in the wake of speculation that the Milan Luthria-directed film starring Vidya Balan is based on the life of the late actress Silk Smitha.

    Silk Smitha had started as a make-up girl in 1970s and then become a movie extra and subsequently the most wanted heroine of the early 80s. The sobriquet “Silk” came in 1979, with her first Tamil film Vandi Chakkaram, in which she played a bar girl named Silk. In a career spanning 17 years, she did over 450 films in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi.

    She was found dead in her apartment in Chennai in 1996, and her death remains a mystery till today.

  • Adieu, eventful ’07!

    Adieu, eventful ’07!

    Man, it’s been an eventful year if you have been faithfully stuck to the couch lapping up everything offered on the tube.

    So much happened on the telly, and yet, so little was achieved. There was an average of a new soap every fortnight, an average of a talent hunt every month, and enough of cricket and cinema buzz to get those sticky eyeballs. But if cinema left a Chak De India or a Taare Zameen Par for audiences to ruminate on, TV this year left no equivalent imprint.

    Not many shows experimented, preferring the formula to being the first in
    the fray. So, Star One’s Laughter Challenge spawned a sequel and rival
    channels floated their me-too shows. Gajendra Singh carried his music
    talent format to Star Plus, and had to compete with his own Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenges on Zee for the ratings. Indian Idol had a tired season three,
    and Zee’s extended family of Betiyaan and Bahuraniyan, despite a
    ‘different’ beginning, dissolved into modified versions of Ekta Kapoor’s
    popular soaps elswhere. If anyone, it was Shah Rukh Khan who emerged as the surprise winner of the lot. No one expected Khan to be a patch on the Big B when it came to hosting Kaun Banega Crorepati, but Khan emerged with a style and spontaneity of his own that became endearing as the show progressed through the weeks. When the season ended, one was almost sorry to see him off.

    Well, not everyone stuck to the formula. Smriti Iraani, the actor, turned
    producer with Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasman and later Virrudh. Interestingly, although neither show was meant to be a TRP hogger, both had a hard hitting plot, strong performances and made a subtle statement on society. Anurag Basu’s Love Story and Four, both on Sab, too were intended similarly, but somehow missed the mark. Unfortunately, all the experimentation seemed to miss the comedy genre entirely, with Star One finally relying on last year’s Sarabhai vs Sarabhai to bring on the smiles at primetime.

    All the laughter was restricted to stand-up gags offered by Raju Shrivastav (who must have been TV’s top grosser this year) and others of his ilk who appeared with alarming regularity on mainstream channels as well as news channels. Sab’s desperate effort to bring on the laughter each night failed for the umpteenth time, but it keeps trying. News channels, meanwhile, found this year that the best bet to fill up programming is to run repeats of talent hunts and behind-the-scenes goings-on at these shows. Under the garb of ‘entertainment news,’ hours of Hindi news channels continued to be chock full of idols, voices of India and the chhote ustaads all through the day.

    Even as long running soaps continued to run – Saarthi, Kumkum, Kyunki…,
    Kahaani…are examples – a milestone of sorts was reached when the ‘bahu’ of Indian TV (Smriti Iraani for the uninitiated) crossed over into enemy territory as Vrinda on Zee’s Teen Bahuraniyan. Not just that, she came armed with a tulsi plant and a similar agenda – of saving the daughters of
    the family and salvaging the family’s reputation. Ekta’s long shadow on television programming refuses to fade.

    But the year clearly belonged to the genre of the music talent hunt. If you
    had half a voice and wanted to be discovered, TV was waiting for you.
    Whether you knew the lyrics (Bol Baby Bol), were a kid that could sing (Lil
    Champs    , Chhote Ustaad) or were an amateur singer (Indian Idol, Voice of India, Bathroom Singer…) TV was waiting with auditions in remote towns to find you. Of course, even if you were a wellknown composer or playback singer, or even a TV actor with pretensions to singing, but had never had your share of the limelight, you stood an excellent chance of turning into a mini celeb yourself. Ask Vishal – Shekhar, Abhijeet, Ismail Durbar, Alisha, Shiamak Davar and the rest who never had it so good as this year.

    But if anything marred the happiness of the couch potato, it was the unending film promotions that invaded everything on TV – the talent hunts, the soaps and the news and music channels. The marketing of Om Shanti Om and Saawariya on TV reached a screeching crescendo in November, till
    viewers’ ears ached from listening to ‘Dard e Disco’ and watching Ranbir Kapoor drop his towel for the umpteenth time.

    Also irritating was the omnipresence of judge/mentors like Javed Akhtar and Mahesh Bhatt, who judged shows, voiced their opinions on every subject and were probably present at every award show that was aired on TV.

    But couch potato’s vote of the year goes to Rakhi Sawant, who has
    established herself as the queen bee of Indian TV, by hook or by crook. With her antics, her tears and tantrums and her comments, the ‘item girl’ showed us that it was easy to get into primetime, if you knew how to tease the camera and tempt the channels. Lage raho, Rakhi!

  • Divine predictions ’08

    Divine predictions ’08

    As they bid goodbye to 2007, our telly stars look forward to the New Year with great hope and expectation.

    But what’s in store for them in 2008? Neha Maheshwari got into intuitive mode trying to foresee whether the constellations will keep shining for our telly stars. For this purpose, we consulted noted Tarot card reader Dr Soniyaa P Bhaagiyaa.

    Here Dr Bhaagiyaa offers predictions for 2008 of different stars and channels through Tarot card reading and she also comes up with advice for the stars through her Goddess Guidance Cards.

    The results are as interesting as expected. So have fun reading them.

     

    Ekta Kapoor

    Year 2008 for her: It is going to be a good year professionally. There are bright chances of her getting married this coming year.

    As a producer: She will do well as a producer in 2008. She will hit the mark again. She might have to travel abroad for shoots.

    Bollywood: Tarot card suggests she leave everything in the hands of destiny. She may not receive the needful help from the people as expected. She is going to learn many lessons. For 2008, Bollywood is not going to be fruitful.

    The K-factor: There is a possibility that she will get rid of her favourite K-letter. She will resort to some other alphabet but will always take support of the letter K.

    Guidance card for 2008: Universe suggests Ekta create a connection with the divine different from what she has followed thus far. We advice her to visit some prayer place and make changes in her altar. She needs to check out what she needs to add to and minus from her altar. She needs to focus on the spirituality also, along with her professional life.
     

    Rajiv Khandelwal

    Bollywood: His movies will do good business overall. He will be getting some more opportunities. There is an advice card for him that reveals that if he takes risks he will be successful. He is in to manage lots of things this year.

    Television: His television career will be good and it is going to be a new beginning for him. But he needs to manage many things.

    Patch up with Ekta Kapoor: Yes there are bright chances of a patch up between the two and tarot also says that there are chances of him doing a Balaji serial.

    Guidance card for 2008: You are taken care of for your today and tomorrows by the universe so don’t worry.
     

    Smriti Irani

    2008 for her: It is going to be a mixed year. There will be ups and downs but as the year ends, it is going to be happy.

    As a producer: There will be many projects and she will be doing a lot of juggling. She will be trying to manage two different projects at a time but eventually she will be able to manage. Professionally she would struggle a bit managing too many projects. She would also try to expand herself.

    Advice card for her indicates that she should try to strike a balance as far as her professional life and production house is concerned. At the end, her professional life will be managed and it will do well.

    As an actor: Her acting career will be really good. She will also do some other projects. Overall it is going to be a good year for her.

    Bollywood aspirations: She might go there with the help of old acquaintances who will help her in the project.

    Guidance card for 2008: Universe suggests she spend some time near water. She needs to recharge her batteries. A break is advised to her as she has been under a lot of pressure off late. We suggest she go for a good holiday near an ocean or lake.
     

    Rakhi Sawant

    Controversies in 2008: Yes, she will remain among the controversies and thus in the news. But she will remain in control. She will be happy with the way she has led her life so far.

    Relationship with boyfriend Abhishek: The relationship is not going to be very exciting the coming year. Both of them will have disappointments in regards of not being given importance. The relationship will face emotional trauma and they will not take any risk in terms of both their relationship and professional life. There will be confusion in their relationship. The task for them is to choose between establishment of their careers or relationship.

    Guidance card for 2008: There is no need to hurry or force things to happen. She should take things easy. The guidance card suggests she believe in the process of the universe.
     

    Shweta Tiwari:

    2008 for her: Professionally, it is going to be a mixed year for Shweta Tiwari. There will be a lot of confusion and delays in projects. But 2008 is going to make her come across absolutely new beginnings. Personally the cards suggest she go for some past life regression. She has tried hard on her relationship but cards reveal her getting divorced the coming year. Justice will be done. Her Bhojpuri films will be successful. Her expectations will be fulfilled.

    Guidance card for 2008: She is just getting started so universe suggests she have patience and not give up easily.
     

    Iqbal Khan

    2008 for him: Iqbal Khan will be emotionally content this year. He should not lose control over his emotions. There will be a lot of competition and in turn he will try to prove himself but there is no need to. He needs to put his foot down wherever he is correct. But there is no need to prove his talent as 2008 is going to be a fulfilled year. There are bright chances that he will become a proud father.

    Bollywood: He has bright chances of his entering Bollywood.

    Patch up with Ekta Kapoor: Tarot card for him does indicate chances of having a patch up with Ekta Kapoor. But as far as acting in Ekta’s production house is concerned chances are very less and it may not happen.

    The advice card for him says that he should not look at emotional loss happened in the past but should grab the opportunity.

    Guidance card for 2008: This is the transforming time for him. He will be experiencing many changes and the universe suggests he accept those changes and go with the flow. He is advised to trust the universe.
     

    Prachi Desai

    2008 for her: Professionally, it is a mixed year for her. Whatever she has worked hard on this year will help her in the coming year. It is going to be a creative year for her.

    Her movie Rock On: Her expectations with the movies are running too high which is not good. It will only do ok business. She needs to balance her act. Destiny is going to support her throughout.

    She will get more offers from Bollywood but she is going to be very choosy and cautious.

    Quitting Television: There are 50-50 chances of her quitting the world of television. She will be very calculative and thus will face a lot of stress. 2008 can be rightly said as Dilemma Year for her as she will be in jeopardy deciding whether or not to quit television.

    Guidance card for 2008: The guidance card suggests she trust the universe.
     

    Ronit Roy

    Television career in 2008: It is going to be a mixed year for Ronit Roy. He will have the support of his luck and some mystical and unknown things. We suggest he go for some past life regression. He needs to be careful of his friends and enemies.

    Guidance card for 2008: The universe suggests he love himself. He needs to work out his relationships with the females around. He needs to respect the females.

    He also needs to check his relations with his mother. He should be non-judgmental about himself and others as well. He needs to focus on the love and light that is within everyone.
     
    This would again be a non-fiction year on television. So we have lots more reality shows lined up.
    _____****_____
     

    Star Plus: Compared to 2007, the coming year is not as good. But by year-end, it will turn out to be better. There will be a new beginnings in the year-end. In the process of proving themselves due to competition they may lose out on quality. They should not compromise with quality while competing. They will be taxing themselves uselessly. There will be let downs. They should maintain the values they believe in. They need to maintain their already established goodwill. They need to stay off temptations a bit.

    Advice for 2008: They are advised to have patience and not to worry as everything is working for them beautifully. But they are advised not to compromise with quality to get the needful results.
     

    Zee: It is going to be a mixed year for Zee TV. They would face certain losses but at the same time there will be several opportunities popping up. They need to handle the tough situations with lots of patience. There will be new opportunities for Zee in 2008. Zee is expected to have some changes at the authority level. This is time for learning lessons which will lead to the improvement in future. If they think of producing mythological serials luck will support them and such shows will be successful.

    Advice for 2008: If they work on projects related to children, it will be very good for them. They should work on some projects that can help children in their welfare and development.
     

    Sony: There are close to 100 percent chances that Sony channel will get sold. Though it might pull the financial year but after that it will come to an end.

    Advice for 2008: The guidance card says that your independence is the foundation of your strength and success. Tie-ups create unnecessary problems. If they try independently it would be good for them. But now the chances of them surviving after the mid-2008 are negligible.
     
     

    Amongst the newly launched channels: NDTV Imagine is expected to shine.
     
     

    (For the uninitiated, Dr Soniyaa P Bhaagiyaa is a reputed versatile Integrated Therapist who practices a variety of sciences. She has been practicing Tarot card reading for the last five years at her clinic in Mumbai. She is also a vastu expert, hypnotherapist, and practices aura healing, chakra guidance and tea leaf predictions).
  • ‘Sony’s agenda is to focus on prime & then take on the rest’ : Sandiip Sikcand – Sony chief creative director take on the rest’

    ‘Sony’s agenda is to focus on prime & then take on the rest’ : Sandiip Sikcand – Sony chief creative director take on the rest’

    Sony Entertainment Television India’s chief creative director Sandiip Sikcand is the newly appointed man in the newly created position, tasked with the job of scripting a turnaround in the ratings fortunes of the network’s flagship channel Set. And it is a task cut out for the experienced hand from Balaji Telefilms, who has been the creative head for projects such as K Street Pali Hill, Kkusum, Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai and Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii.

    After a four-year stint with Balaji working under the overarching leadership of Ekta Kapoor, Sikcand is tuning himself to a corporate structure, wherein he will be steering the creative aspects of Sony and also concentrating more on fiction. Geared to making a mark and getting the channel going, Sikcand talks about his plans and the road ahead in a conversation with Indiantelevision.com’sManisha Bhattacharjee.
    Experts:

    You are handling Sony, but the network also has Sab, so how do you differentiate and segregate the shows between the two channels?
    The operations between the two channels are different and very clear. Though part of the same network, the guidelines inscribed for Sab TV is poles apart from Sony. The latter is into hardcore soaps, melodrama, while the former is more youthful, catering to a more niche audience. It will be on Sab where the network can experiment with different kinds of concepts or shows. Sony will continue to offer a hardcore soap diet. It is broadly chalked out and chances of overlap are minimal.

    With Sony now in third position, what is the course of action that the channel is planning?
    Well, we have lined up new shows and are strengthening the 8 pm to 11 pm band. The shows will be rolled out over the next six months. We have tied up with Tony and Diya Singh for Jeetiya Hai Jis Ki Liye, which will star Renuka Shahane. We have Also tied up with the Anuj Saxena’s Maverick productions for a drama titled Akhand Sau Bhagyawati. There is Khamoshi, Durgesh Nandini, Viruddhwith Smriti Irani. A Variety show with Anupam Kher, which is a talk show.

    You are looking at launching only soaps, does that signify that reality will take a back seat?
    No, Sony has always maintained that reality will be an important component. Reality shows are likely to be relegated to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, while the rest of the week will see soapy dramas taking centre stage.

    We are presently running Jhalak Dikkhla Jaa. And will be launching Bigg Boss on November 3. In May, we have scheduled the launch of the third season of Indian Idol. We are also devising our own little reality show, which will be aired twice a week, which we are targeting to launch in February or March.
    ‘I do not see Sony coming back to number 2 or number 1 position overnight‘

    So what is this reality show that is homegrown?
    I can’t speak much at the moment as we are yet to finalise on certain aspects of the show.

    Not being on a strong wicket as of now, and launching so many shows, isn’t it too much too soon?
    No. These will be spread across and launched in a phased manner. The emphasis is on the strengths Sony has already shown. It has been structured accordingly so we are confident we can succeed. The idea is not to shock the audience.

    Likewise, I do not see Sony coming back to number two or number one position overnight. It is process, which we have already started working towards. I am not saying either that all the shows are going to be stupendous successes. Some of the shows might not even work, we might have to pull them off and replace them with some other products. We are all geared for that. But it is a definitive step towards changing the number position of the channel.

    It is a tough battle for Sony, as it has to fight the leader Star Plus and Zee, which has bounced back after a long while?
    I think we have to fight it out with everybody. I have to even fight Sab, Zee Café, Star One, Zee Cinema, Star Plus and Sahara One. Every channel is competition. Sony is not going to be pulled back by its competitors. Sony is first going to stand up on its own feet and in that process if there is competition so be it.

    So what is the strategy you are looking at employing to help the channel stand up?
    There is no strategy. I think in the television and entertainment business, the essential ingredient is just entertainment. As an audience, if I find a show entertaining, whether it may be appearing on ABC or XYZ channel, I will watch it. The endeavour and the aim of Sony is to give wholesome entertainment; that’s the strategy.

    Besides looking at strengthening you prime band. Are you looking at the other bands?
    We will be focusing on the afternoon band and launching a slew of shows there too. As of now, we run movies for Saturday and Sunday, we may look at having movies only on Sunday. But that will be once we get our other line-ups fixed. The agenda really is to focus on prime and then take on the rest.

    What’s this obsession networks in general seem to have with reality shows?
    It is a trend. You can’t discount it. It has always happened in India. For example, in Bollywood, if you have one film of Nagin (snake) succeeding, there will be 10 other films based on the same. As I said earlier, Sony has always maintained that we will be doing reality shows, which we are and will continue doing.

    But, the point being that the ratio with be 80:20 (in favour of soaps). We will have specific reality show making sure that we do not bring in the fatigue factor and also that we do not overkill it.

    The channel will be shortly launching Bigg Boss. There are many who are skeptical about the chances of success in India of a show that is so in your face voyeuristic as Bigg Boss is? What makes you confident the Indian public will like such a concept?
    Well, we all have a peeping-tom somewhere, which we do not accept. But, the reality show Bigg Boss has all the elements that any other soap holds. We are confident that the success Big Brother has enjoyed (elsewhere) will be visible here too.

    I do not believe in bifurcating my programmes into reality or fiction. Eventually, it is all about entertainment. It is important to understand that if soaps give you a certain amount of interest, so does the reality show.

    The fact remains that reality shows are clicking and drawing in viewers and that soaps have always brought in audiences.

    So are you saying it is not reality vs soaps?
    All I am trying to say is that the kind of entertainment a Bigg Boss will provide is not to say that watch Bigg Boss and not Kaajjal. The shows provide you different elements of entertainment. The viewer has to be entertained. I do not think that the audience will say “I will not watch reality show because I never watch a reality show.” For the audience, what matters is entertainment.

    CAS is likely to change the dynamics of the television market? Your thoughts?
    Well, being on the creative seat, what can only be a deterrent for me is if I tell them that you have to pay more to be entertained?

    How do you view the whole general entertainment market?
    The whole television market has a lot to offer and the entertainment business is growing. The audiences will have an amazing offering to chose from in the future. Although we are growing rapidly, but by the time we grow to reach the standards that are followed outside, it will involve a lot of hard work. I believe across the line producers have to realize what television is all about and give a lot of importance to creativity. I think it is happening. Thus there is lots to look forward to.
    You were present at Mipcom. What were the formats that you enjoyed?
    Well, there was this Endemol game show where one can win a fixed amount of money for his entire life span. Another show that I enjoyed was a reality show where a girl has to spot an eligible guy out of three where you have a gay, one already taken and a single guy. It is a show that can never be made in India. But the concept was interesting.

    So have how many formats are you buying?
    We are still in the process of weighing the pros and cons. We have not yet locked any deal.

    Has the tie-up with Smriti Irani affected your channel’s relationship with Balaji?
    Yes, it has already affected it. But, I must say that I am proud to be a product of Balaji. I left the production house for some personal reasons. Reasons I would not like to go into.

    Now that I am with Sony, anything that I have to do, I will do for the betterment of the channel. Smirit had an amazing concept. So I see no reason why I should not do that show.

    In fact, Sony had been approaching Balaji for the last two months even before I joined. Ekta had her own reasons for not doing a show for Sony as she said that she is tied up somewhere else. But she is to do a show for Sab, for which she has time, which is great. That she has no time to do a show for Sony, is absolutely fine and acceptable. As and when she has a concept for Sony, all she has to do is dial my number.

    Today, Sony is third, Zee had been lurking in this position for long. Zee’s soaps have given them a fresh lease of life?
    The journey of Zee is very motivational. After seven years, it is really something to talk about. If Zee can do it, Sony can well do it. Competition keeps you going. I was the creative head on Kasamh Se and my interactions with Ashwini (Zee programming head Ashwini Yardi) have been great. It is very inspirational.
    In the current situation, with your experience is it a tough battle to manage a channel’s programming?
    It is a whole new corporate world. I feel at home. In this world of entertainment it is a combination of competitiveness and fun. I belief I too need my fair chance to prove myself.

    What is the road map for Sony for 2007?
    Well, all efforts will be towards bouncing back.
  • Ekta Kapoor launches talent hunt for ‘Kyunki…’ cast

    Ekta Kapoor launches talent hunt for ‘Kyunki…’ cast

    MUMBAI: Indian television’s most successful television soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi is set for a 20-year leap and the next generation of actors will be chosen from a talent hunt.

    Walk-in auditions have been planned in three northern cities: New Delhi, Chandigarh and Shimla and the hunt will kick start on 29 April.

    The leap makes way for a host of new characters to make their appearance on the small screen. The Ekta Kapoor headed creative team of Kyunki…. is stepping out of Mumbai to search for these new faces, informs an official release.

    “The highlight of this talent hunt is the search for “Krishnatulsi” who takes over the mantle of Tulsi from Smriti Irani as she takes over the mantle of Baa,” says Balaji Telefilms creative director Ekta Kapoor.

    “We are always on the look out for fresh talent but this time around it is very special. We are looking for the next generation of the Virani family. We started Kyunki… five years back with a large part of the cast selected from the masses and most of them, today, are well established artists with their own fan following. It therefore makes complete sense for us to go back to the masses to look for the next generation of the Virani family,” says Kapoor.

    The dates for audition in each city are:

    New Delhi — 29 and 30 April at Marwah Studio Noida.
    Shimla — 1 May at Chaura Maidan College.
    Chandigarh — 2 May at Dev Samaj College for Girls.

    The auditions are open to professional actors, models, theatre artists and the general public in the 18 to 25 years age group. Good diction, brilliant attitude and acting skills are factors critical in being short-listed, states the release.