ITV

Tag: Rajesh Devraj

  • The Katial Mystery: Quo Vadis?

    MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Is former Star India senior vice-president, programming, content and communication, Tarun Katial joining rival Sony Entertainment TV India? The buzz has been that he is.
    When indiantelevision.com contacted Sony India top honchos, most of them, however, refused to confirm or deny the move, saying they were on a holiday.
    Tarun Katial back in action?


    But a senior executive in the company did admit today — might be the Christmas cheer was too infectious and the person didn’t want to disappoint us — that negotiations have been held with Katial.
    Still, the executive added, ” Talks have been held with him (Katial), but no contractual deals have been signed yet. So, there is nothing formal and final about the whole affair.”
    When Katial was contacted today, he cried off the whole issue saying that he wanted his privacy, adding that he would not like to comment on the matter.
    What is more important is that this Sony executive hinted that Katial — “if and when he joins” — would do so in a senior post in the programming team of executive vice president Sunil Lulla
    A story doing the rounds earlier was that Katial had been made a plum offer from Sahara India, which he did not take up even after some meetings with the senior management. Another tale has it that he is going to head a film financing fund, which would invest in good movies. A third was that he would set up shop himself in a consultative capacity to whoever wanted it in television.
    The Sony story gained in credence when the executive creative director Rajesh Devraj quit last month. Industry watchers viewed his departure as a clean up of Sony’s programming operations in preparation for Katial’s 
    joining.
    Following that, a bunch of Sony’s programming executives holed up in Sony’s Culver City’s, (California US headquarters) to plan the way forward for the network following the major successes that Jassi has notched up.
    Rumour has it that Katial was very much present at these meetings, something that he denied to indiantelevision.com saying he was actually in London.
    Katial would be one of the many additions and changes in the Sony India family; that is, if he finally ends up joining the company. Incidentally, Sony India has planned some big announcements to be made on or around 15 January.
    According to Sony sources, some more people – mostly those who haven’t had any exposure in the media industry – would also be joining the family in the ad sales and marketing divisions. Reason being that Sony India has targeted 2004 as a year when it wants to capitalize on the success of Jassi and chart out a new growth path.

  • Rajesh Devraj quits Sony

    Rajesh Devraj quits Sony

    MUMBAI: SET’s executive creative director Rajesh Devraj has put in his papers.

    The resignation confirms the buzz that has been doing the industry rounds since early October that Devraj was on his way out. This was when veteran writer and filmmaker Venita Coelho joined SET with the brief to work along with Devraj in developing new shows.

    When contacted, SET executive vice president Sunil Lulla would only say, “Rajesh had a contract with us which has come to an end.”

    Devraj who joined Sony in January this year, says he had been working on a feature film script before joining SET and intends to go back to that now. Devraj has earlier worked with Channel [V], MTV and Hindustan Thompson Associates.

    Among the highpoints of his tenure at SET, Devraj counts Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, definitely. “It was an enjoyable experience working with the SET team, and talented, intelligent people like Tony and Diya and Victor Acharya. It was equally gratifying that all the decisions we took on the adaptation – the story changes, the casting, the production design, the Punjabi flavour, the characterizations of Jassi and her family – everything connected with the audience as we’d planned. We tried to bring in a freshness lacking on television, and our efforts paid off,” he says of the Jassi experience.

    Apart from Jassi, Devraj has also initiated a few projects that he believes are path-breaking in their own way. “I hope they do as well,” he says.

    About the learnings he garnered at Sony, Devraj says, “Personally, I’ve learnt a great deal about shaping ideas. The sheer exposure to a large volume of scripts and ideas, the process of interacting with writers every day, all of this has helped sharpen my own creative skills.”

    About his tenure at Sony, however, Devraj has a different opinion. “It’s been frustrating, I won’t deny that, but it’s been an incredible learning experience as well. So no regrets.” 

  • JWT’s Albert Almeida joining SET as marketing head

    MUMBAI: Another ad agency honcho bites the TV channel bullet. J Walter Thompson (JWT) client services vice-president Albert Almeida is joining the Sony Entertainment Television network’s flagship channel as head of marketing.
    Asked earlier about the new hiring, SET’s Executive V-P Sunil Lulla offered no comment.
    With Almeida’s coming on board, Lulla’s A-team looks to be in place. It was in January that Lulla appointed Rajesh Devraj as executive creative director to spearhead SET’s creative content and programming.
    Almeida joined JWT India in 1989. As the client services head, he used to interact with various JWT divisions (creative, media, public relations, events and direct marketing amongst others) to develop the overall brand strategy and advertising approach.
    Almeida was also the regional category head, South Asia, for Unilever brands such as Lux and Rin. He used to travel frequently to South East Asian countries and oversee the account management of the top Unilever brands in those markets. Almeida has worked on several brands such as Close Up and non-Unilever brands such as Air India.
    Almeida was also responsible for new business development and actively involved in pitches made by JWT India.
    Almeida is currently in Europe on a 10-day holiday till mid- May.

    Also read:
    Rajesh Devraj joins SET as executive creative director

  • Rajesh Devraj joins SET as executive creative director

    MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television has appointed Rajesh Devraj as executive creative director to spearhead SET’s creative content and programming.
    A company release states that Devraj’s key responsibilities will include providing the creative & strategic direction to SET’s programming, defining the look and feel of the shows and evolving characters to be showcased. He is tasked with creating an environment to build the best talent pool and above all provide a unique creative edge to SET in the market place.
    As a member of the initial team that set up Channel [V] and developed its brand identity, Devraj moved on to become creative director & programming head of the channel and was instrumental in the success of the channel. Devraj also worked with MTV where he wrote and conceptualized its first show out of India, Oye MTV, the show that was created when MTV was part of the Star Network.
    As a creative person, Devraj worked with Hindustan Thompson Associates (HTA) and Enterprise Advertising on campaigns such as Hero Allegro, Hero Ranger, Maurya Sheraton, Maggie Sauces and Maruti Corporate, Leela Kempinski, Nirlep, Zero-B and Vazir Sultan Tobacco amongst many award-winning ones.
    In his role prior to SET, as writer, director & consultant (under the name Thoughtbubble) he has handled various projects, the release says.