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Tag: Satyajit Bhatkal

  • Why ‘Satyamev Jayate’ chose the Sunday morning slot

    Why ‘Satyamev Jayate’ chose the Sunday morning slot

    MUMBAI: The much popular social awareness show on Star Plus ‘Satyamev Jayate’ (SMJ) not just had the backing of a star presence but also had broadcaster Star’s faith in it.  So much so that Star Plus was willing to give the show a primetime slot.

     

    Speaking at indiantelevision.com’s The Content Hub, SMJ director Satyajit Bhatkal revealed the detail about SMJ’s original positioning. “We had the option of choosing any slot. In fact Star wanted us to take primetime on Friday, Saturday or Sunday,” he said.

     

    The idea behind this was to fish when the fish is in the pond, the tactic that fiction shows depend on. But denying this offer, it went ahead with the Sunday morning slot. “We were assured that Sunday morning was a graveyard hour where viewers don’t come,” said Bhatkal.

     

    SMJ wanted a clear space and appointment viewing for itself when a person isn’t surfing between channels. “We wanted the viewers to take the trouble to wake up and sit in front of the TV, preferably with family, with the specific objective of watching SMJ which is also a limited offering,” he added.

     

    He was also aware that their unusual way of pushing the show was a nightmare for both the promotion and sales team but according to Bhatkal, it has succeeded in bringing viewers which is visible both by ratings as well as social media.

     

  • Good writers are hard to find, says the television industry

    Good writers are hard to find, says the television industry

    MUMBAI: The heartbeat of any television programme lies in its story and content. Developing good content through various ideas and imagination is a significant priority for television channels and producers. Story-telling, as they say, is an art and the small screen is constantly looking for compelling scripts that tell stories which entertain, engage and enrich the audience. Over the past few years, the Indian television industry has been exploring new formats and series of programmes in order to give the viewers an excellent TV viewing experience.

    Television director and creator of the unique chat show Satyamev Jayate, Satyajit Bhatkal says, “To be honest, we did not have any preconceived model for content creation or the kind of show we hoped to do. We made 6-7 documentaries on real life people and we realised that there was so much happening in the country. The common man faces so many problems and we needed to address these serious issues and give a 360 degree look to the matter.”

    However, except for a few who are willing to take up the challenge of creating something new, many are still stuck with the tried and tested.  According to Bhatkal, television, today, is way too cautious.  He elaborates, “It is a challenge that we have to cater to people of various education levels and social backgrounds. However, I feel we are not willing to move to a different level of aesthetics.”

    Director of many popular television series like Amanat, Kyunki Saans bhi kabhi bahu thi, and the current hit show Jodha Akbar, Santram Verma believes that there is a division amongst the audiences today as while some of the viewers want to watch fresh content, the older generation wants to stick to the same stories that were showcased years back. As a result, he feels that it is hard for the industry to evolve.

     

    He says, “Everybody is sticking to the safe formula of ‘saas-bahu’. Good writers are hard to find these days. Writers lack the fire in them to come up with fresh concepts. TV is not experimenting with novel ideas.”

    Speaking on the quality of writers, producer of the very popular show, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Asit Kumar Modi says, “There is a lack of good writers. Generally speaking, channels go with writers that they have previously worked with. If we want to encourage new content, channels should have better adaptability for new writers and then, we can produce better content.”

    When asked whether broadcasters give the makers enough support and freedom, Modi informs that Sab played a good role in encouraging fresh content and promoting comedy shows like his on the channel.

     

    Bhatkal expresses that Star has been an extraordinary and participative partner for his show, “Star allowed us to feature the show on a Sunday morning instead of an evening prime time slot as we wanted the whole family to watch. Since it did not have a Telugu channel, the network gave the broadcast rights to its Telugu competitor as we wanted the programme to air in every Indian language. Star even permitted SMJ to be aired simultaneously on Doordarshan on the same day and at the same time, at the expense of its own traffic. What more could I ask for?”

    Talking about the concept of seasonal shows, Verma says, “Seasonal shows are the best. If implemented fully on Indian television, it will have a better emotional connect with the audience.”

    According to Modi, it is a good idea to have seasonal shows as after a point even the audience gets bored. However he is quick to point out that channels should also be convinced of the format.

    Channels need to have more confidence in seasonal formats and help in the distribution of the same. Modi emphasises that irrespective of ratings, losses and profits, one needs to constantly experiment on Indian television.

    To discuss more about the content on television, Indiantelevision.com is organising the ‘Content Hub’ that brings together writers, creators, producers, artistes and broadcast executives, both for TV and digital, all under one roof. This initiative is meant for all professionals, newbies and anyone who is keen to know about writing, producing and creating content for television and the digital space.

     

  • Star Plus’ Satyamev Jayate to see a few changes, this season

    Star Plus’ Satyamev Jayate to see a few changes, this season

    MUMBAI: It was in 2012 when TV audiences woke up to Sunday morning slot once again. Star Plus with Satyamev Jayate at 11 am, tried to bring about a change in our society by bringing the ills gripping our society to the forefront.

    The promos of the upcoming season have already gone live and each tells a story of a person who after watching a heart-wrenching episode has gone out to make a change in whatever manner he/she could. One of the promo tells a story of Nazia, who found a sexually-abused girl and went on to help her through Childline – a NGO working for kids. “Nazia is like one of us but through her one action she proved that it is we who can bring about a change,” says the host of the show Aamir Khan while highlighting that this time the focus on promos was not him but on heroes who made a difference. “It is all about possibilities.”

    He highlights that the research team never went out to hunt for people like Nazia but while doing their study they met or were told about people who after watching SMJ went out of their way to help others.

    In its third installment now, the show, which will go live on 21 September and consists of six episodes, will see a few new elements. The biggest change will be letting the common man talk to Khan. After the one and a half hour show, people can talk ‘live’ to Khan through social media – Facebook and Twitter -, phone or the show’s official website to share their issues on the topic discussed earlier.

    “SMJ is about people and we want people to tell their views and issues so that together as a society we can bring about a change,” says Khan who will be travelling across various cities to connect with the people.

    He believes that the show has changed him a lot. “I have become more patient and less judgmental,” he says while recalling that years ago when Star India CEO Uday Shankar had approached him for a game show he had made a correct decision by denying that and suggesting a show on social issues.

    This time around, for the first time, other actors too will be seen on the show. “It is not for publicity. But only the actors who have done something for a particular issue or feel for it will be on the talk show,” clarifies Khan.

    Believing that the change needs to be brought about from the grassroot level to revolutionise people’s mindset, Khan wants people, administrations and governments to make a note of the things. Stating the example of how after the female foeticide episode was aired, the sex ratio between girls and boys has risen, Khan says, “Earlier there were 890 girls per 1000 boys, but today it is 940 which is remarkable. A small step can make a huge difference.”

    On a personal level, Khan wants four basic fundamental benefits given to each and every citizen of the country, namely, public health services, education, a quick and fair justice system and security through a strict law and order.

    Click here to watch the video

     

  • Watch the last of SMJ 2 this September

    Watch the last of SMJ 2 this September

    MUMBAI: The most talked about social show Satyamev Jayate (SMJ) would never had happened, had James Murdoch not given a go ahead for the same.

    “When I told my CFO that I was planning to do a show such as SMJ, he looked at me as though I was going totally out of line,” Star India CEO Uday Shankar had said during the recently held Paley Media Council in New York. Shankar then called up Murdoch and told him about the risk associated with SMJ because of the investment. “He told me ‘we would live.’ I needed his blessings to go ahead with it,” Shankar had expressed then.

    A show which didn’t pass the litmus test in the first go is one of the most successful shows for the channel today. SMJ has truly taken the nation by a storm even as it brings home harsh realities. “India was ready, our viewers were ready and internally Star as a company was ready to take the leap and that’s how came SMJ where we decided that sharply we will, in each episode, focus on some of the things that must change in the country while all other kinds of economic and social changes keep happening,” Shankar had said.

    The series first went on air in 2012, with episodes being aired at a stretch for 13 weeks. But, when it returned with its second season this March, it decided to be a little different.

    This time around, the series was presented in installments. With the first bunch of five episodes aired in March, the show is all set to go on-floor again in the month of July, with telecast plans for September.

    “We will air six episodes to end the second season,” says director of the show Satyajit Bhatkal when quizzed if the season will see another installment. The second season was supposed to have three installments as said earlier.   

    As per Indiantelevision.com’s earlier report, season one of the series garnered an overall rating of 4.27 TVRs (including DD) across the six metropolitan cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, upon its premiere telecast on 6 May 2012. According to TAM TV Ratings, the show reached out to 89.6 lakh people in the age group of 4+.

    The popularity of the show grew and it was evident from the opening episode of SMJ 2 which premiered on 2 March with historic numbers. As per TAM data for week 10, Satyamev Jayate’s launch episode was watched by a massive 2.6 crore Indians. This when extrapolated to All India Universe, as per standard industry conversions, means that the launch episode was watched by 7.9 crore Indians.

    Moreover, the show recorded 7,429 TVTs in All India (All 4+, All India) and a HSM TVT of 6,770 (All 4+, HSM). These were simulcast ratings of the original episode aired on Sunday morning 11 am across seven channels (Star Plus, Star Pravah, Star World, Star Utsav, Star Vijay, Asianet and Doordarshan) along with the 1 pm original airing on ETV Telugu.

    The overwhelming response by the audience was backed by the advertisers as well.  According to sources, while each episode of SMJ costs close to Rs 5 crore, the channel charges approximately Rs 10 lakh for a 10-second advertising slot.

    Hosted by actor Aamir Khan, the response to Satyamev Jayate has changed popular perceptions of what people want to watch. That apart, it has also helped generate enormous discussion points in the public sphere on issues many Indians were so long cutoff from. The show also instills in people the feeling of being agents of social change.

    With the show going on floor next month, Bhatkal believes that the four-month break has given them time to research on topics which will be based on what a citizen can do to change his life and the world around.

    Star Plus is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that viewers are engaged by the conversations triggered around the message given by SMJ. Keeping that in mind, Facebook and Twitter is abuzz with activity every hour.

    A total of 8.7 million “Votes for Change” were received from viewers in support of the issues raised during the show.

    Bhatkal is happy with the feedback. “When we aired the first installment of the second season, we were worried if we would get the desired numbers, as elections, exams etc kept people busy.  But, despite that, people have loved the show. Also, our ‘Vote for Change’ campaign also garnered huge amount of support from people.”

    The SMJ team believes that everything is going in the right direction. “Government is also showing a lot of interest in the issues we raise and has promised to work on them,” concludes Bhatkal.