ITV

Tag: Trupti Ghag

  • “We have already conquered the music space, now we are aiming our guns at mass entertainment” : Amar K Deb – Channel [V] head honcho

    “We have already conquered the music space, now we are aiming our guns at mass entertainment” : Amar K Deb – Channel [V] head honcho

    Channel [V]’s head honcho Amar Deb isn’t really known for sugar coating his opinions.Although his hands are full with the current big reality hunt, [V] Super Singer, Deb seems the least bit hassled. ‘We have already conquered the music space, now we are aiming our guns at the mass entertainment space,’ he says.

    Though busy flitting between cities, Deb managed to pack in some punch in a breezy interview that took place, interestingly, while stuck in Mumbai’s nightmarish traffic. Read on for a t?te-?-t?te that transpired between Deb and indiantelevision.com‘s Trupti Ghag

    How was [V] ‘Super Singer’ conceptualised? What are the new activities that you are looking at this time?
    Contrary to the perception, Super Singer is an original concept. We came up with the idea after a series of brainstorming sessions.

    And yes, third time around, the feeling is that of ‘been there, done that’. So this time on, we will be using the latest voice measuring gizmo, which will help us identify the width of the voice, the scale at which the singer can sing, and the octaves he/she can reach.

    Also, we are using Star’s SMS platform 7827 in big way for the selection process. The audience can SMS their choice of contestant and help us pick the winner.

    And unlike certain others, our heavyweight jury is going down to every single city to judge the talent. That, in addition to the local jury, which by the way, does not comprise spot boys and executive producers.

    It looks like there has there been a steady decline in the promotion from Popstar 1 to Popstar 2 to now…
    No! We are promoting it much like Popstars 2. Since we pioneered the entire reality format, now people don’t really bother with the promotions.
    Why aren’t you keen on on-ground promotions?
    We have Star Plus, the biggest media vehicle on our side. We really don’t need anything else. For on-ground connect, we do a lot of college connects, presence in youth hangouts. Our biggest promotions vehicle is on air and will remain so.

    Why don’t you utilise much of print?
    When your viewership is low, you require print ads. When you are doing phenomenally well you do not require print.

    How has the response to the ‘[V] Super Singer’ been?
    We had close to 6,000 people outside the auditorium at Delhi. All of them just came there, mostly after hearing of it by word of mouth. They had seen what we had done with the Popstars. So, people just came in because they know, if you dream the big dream, Channel [V] can make it happen.

    And the heavy turnout was despite the promotion blitz and the huge monies poured in by our dear competitors to plug their fare.

     

    So the talent hunts really have been like a Cinderella story…
    Completely! Take for instance Aasma; there is a girl called Neeti Mohan who lives somewhere in Delhi; today she is Neeti from Aasma. Then, there is a girl called Mahua Kamat who is from Pune; today she is Mahua from Viva.

    Not only are we firmly grounded in the reality television space and music talent hunts. We have a great capability of making stars, which is why people come to us and flock in such big numbers.

     

    Looking at the crowd that came in Delhi, you must be obviously expecting greater numbers from Mumbai. Is that the reason why you are not publicising the dates and venue for auditions…
    Yes, we are expecting a huge turnout. But Mumbai auditions come in much later. Currently, the first leg is being held in Delhi, Chandigarh and Jaipur.
    ‘Not only are we firmly grounded in the reality television space and music talent hunt; we have a great capability of making stars, which is why people come to us and flock in such big numbers‘

    Besides music talent hunts, [V] has built up its reality content with travelogues. How was that conceptualised?
    Freedom Express 1 was a phenomenal experience, which is why Freedom Express 1 and 2 led to [V] on the Run. [V] on the Run helped us intensify brand [V] in India. It helped popularise brand [V] with audiences in places where we would otherwise have not had much contact other than on-air.

    So ‘Freedom Express’ and ‘[V] on the Run’ were brand building exercises. But what about ‘Get Gorgeous’?
    [V] on the Run was a well rated show. But Get Gorgeous got ratings of 2.12 for a pivotal episode and a channel share of 21 per cent. In fact, for that episode, it outshone every single channel.

    Are you talking about the music channel niche?
    No. I am talking about Sony.

    But shouldn’t music channels concentrate on catering to music demands rather then trying to experiment with varied genres?
    We define our space as music, humour, and glamour. We work around our core – music – very strongly. So while we embed all our content in music, we do flank it with offerings like Get Gorgeous, Phone Bhootand great content like talent hunts.

    Has the music universe grown? What is the market that you are looking at currently?
    The music universe has definitely grown. But we are just not looking at the music universe. We are also looking at the youth space. We are Star’s youth arm and everything to do with youth the Star group addresses through [V].

    We hear that your ‘Get Gorgeous’ finds got to walk the ramp at the Rome Fashion week. Was it pre-conceptualised, or did you chance upon an opportunity?
    We were to launch India’s four supermodels and we were going to provide them with an elite management contract. Something that every upcoming model in the country dies for.

    We made them walk the Rome Fashion Week. They modeled Suneet Varma’s creations. They got to meet Valentino and it was all pre-conceptualised.

    How did you manage to convince the Fashion week guys?
    Channel [V] is very good at that… (laughs)

    ‘The key to a great reality show is critically how sensitively you shoot it. Which is why reality on Channel [V] works and reality on other platforms doesn’t or hasn’t‘

    What according to you is the unique formulation for a successful reality show?
    The key to a great reality show is critically how sensitively you shoot it with. And our crew led by Deepak Dhar is the best in terms of sensitivity because when they are shooting friendships form. In fact, many of the Popstars finalists and entrants are still in touch with us.

    Aren’t reality shows touted as cashing in on people’s tears?
    That is what other channels look at. We clearly look at building relations. Which is why reality on Channel [V] works and reality on other platforms doesn’t – or hasn’t.

    Aren’t you hassled by the slew of reality shows set to flood the market?
    No! It is typical of the myopic way in which India looks at the content. There was Kaun Banega Crorepati, and then there were two other shows that were launched immediately. What happened to them? While KBC was a defining moment in TV history, the two shows were nothing but damp squibs.

    Indian audiences are far more intelligent than people would like to believe.

    But clearly, there is going to be a case of overkill. Aren’t we already seeing the effects on your hunts?
    No! We are completely confident and my confidence has been borne out of the number of people that have showed up in Delhi.

    How does the [V] growth chart look?
    We, in the last three years,we have grown by about 300 per cent. I think that itself is a hell of a lot.

    But the phenomenal jump was in the first year itself, post the launch of Popstar 1?
    Not completely true. [V] made a phenomenal jump with Aasma- Popstar 2 as well. It whipped the rest of the music television stations. In fact, it sort of actually decimated MTV.

    Participation apart, how has the influx affected the advertising community’s response to your latest talent hunt ‘Super Singer’?
    On the on-air programming front, [V] Super Singer is completely sold out. Plus, we have a great bunch of sponsors for the on ground activity.

    The title sponsor Samsung is a perfect fit because it a technologically advanced company and it suits the technology that we are using in Super Singer.

    But there doesn’t seem to be great on ground promotions taking place. What about the promotional gigs and cut the queue passes that were so in vogue last time on?
    Of course we are giving out the passes and have quite a few interesting tie-ups with Mc Donald’s.

    Interestingly, our ‘cut the queue’ pass idea is being imitated by our dear friends at Sony.
    ‘In music television, when you are playing non-music content it better be small‘

    What are plans for [V] in the next six months?
    In the next six months, we want to demonstrate how [V] is the chosen platform for music talent hunts. We want to show very clearly how we have the best credentials in the business for reality shows.

    Lifestyle seems to be the next upcoming genre. What is it that you are looking at doing next in that arena?
    Lifestyle has been a part of [V] way before it became cool. We had a show called Cool Stop, we got Get Gorgeous shots, [V] Style Junkie. We will continue coming up with some more brilliant concepts.

    Are vignettes really considered as programming of the future?
    In music television, it really helps. When you are playing non-music content it better be small. But if you have great programming, it would have to be in the half hour and one hour slot.

    How are you looking at programming for Super Singer?
    From an on-air perspective, I guess you will just have to wait and watch. But we promise, it is going to be the most stunning show.

    What is next after ‘Get Gorgeous’?
    Our sponsors were extremely happy with the response for get Gorgeous 1, and Get Gorgeous 2 is on the cards.

    Is it the same set of talent pool that you are looking at?
    We are looking at a completely new show.

    What about ‘Get Handsome’?
    No. That is not something that we plan for near future.

    Has the star value of the music channel’s VJs diminished?
    I don’t think so. Actually [V] VJ’s are still considered hip and cool, even in terms of ads that they get. Take a look at the sheer number of ads they bag and films they do. The kind of products our VJ’s endorse are never toilet bowls.

    Why isn’t [V] keen on a VJ Hunt?
    You need to do that when you are desperate (scoffs).

    (An afterthought) But I don’t know, we just might do a VJ hunt.

    Last heard, there was a show on technology in offing. When are you planning to do that?
    There is something in offing which cannot be revealed at this stage. I can promise that its going to shake up television programming.
    ‘The kind of products our VJ’s endorse are never toilet bowls‘

    Everyone says Popstar 2 didn’t do as well as Popstar 1.
    Completely untrue. In fact Popstars 2 doubled the Popstars 1 ratings and brought in double the channel share of Popstars 1. And if ratings are anything to go by then, Popstars 2 was more successful than Popstars 1.

    After you adopted the `Shudh Sakahari'(vegetarian music) stance, what has been the response from the industry?
    Star actually has a very stringent S&P – Standards & Practices policy. The S&P cell looks at what goes on air. Plus our programming team sits and edits videos that come to us.

    Some of the videos that have come to us with CBSE’s ‘U’ certification have been unfit to put on air. And we have had to edit them.

    But by and large, music industry now knows that [V]’s policy on music video is so strong that it will not allow any form of smoking, killing, violence, mayhem, and of course blatant sex. We are considered amongst the most painful people by the music companies.

    What about the current breed of music being churned out?
    There is some great music coming in. Indian music has been really coming into its own, because of which there is phenomenal music. Even Bollywood music is superb.

    Interestingly, some of the remixes are musically brilliant; it is just the nature of the video that makes you cringe.

    Has ‘Lukes After Hours’ expanded the late night viewer base?
    Yeah, it has. In fact, Luke – we call him the messiah of music – has a huge fan following. The core channel [V] audience had done a huge ‘Hurrah’ when he came back.

    Is there a prime time band for a music channel?
    Yeah, there is, and amazingly it is in the morning 7-10 am. But not so for the late night, as at late night band you are actually competing with Star Plus and you really don’t have a hope in hell!

    [V] has really taken on animation in a big way…
    [V] has been largest champion of animation, be it hand drawn or clay or any other kind of animation. We have a huge number of animators working with us in-house.

    Simpoo is of course our resident celebrity. In addition, we have our very own celebrity VJ Lola Kutty.

    How important are humour based programming? And who is Lola Kutty?
    We do a lot of humour based programmes. The latest VJ – Lola Kutty is hugely popular. She is a very pretty lady and is a London trained actress and can do voices and accents in many languages.

    Isn’t action adventure working as a reality genre?
    No, we have just given it a season break. Channel [V] has done a lot of out of the box thinking and before its time.

    What about live programming?
    We used to do live shows – former VJ Trey used to host one. But given the laws in the country, we can’t any more. The government has some problem with live programming.a
  • The Optimistic Trio

    The Optimistic Trio

    Maybe the new saying should be “A company is known by the men that run it.

    ” The camaraderie between Optimystix‘s trio – Rajiv Vyas, Sanjiv Sharma and Vipul D Shah seems so endearing that you are almost tempted to call it an ideal marriage. Correction – Courtship.

    Indiantelevision.com‘s Trupti Ghag met up with the format show specialists over an elaborate brunch to talk about their company, its future plans and more. Excerpts from the freewheeling conversation that followed…

    ‘We are optimistic — really, even our blood group is B+,‘ Optimystix‘s CEO Rajiv Vyas jokes. But pun on the quirky coincidence aside, the trio is indeed excited about the future of the company.

    And why shouldn‘t they be? Besides bagging the co-production assignment for Fremantle Media‘s bestselling format American Idol, the production house is also upbeat about its plans to expand.

    “We are going to launch a post production facility soon. We are currently scouting for locations for the studio. In addition, we are also looking at upping our strength in the next few months,” Optimystix director Sanjiv Sharma offers.

    The year 2004 has certainly been an eventful year for the company that was founded by Sharma and Shah in October 2000. In a move to ‘derisk‘, the production house took a leap into the fiction arena with a Yeh Meri Life Hai and now is in close talks with a European broadcaster to produce a show.

    “Despite what other people say, we didn‘t quite enjoy being known as just the format show specialists. As a professional agency, we need to grow and hence when the opportunities came by, we grabbed it,” Vyas says as a matter of fact.

    The quaint company, located in a scenic Mumbai suburb Versova, was launched with the objective of bringing quality and entertaining software to the television industry.

    “But we wouldn‘t cross out a foray into the Hindi film industry too,” both Vyas and Sharma sing out in unison.

    Right now, the trio and their core team of chosen seven have their hands full with six shows on hand, two of which are already on air and four more set to launch. In their next six months agenda they have two Zee shows and two kids shows. The trio is hush-hush about the kiddie show though.

    Its my life… “It makes you feel very proud, especially when the supposed elite of society laud the show.” But doesn‘t the latest Yeh Meri Life Hai have an urban milieu? “Thanks to television‘s penetration, the urban market is growing. Any place where you get satellite television, the audience has an urban mindset,” Sharma says.

    Shah, however, has a different take on it: “The show can‘t be really typecast as an urban show. The show depicts a constant struggle between family values and the aspirations of the protagonist.”

    Wasn‘t it piggy back riding on ‘Jassi‘s model? “Yes and No. It is an underdog story alright, but Pooja is a very believable character, not a superwoman. She makes mistakes, she lies to save herself,” says Shah.

    But why a fiction show? Sharma, pointing to Shah, says, “We have got a Mr Fiction here. He has produced Dekh Bhai Dekh. I have directed Lekin for Sab TV.”

    “We were given a mandate to do something different and looking at the current demographics of India, it was a no brainer that a youth oriented serial will have greater acceptance,” Sharma says, about the reasons behind the conceptualisation of Sony‘s Yeh Meri Life Hai.

    “It is Gursheel Walia‘s concept and idea. Initially we thought it would be a story of seven friends, but then during a brainstorming session with Tarun Katial (Sony‘s executive V-P programming and response), we (Sharma and Vyas) thought that we need a protagonist. If the story is narrated through her eyes, it would be a great identification,” Shah offered in explanation.

    “Besides making a television soap, we are also doing our little bit for the young generation as a whole,” Sharma says.

    Is the role of a producer ghost written by the channel? “If you think you are being pushed around, then nothing can convince you otherwise. But I don‘t think that you are ever being asked to make changes,” Sharma enunciates.

    “As a producer you put in effort and money. But you‘ll need a buy in, while at the Hollywood level, it is a studio or financiers, at the television level you have a broadcaster. You are using their platform to showcase your product and, therefore, you need to be in conjunction with that platform. There has got to be some points where minds have to meet,” he adds.

    What about the fickle TRPs not being kind during the last couple of weeks? “One of the ways of getting feedback is TRPs. So you pretty much know what is working well and what is not. While you stick to your convictions, which is your story idea, you tailor it in a way that it becomes more palatable. But if you really look at the serial, it has stayed consistent with the story. There might have been some tactical changes,” Vyas offers.

    So it is all about trust, really. “Sometimes you are asked to make changes, but they are within the boundaries of the basic story,” Shah says.

    “A professional production house is never asked to do something. All that the broadcaster does is share the research. Since the broadcaster has already appointed research bodies, instead of duplicating the exercise, a production house has to rely on a broadcaster‘s research mechanism. And once the research is formatted, you know what direction to take,” Sharma elaborates.

    Vyas has a different take to it. “A large part of the feedback comes from the type and quantum of advertising and part of it comes from subscription revenues. So, any programming is designed keeping in mind what is the most acceptable and what is the more marketable product. So when you see that there is a gap in a market place, we were asked by a broadcaster to make a few changes.”

    So it‘s advertising that plays a huge role. “Advertising does plays a huge role but it is, in turn, supported by what they feel is acceptable by the people. The vehicle that will carry the product to the target households. And, of course, the freshness of the subject and the ability of the production house to actually go out a deliver what has been envisaged,” he is quick to clarify.

    What about the BIG ONE Indian Idol? “It is a formula that has succeeded in over 60 countries and with the ‘big promotional push‘ from Sony it cannot but succeed,” Sharma asserts. As an afterthought, he adds, “But India is a different ball game altogether.”

    The production house is obviously charged about it and is all set to ensure that the production is slick and befitting its reputation. The format and the set are similar to the original, they insist. “We are not going to introduce changes just for heck of it. The show is definitely going to adopt some cultural changes though,” Sharma says.

    As for the future, the company hopes to increase its profits twice over…
  • ‘Movie channels should stick to their core competency of delivering movies rather than trying to deliver something else’ : Yogesh Radhakrishnan- Zee Telefilms director, special projects

    ‘Movie channels should stick to their core competency of delivering movies rather than trying to deliver something else’ : Yogesh Radhakrishnan- Zee Telefilms director, special projects

    Very often, an office speaks a lot about the person occupying it. One look at the pearl white walls and the chic steel furnishing, one knows that the occupant is a no-nonsense business man. Yet a small “Sri Yantra” vying for attention alongside a laptop reveals the traditional side of the man. That’s Yogesh Radhakrishnan for you.

     

    “I am an entrepreneur and not an executive,” he offers. True enough, being 20 years in the media business, one thing that has made him rise above the rest is his entrepreneurial skills.

     

    Surprisingly, in an industry known to take its toll rather too soon, Radhkrishnan doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. In fact, we hear that in addition to the seven channels, and numerous other businesses both in India and overseas he is piped to preside over another important portfolio soon. “It might be a business for some, career for others, but it is a passion for me me,” he offers.

     

    Excerpts from an interview Radhkrishnan gave to Trupti Ghag:

    How would you chart Zee Cinema’s growth in the last year? What is the target that you have set for this year?

    Fantastic, to say the least! It has been an amazing journey from where we began in 2002-2003. Zee Cinema has grown leaps and bounds in the past two years. It has been the dark horse in the Zee stable. It has outperformed its competitors in the last one-and-a-half years.

     

    We are aiming for 50 per cent growth in our business for the year 2004-2005. It is a very steep target to achieve, not only in terms of revenue targets, but also in terms of the projected GRP targets and brand image.

     

    We want to move ahead from a scale and kind of hype that we generated last year. Be it having achieved the highest amount of TVRs a movie could achieve on a movie channel, or the success of the Sholay campaign. It is something for us to look back and feel happy about. But it doesn’t end here. As an entertainment business, the race against time to better ourselves is never ending.

    The latest on the Zee Cinema front is the revamp. How did the idea for a revamp come about (it happens on 2 July)?

    We are not looking at too many changes, really. We are looking at changing the packaging and the graphics. They have been the same since the introductory phase in 1996. So, we decided to give it a more contemporary touch, a modern new look. What we have done is to polish an already existing diamond.

    Is there a new tagline for the revamp? What about the logo? Are you continuing with the colour schemes or are you opting for softer colours like mauves and lilacs?

    We are continuing with the ‘Movie, Masti, Magic’ tagline. We don’t intend to change it because we believe that it has worked very well for the channel. Contrary to popular belief, changing the tagline has not gone a long way into really improving the channels rating or people wanting to see it.

     

    Neither are we planning to do any changes to the logo but yes, we are planning to make it a tad sharper, give it that extra finesse. Also we are not contemplating any mauves and lilacs, we are working on the same colours because we believe that green, yellow and blue – the existing colours – have delivered very well.

    What is the current brand positioning of Zee Cinema?

    Zee Cinema has a distinct advantage over its competitors simply because it was the first movie channel available to the Indian consumer – a first mover’s advantage, so to speak. In the Indian cinema genre, it does have good recall.

    You have been keeping yourselves busy with festivals and new bands? How have the new bands like ‘Rok Sako Toh Rok Lo’ and ‘Premier’ really fared? Why is it necessary to create such festivals, is it just for the advertisers’ sake?

    Once there is a brand recall to a channel, then the next part is to hold on to the audience, keep them enthused.

     

    Zee Cinema has a large number of properties that are constantly developed and infused with innovation. Not merely for the advertisers, but also for the viewers’ sake.

     

    In the high clutter of the movie and the general entertainment channels, the real trick is to get the viewers to remember the movie and the time it is going to be aired. Creating properties is to get the viewer to remind him, to fix up his appointment with that particular movie on that channel at that particular time.

    Which are the most prominent brands on the channel?

    I don’t think there is any brand that is not available on Zee Cinema. Among the movie channels, the highest number of advertisers is with Zee Cinema.

    How is Zee Cinema positioned with the media planners and buyers?

    I think it is positioned somewhere in between a high frequency-cum-reach channel. Why, because the delivery and the CPRP that Zee Cinema offers is probably amongst the cheapest and the best value for money that any media planner would get in terms of costing.
     
    “The delivery and the CPRP that Zee Cinema offers is probably amongst the cheapest and the best value for money that any media planner would get”

    In the media business, the channels have to constantly look out for varied properties… sort of broaden the horizon. Zee Cinema hasn’t really branched out into anything else. It is just concentrating on movies. Why?

    The thing is, a cinema channel ought to be a cinema channel. We do have some shows on the channel, the traditionally film based ones and we are in process of launching a couple more. In fact, we would be launching a bunch of shows on both Music and Cinema simultaneous. But yes, the thrust will always be movies.

     

    I would like to reiterate again that the movie channels should be in the business of airing movies. They should stick to their core competency of delivering movies rather than trying to deliver something else, which people are already getting to watch elsewhere.

    What is the percentage that Zee Cinema contributes to the Zee bouquet in terms of revenue?

    I wouldn’t like to give something in terms of percentage. But yes, it demands a high loyalty within the Zee-Turner bouquet. Every distributor and cable operator has always insisted on having Zee Cinema as a part of its bouquet.

     

    It is a dark horse in Zee-Turner stable and would emerge stronger, this year, with its new look.

    Why do you keep calling it a ‘dark horse’?

    I think it was an underrated channel, right from the time it was launched. Always under the shadow of Zee, be it in terms of its deliveries, reach, or numbers. But the moment the Zee network started separating each into individual channel sales, every brand was harnessed to its true potential. It was then that Zee Cinema showed its true colours and really delivered very well.

    Do cinema channels enjoy appointment viewing?

    Appointment viewing is something that general entertainment channel deliver. Movie channels do have loyal viewers and the idea to create 10-1-5 appointment packages, which we did last year, were a success. I think the festivals that we conducted to promote a time band really helped us. We are slowly moving towards appointment.

    How is the day part divided?

    The day part is divided into six bands. We air a movie at 9:30, then at 12:30, followed by a noon band at 3:30, then a movie at tea-time at 5:30 and night movie at 8:30. We also have a mid-night movie at 12:30 am.

    Correct me if I am wrong, the effort that goes into planning or creating festival special campaigns for Cinema is more than the that for general entertainment, especially logistically?

    Media planning is a very difficult job, whether you have to plan for general entertainment channel or niche channel. But yes, I do agree that, in the case of appointment viewership, it is very easy for some channels to pin point and prove their top three shows. They can easily bet that their GRP levels can’t go beyond certain numbers.

    I do agree that planning for a movie channel is not an easy job but I think people have managed to work it.
     
    “Creating properties is to get the viewer to remind him, to fix up his appointment with that particular movie on that channel at that particular time“

    What about budgets for marketing and promotions?

    We do have a large amount now. It works out to about 15-18 per cent of the channel’s revenues. It used to be a negligible amount earlier.

    What are the new acquisitions for the season?

    We have a bunch of acquisitions, but we are still in the process of finalising it so I can’t really tell you now.

    What about crossover movies and Diaspora movies? You had indicated earlier that you were planning to acquire a few and create a dedicated time slot?

    It is not that the crossover movies are being produced in large numbers. They were at one point of time. But because they are not doing too well, you see lesser amount of movies released this year. The audience preferences become quite clear at the box office.

     

    By and large, one knows that the movies that perform well in the box office also perform well on TV as well. But, yes that’s not the case always. Recent examples have shown that the movies that didn’t do quite well at the box office delivered fantastic ratings.

     

    But it is usually a safe bet that the movies that have done well at box office definitely do well on the small screen.

    What is the kind of money that goes into acquisition of movies?

    Acquisition is a huge process. As a group, Zee is getting into a lot of movies, not only in terms of distribution but also acquisition in country and oversees. Nitin Keni is heading that unit. This year we are looking in investing a huge amount of monies in acquisition of movies and it obviously runs into 100s of crores (billions of rupees).

    What about Hollywood movies? The latest trend seems to be dubbed movies.

    I wouldn’t like to read too much into that. Titanic and Jurassic Park are not the ideal examples one would give for all dubbed movies that work well in Hindi. If it was true then all that had to be done was to collaborate with an English movie channel and dub each and every movie!

     

    Indian audiences will not accept everything that is on English movies because Indians prefer fiction. By and large, movies which have done well on TV have incidentally done well on theatres in India.

    There is no real theory in saying that all dubbed movies will do well or all Kung-Fu movies will do well. It all depends on how well strategies work around the movie brand. I think our competition worked around it and they have succeeded.

    It was early last month that you set up a separate distribution arm for Zee Music and Zee Cinema. What was the need?

    Distribution does play a key role as far as placements of channels are concerned. With my experience in the distribution side of the business in the last 20 years, I have seen the necessity for a channel to be well distributed. It is largely because of the very unique way our market is structured.

     

    Our market consists of 40-45 per cent black and white TV sets, so obviously a channel that is not highly placed gets completely shunted out of these households. So to create a kind of a bridge between us as a channel and various cable operators and MSOs, we decided to have a small distribution arm. It was set up to facilitate and keep informing MSO’s and cable ops on the various programming efforts.
    “With etc and Zee Music, we have more than 50 per cent of the music channel market share with us“

    How is Zee Music now positioned now after the recent revamp?

    Zee Music has come up in a very unique fashion. It was a brand that had lost a lot of its credibility in the past with various re-launches. The last launch therefore was a difficult task. So we decided to take a route called “Sound of India”. What we basically did was to give the channel a face-lift, and change the brand image. I must say that we have started attracting a lot of brands recently.

    The idea, behind the revamp, was to use the strength of the Zee library into Zee Music. We have copyrights for more than 5000-6000 songs and we are working on a few other software deals. In addition to that we are have a full song concept, where we exclusively air complete songs of the movies with us.

     

    We also went along the VJ hunt path because we thought that the music channel did require a particular image, in our case a strong Indian music channel one. We needed to get into minds of people and create that recall. The hunt was really necessary and we have been fairly successful. I think 2004-2005 we are going to be strongly placed.

    Besides the strong Punjab- Northern states market, which is the strong market that you are looking at for Zee Music?

    It is definitely an all India product for me. Plus it is a free-to-air product, unlike other music products that are on a pay mode.

     

    It has helped us to penetrate into markets to a large extent. In the last six months, we have emerged as serious players. Earlier, we were pretty much discounted in the markets.

    If so much of an effort has already gone in then why is the channel still not in the reckoning?

    Running a channel business in not akin to waving a magic wand! It takes time build a brand, achieve penetration, build an image. We have fought very hard. We have structured the channel, have really tried to give an image that a music channel requires. It has not been a very easy turf.

     

    Zee Music’s core audience belongs to the 15-34 demo bracket. To get into the audience mind, we had to ward off the competition provided by the bigger brands that have been around.

     

    I am not really discounting etc though. I also head etc and now I have responsibility of handling both. Yet I have managed to keep both the channels separate.

     

    We continue to see etc as the trade channel, rather that hard core music channel. But with etc and Zee Music, we have more than 50 per cent of the music channel market share with us. That makes heartening news for us. It might not make our competitors happy; after all they do claim to be bigger brands.

    “There is no media planner for films in the country, who can escape without advertising with etc. It is a compulsory buy for them as a brand”

    What is the positioning of etc versus Zee Music?

    etc is on different route altogether. It’s more of Bollywood, information, music. I think it has more of information based entertainment.

     

    etc can proudly claim to be the number one music channel, in terms of reach, nos, GRPs, top shows. It has delivered well in the last five years and it continues to do well. There is no media planner for films in the country, who can escape without advertising with etc. It is a compulsory buy for them as a brand.

    It has been a very strong trade channel for the exhibitors, distributors, and retailers both of audiotapes and films. It has got a huge penetration as it is a free-to-air channel.

     

    Whereas Zee Music will follow the path of the other music channels, get into their market shares.

    It is common knowledge that if a media planner can’t see it, he won’t believe it and he certainly won’t buy it. How is it then that you have managed to convince your buyers?

    I admit that there has been some distribution problems that we are tackling but it is not as if the channel is not seen at all.

     

    If that was the case then we wouldn’t be able to deliver the numbers that we claim we have. Or else you would start doubting numbers.

    Reality shows help fillip ratings and so do ground events. Are the other reality shows planned? What are the promotions and ground activities that you have planned?

    We have some thing very big ones coming up. Something that the television audience in India hasn’t seen so far. But I can’t talk about it as yet. You will have to wait and watch….

    We hear that Zee will soon be launching a South Indian channel. If it is true, then where are you positioning it?

    Nothing at the moment for Zee, but yes we are planning a music channel from etc group. We are calling it “etc box” and we would be making an announcement within a month’s time.

    What are the plans for next Zee Cine Awards? Will they also be held abroad next year?

    We have something definitely bigger planned for it this year. After all it did generate great TRPs for us. And yes, they will be held abroad, we are not too sure where though. But ideally we would like to organise it in the markets where Zee has a strong hold like the UK, the US, South Africa or Europe.

    There was a lot of chaos on the ground event. It was something that was talked about a lot in media. Would you like to comment on it?

    It is all a learning process. Yes, there were a few problems, but then again something of this magnitude had never been attempted before.

    You recently launched the three niche dish movie channels on cable – Premiere, Action and Classic channels. What I am really interested in knowing is where is the content? Are you looking at shows as well?

    Believe me, movies have a huge repeat value and yes we do have a large library. But we are not looking at any programming. It is too soon to talk about it.

     

  • “Never buy a film without seeing it, especially if it boasts of a big star-cast” : Shravan Shroff – Shringar Cinemas head

    “Never buy a film without seeing it, especially if it boasts of a big star-cast” : Shravan Shroff – Shringar Cinemas head

    The name is Shroff… Shravan Shroff. Claim to fame: Fame Adlabs. Armed with an MBA degree, this alumnus of Melbourne Business School, Australia came back to Mumbai to introduce the concept of modern and plush cinema halls in Mumbai.

    As of now, he is all set to spread the multiplex web across the country. His vision is to institutionalise the film trade business; gear up to produce, distribute and exhibit films under the same banner.

    All of 34 years, Shroff is an entrepreneur to look out for. And to think he wasn't even keen on the cinema business. But something about the industry triggered off the business man in him and he embarked on to the journey to bring about some order in this highly disorganised business.

    Although he is proud to be his father's son, he is loathe to the idea of being identified by it. It is quite something to watch this soft spoken guy gets transformed into a hard as a knuckles business man. In a tete-e-tete with indiantelevision.com's Trupti Ghag he talks about his journey, his achievements and his ambitions.

    Excerpts:

    Was it always assumed that you would be joining the business? I remember reading that you were keen on becoming a pilot…
    Actually, I know as much about the civil aviation industry as I know about the movie business and I still keep track of what is happening.

    Honestly, when I was in school I thought I would join the business. Though I wan't a 'filmy kid', I was keen on the trade aspect. I was clued on to the trade magazines that dad got home.

    I did join the family business during my college days. The first film that I actually worked on was 1942 – A love story. The movie was released in 1994 and it was distributed by us. But the movie, despite a great story line, didn't do too well. During the same time – Hum Aapke Hai Kaun – a Rajshri movie – did really well. I was pretty disillusioned.

    But I took that opportunity to think more about it. I then decided that I need to study more and get more experience. I was just a BCom graduate, so I went abroad to study.

    How was the experience? Was it helpful?
    It was a great experience as far as I was concerned. People are very hard working there. Most of the guys had enrolled for part-time MBA classes. They used to get up early, get ready, drop their kids to school, attend the morning classes at 8:30 am and then go to work. Then they used to be back for evening lecture. It was a tough life.

    Unfortunately, people in the film industry here don't value time. And after Australia, I realised that I couldn't work like that.

    But I understand that after coming back to India, you weren't quite keen to join the business?
    Honestly, when I came to India I didn't think that I would be staying here for long. I didn't have too much love for the family business and I was disappointed with the general attitude.

    But after some time, I noticed that there is an opportunity. I still had to figure out where it was. What I was clear about was that I did not want to be known as my father's son.

    And where exactly did you find that opportunity?
    While I was doing my final year, I had a course Strategic Management. I did a case study Carlton United Breweries. They are the producers of the beer brand Fosters. What was significant is how they took the business ahead. They had introduced portal psychosis: vertical integration and backward integration. Pretty much what Reliance has done in India.

    While I was tinkering away, I thought that I should do something similar for Shringar. So I did a case study for Shringar in 1996, and bingo! It made a lot of sense, for my business, to do either production or exhibition. So I sent an e-mail to dad and he said that it was great and I needed to come back to India if I was serious about implementing it.

    I started to experiment with production, but it was a culture shock for me. Owing to my father's name it was easy for me to meet people, producers directors but I didn't like what I saw. Being an organised person, I felt a complete misfit. I quickly realised that I can't do production and I didn't want to do distribution. It would have been foolish to chuck the family business away because of the kick start I had.

    By that logic, I had to start looking at exhibition. I knew that there is a gap in the market. Also what was helpful was a small stint at a multiplex company in Australia. So, I started developing the exhibition business.

    And how exactly did you go ahead with it?
    I found two theatre complexes that could be taken up. The first one in Goregaon, which we named Cinemax and second was Cinestar in Kandivali.

    I readied a business plan and approached my dad for money. The capital investment was to be done by the owner and all that I had to do was to pay the weekly rent and deposit Rs 5 million. Although dad gave me the cheque, he told me 'son you can either blow this money and I can afford it or you can make this Rs 5 million into Rs 50 million. The choice is yours. I just hope that you won't squander the money.'

    I had it my head that I needed to repay it back and with a good return.

    Then what?
    I started of by working on the shop floor; made popcorn, learnt how to work the projectors, got to know how people cut corners, cheat their employers. I literally rolled up my sleeves and started working. I have no regrets about it because that is the only way, I believe, one can learn the retail business.

    If it had been super flop, people would have called me an idiot. If I had succeeded they would have said 'with his connections and education it was just so easy'. So I really had to do it for myself.
    "Corruption works only to move the file. It does not work to bend the rule"

    How did the multiplex business come about?
    When you are on the job, hands on, you quickly realise where the gaps are. I realised that the future of the business lay in multiplexes and not in single theatres.

    I spoke to my dad about it. He said that it was a great idea. So I asked him for another loan of Rs 50 million. He was shocked but he agreed to give me Rs 25 million and the rest I had to arrange on my own.

    So I contacted Adlabs and took them through the entire proposal. They agreed to invest another Rs 25 million but their mandate was clear: 'We will only invest, you have to run the business'.

    The cost of the project was Rs 150-160 millions, so I decided to raise rest of the money through debt. But that was easier said than done as no bank was ready to give that kind of money to a multiplex. I managed to get Rs 95 million from IDBI bank. That was after I spent about nine to 10 months pursuing them.

    Later, a venture capitalist showed interest and by 2001, we had raised Rs 180 million, which I think was my biggest achievement. I was able to raise organised capital in the country.

    Once the organised capital came in, I could instal the system, employ people and hire processes. We got better auditors and hired professionals.

    Once the ball started rolling things were a bit easier. The industry got recognised. Fame Adlabs started working, and we did well. We organised the distribution business. We opened up local operations in Ahmedabad, Delhi and Madras.

    Instead of starting off something completely new, why didn't you think about growing the distribution business further? Weren't the stakes higher?
    I never liked distribution because I don't like the movie business per se. I am not a movie buff. I am retail oriented and I just can't work with the producers. I think I am a very meticulous person. I like agreements, working by LOI's but the movie business unfortunately is still by and large unorganised. So I started concentrating only on the exhibition business.

    Unfortunately for us, last year, a couple of my properties, which were supposed to come up, got delayed. But this year is a big year for us. We have five properties, which include In Orbit in Malad, a four screen project with a mall – Raghuleela in Kandivili, and another four screen project in Kolkata. We will be inaugurating a six screen multiplex in Surat in July and another three screen one in Nasik in November. We plan to open up four-six properties every year in the next four years.

    You had announced plans to open up multiplexes in Bangalore and Ahmedabad? What about that?
    We haven't moved on the plans for Ahmedabad, but construction has started for a four screen multiplex in Bangalore and it should be ready to do business next year.

    Another six screen project in Kolkata is in the pipeline along with a four screen one in Pune. Almost 100 per cent of my time is spent in the exhibition business. I am constantly negotiating for new properties

    Could you explain to me what Shringar is all about? The operations started of as film financiers and then you branched off into distribution? What is the structure of the company like?
    Prior to getting into exhibition three years ago, we have been distributing movies. Though we did start as a film financing company, 50 years ago. Currently, there are two companies Shringar Films Pvt Ltd and Shringar Cinemas Pvt Ltd.

    The mandate of Shringar Films is distribution and the mandate of Shringar Cinema is to run multiplexes, single screen and to do programming of theatre. In future, if we do production we will either do it under the Shringar Films banner or shoot off another company.

    But we don't want to get into production for the next two years because we have too much on our plate.

    Our future plan is to integrate a value chain. A good example of vertical chain integration is IMAX Adlabs, which is into processing, distribution and exhibition. Rajshri is another good example which is into production, distribution and now into exhibition.

    Something like a Studio Model?
    Yes.

    Is film distribution an organised industry?
    Some companies are and some aren't. It is not as organised as the exhibition business. Even in exhibition business, multiplexes are organised and single screens aren't. But I believe that that it is because there is new blood coming into the business. Actually it is not just about movie business. Every other business is unorganised take, for instance, retail business. Big retail stores like Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle are but the smaller chains aren't. But once you have organised guys coming in the disorganised guys will die.

    What is the logistics of the multiples business? Is the audience base growing? How is the competition with the small screens? Do single screens have chance to survive?
    Honestly, single screens have a great chance of surviving. But by acting stubborn, they are doing a great disservice to themselves. Single screens have never faced competition in their life, they have become complacent.

    I would compare multiplexes to five star hotels and single screen to three-two star hotel. There is room for everyone. Just like the automobile business where you have a Honda Accord doing equally good business as Maruti Alto. There is a buyer for everything provided the product is good.

    As for single theaters, some of them are so badly maintained that consumers don't want to go there. What they have to realise is that they are placed in fabulous locations, unlike multiplexes, which are far-flung.

    If the single screen owners decide to upgrade their theater, for say about Rs 10-15 millions, and work out a decent offering they can give the multiplex owners a run for their money. What they don't realise is that multiplexes have invested Rs 150-160 million, so they are in no position of taking heavy cuts in their profit. But what the single screens have to realise is that the day we finish with the multiplex business were going to go after the single screen business.

    We, at Shringar, are already planning to rent out the single screens, refurbish and run them. If you come up with a quality product, which is priced less, people are going to make a run for it.

    How has the Fame Adlabs fared in the last three years?
    The first year was very good. We were guaranteed consumers because as far as the location goes it was a no brainier. We had the best location.
    And what happened after you had competition right across the road?
    Initially, we were apprehensive about competition coming right across the road. But interestingly, Fun Republic has grown the market. We used to clock about Rs 1.7-1.8 million per week and now we collectively get in about Rs 2.9 million per week. Fortunately we do eight to ten per cent more business than them.

    Isn't that due to first mover's advantage?
    That and plus, I think, we have a better location than Fun Republic. Also I think that they could have done up their mall much better.

    What about your own mall? It isn't in such great shape either?
    The entire building is not owned by us. We just own the theatre part of it. We have nothing to do with Citi Mall. And I agree, that is not the way a mall should be. It is actually a shopping complex and not a mall.

    A mall should be like our In-Orbit. We have 2000 car parking space, anchors, brands…

    But In-orbit is a high end product…
    No, it is a better offering at the same price. It is just a perception that it is priced high.
    		"Interestingly, Fun Republic has grown the market. We used to clock about Rs 1.7-1.8 million per week, now we collectively get in about Rs 2.9 million per week. Fortunately we do eight to ten per cent more business than them"

    What is the safety procedure at the theatre like? I realise that the entrance to Fame Adlabs is rather narrow…
    That is a perception. Any public space has to be passed by the government. And let me assure you that they do not relent on safety procedures.

    Every year, I have to renew my license and honestly corruption works only to move the file. It does not work to bend the rules.
    If you bend rules then you have something like Telgi happening.

    Does the government contribute towards the growth of multiplexes?
    It all depends on state governments. While the government in Maharastra has been supportive by announcing entertainment tax incentives, the Karnataka government isn't. The governments of Kolkata and Bihar, on the other hand, are supportive.

    According to you what is the roadblock in the growth of the exhibition business?
    We must allow single screen theatres to shut down in Maharastra. As you must be aware, there is a rule that if a single screen theatre has to shut down then you can use the premises provided you set up another theatre one third its capacity. But I think that is unfair. Anybody should be allowed to enter into a business and exit from a business. The government is not giving any subsidy to run the theatre, so I think it is unfair on their part. I think it is an unconstitutional.

    What is the annual turnover at Shringar like? What turn over is the exhibition business targeting for the year ahead?
    At Shringar Films, the turnover clocked for the year 03-04 has been Rs 250 million and at Shringar Cinemas it has been about Rs 375 million. We are targeting Rs 1 billion for the year ahead at Shringar Cinemas.

    What is the revenue pie at Shringar Cinemas like?
    About 60-65 per cent of our revenue comes from ticket sales, about 20-25 from food sales, and the remaining 5-10 per cent comes from the in-theatre advertising. We are constantly trying to maximise the advertising revenue because it goes straight to the bottom line.

    But really how effective are in-theatre ads? Are the planners looking at it seriously?
    There are players looking at in-theatre ads. But they are yet to look at it very seriously. And the theatre owners are to be blamed for that. The reason is that the traditionally theatres have either not been displaying the advertisement or are editing the time. Advertisers are really upset because the data cannot be authenticated. Agreed it is only drop in the ocean but it is effective, you have undivided attention of the audience.

    We as a multiplex company are now talking to the Nielsen guys. We are negotiation for a process to authenticate the data. It will happen this year.

    What do you look for in a product before taking it on board? For distribution that is..
    Honestly, we look at how genuine the person selling it is. We look at whether he or her made the movie with conviction or not. No one was buying Hyderabad Blues. We did because we believed in it.

    Is there like a 60-40 formula that you incorporate? For example 60 per cent of the movies that you take on board are certified winners and 40 per cent are ones you believe will deliver…
    We have a 100 per cent belief structure. But after LoC (the super flop Line of Control) we have imbibed one learning. Never buy a film without seeing it, especially if it boasts of a big star-cast. Imagine, we realised this after being 30 years in the business.

    Would you ever get into television production?
    No. We would be stupid if we even decide to do so. The players in the field are strong players and we wouldn't get into an industry if we aren't sure that we can be amongst the top three players.
  • “Skills required to get a film off the ground, market and distribute it are completely different from television” : Nittin Keni – Zee Telefilms Ltd. Film Division CEO

    “Skills required to get a film off the ground, market and distribute it are completely different from television” : Nittin Keni – Zee Telefilms Ltd. Film Division CEO

    W ith Zee Telefilms having appointed him as the chief executive of its films division, Nittin Keni currently has movies, movies and more movies on his mind. As head of Zee’s entire film business, he is currently looking at production of motion pictures, co-ventures, as well as setting up a domestic and overseas distribution network.

    An engineer and post-graduate in management from the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata, Keni was with the National Film & Development Corporation (NFDC), an Indian government-controlled organisation, before joining Zee in the early 1990s. Given his strong grasp of movies and movie business, his big budget venture Gadar-Ek Prem Katha- a period film that was made without sticking to industry norms was skeptically looked at. But with the success of Gadar, he managed to score an ace. Now with his latest big venture Waris, in the pipeline, Keni is aiming at repeating the success story.

    In conversation with indiantelevision.com’s Trupti Ghag, Keni talks about making movies, the TV-n-movie connect and Zee Telefilms’ future plans.

    Excerpts:

    Why are television software companies, broadcasters getting into film production?

    In a sense, television is quite dependent on movies. Be it in terms of software, film related programmes or stage shows. At least once a week, entertainment channels have a movie premiere.

    Also, talent in television, be it actors, directors, technicians – aspire to get into bigger avenues, which means the bigger screen. Movies are still considered the mother of entertainment. Cinema is the mainstay; it will remain the extremely important element of the software.

    What advantages does a film production company have if it belongs to a group that includes a broadcaster?

    The only advantage is that out of a stream of distribution, the satellite distribution is taken care of. Also the broadcaster will ensure a certain amount of promotion. Over a period of time, however, it will have to be paid for in some way, like specific mutual deals could be drawn up where the channel that promotes a film gets an exclusive right to its premiere. But beyond that, I don’t see great advantages.

    It does not matter if the television company is producing or funding the movie. Both television and films are completely different business.

    As for the talent pool, in terms of deployment, there are not great advantages either. A thoroughbred television executive, whether he is programming or marketing or cable distribution, does not have any kind of advantage.

    That’s quite unlike the normal perception. Often it is thought that if an established television company or broadcaster is backing the venture, the key advantages would be the creative support and the manpower. So what is your core team like? Are there any television people in it?

    I still am selecting my core team. Ideally, I would pick out some people from television. But primarily because they are available to me and provided that I can train them for film production.

    The only advantage that I can see is that with television people venturing into films one can expect to get in certain amount of professionalism, which is lacking in the industry.

    What is the kind of professionalism that we are talking about? Is it just sticking to the budget, deadlines?

    Yes, that and also proper planning, structured approach, smooth cash flow, contractual and legal system, which are not prevalent in the industry. Those are the area where a television company or a corporate body could put in some value addition.
    “Proper planning, structured approach, smooth cash flow, contractual and legal system are area where a television company or a corporate body could put in value addition “

    Does it mean that films also can be completed in the exact budget and time?

    It should ideally be the case, but a lot depends on the filmmaker. Personally speaking, I have made films that stick to the budget, while some have gone grossly over budget.

    When you look at it, a budget depends on many factors. You can stick to the given budget, if you have all the resources like the talent and the technicians at your command. When a project involves stars, then comes the issue of their dates. Plus the problems with locations, transports, weather, logistics all could make you go over budget.

    More often then not, it is the ‘star system’ that creates problems and the budgets go haywire. Especially when you are waiting for the stars to give you the dates. While the dates issue may be deliberate in couple of cases, sometimes it’s a genuine problem.

    Also when you have a period film and you have to recreate an entire period, things might not be agreeable and you will have to redo the entire set. But You could make a big budget film with no stars and the budgets would be in control.

    Is there a particular genre that Zee Telefilms is interested in? What are the subjects that excite you?

    I think it is the story telling that excites me. There is a certain satisfaction that you get when you hear the story and are able to visualize it. What I would ideally like to do is to take a real incident, fictionalise it and make it into a story for the big screen. But I don’t think that I would like to make another Gadar – a period film at the moment.

    The best story for the large screen is the one with mix of reality and fiction. Reality fiction drama is what I am keen on developing at the moment. When the stories are completely fictionalized, they lack a certain bite…certain excitement.

    What were the risks involved in making ‘Gadar’?

    I think it was total risk. I was working against a whole lot of industry norms. I was trying to do a high budget period film, with a director who was crassly commercial and had not attempted something like that before. The lead actor had a very strong image and the actress was a rank newcomer.

    We had a new costume designer along with a couple of other technicians who were new. But most important was that we had a new art director, it was a period film and we needed to create the period correct, make sets, remodeling the look, and the costumes had to be right.

    The money was coming from the corporate bodies so there was no guarantee that the flow would be continuous. Even when we needed the money, we had to go through ten channels. Plus we had to present a progress report periodically. Unfortunately they don’t understand that even though it doesn’t look like a lot of content, any pivotal scene on print is a progress.

    Plus I was dealing only in cheque payments and working with legal documents. Everybody, right from Sunny Deol to the carpenters, the spot boys was paid by cheques. I had opened bank accounts for those who didn’t have one. Although a couple of corporate bodies did venture in film making before us, ours was a first complete white film.

    People dissuaded me, but I decided not to waver. I had to let go of a couple of people, because they weren’t comfortable.

    The market value of Sunny Deol then was Rs 25 million, but unfortunately during that time couple of his films had bombed at the box office. So people were a little skeptical about investing in my film. People were offering me ten million and my film costs were mounting as high as 18 crores (Rs 180 million). Therefore I asked every contributor to give out a minimum of three crore (Rs 30 million).

    In order to get that money, I showed fifty per cent of the film in rough. It was again not a normal thing to do and everybody from Sunny to my director warned me against it. But I had no option. I had to tell people that it is not a Sunny Deol film, so I am not asking for Sunny Deol’s price for one territory. It paid off because they were able to see that the canvas was much bigger and he was just one element.
    “When the stories are completely fictionalized, they lack a certain bite…certain excitement“

    How do you ideate?

    I just keep listening to stories, reading good books, plays, good pieces of journalism. Unfortunately, unlike Hollywood, there is no tradition of getting published work on screen. And there aren’t enough published works that one can fall back on. But there are a lot of young writers and directors who come and narrate their line of thought.

    It was the same for my last film Gadar and ditto for Fareb. As for my next film Warris, the writer came and narrated two big plots but they didn’t impress me, but then he narrated a real life incident and I found my next story. The trigger point, like I said before, is a real life story.

    How do you strategise about making and marketing the movie?

    In making, one is always on a look out for who is appropriate for the subject. If I need a director for a human drama, I will look out for someone who has handled drama, and the conflict in human relationship. If you are making a commercial film, then you have to look out for a person who knows his craft. While I was on the lookout for someone to direct Fareb, I zeroed in on Vikram (Bhatt). He wasn’t old but he had a certain westernized style that the script demanded. You need to match skill to talent.

    As for marketing, I try and identify what is special about the film. But I don’t think I need to look hard into that. I wouldn’t make a film unless I want to make a film.

    Is it a television learning?

    I don’t think so. It comes from seeing masters like Satyajit Ray or Adoor Gopalakrishnan at work. Plus I had a lot of exposure to good films because I used to take the films to Cannes, Berlin, so I have a fair sense of what good film is.

    The TRP trend wasn’t greatly prevalent, when I was in Zee. So there was no keen marketing at that time.

    How has the distribution changed over the years?

    Promotion, as a mode of distribution, has changed over a period of time. There was the time when you had the posters at the railway stations and in the railway bogies. Those days are over because television goes directly into the home.

    What I see, in the foreseeable future, is that the mode of distribution will change with digital cinema coming in. Movies would be delivered by satellite. The distribution of movies would not be physical by prints but through satellite. We already have 150 digital prints in the country. It is cost efficient as well. The cost of a hard disk is Rs 2500 vis a vis the cost of a print which is Rs 20,000. The movie makers will therefore not remain at the mercy of distributors.

    Also, multiplexes have changed the way of distribution.

    You already have an inhouse multiplex. So how does that help you?

    Very little. In fact, even as Zee’s multiplexes grow, there is no great advantage. Even if we club the Zee multiplexes with the others in the country, it wouldn’t help as our films are made on a bigger scale. The multiplexes essentially would make the small films with new actors viable, however.

    Hasn’t the trend already started? But from what I gather, it has met with a mixed response?

    Yes, there are people making the films but unfortunately they do not visualize the marketing of the films. Irrespective of the budget of the film, the marketing costs are about a crore and more (ten million). So if you have a Rs two crore (Rs 20 million) film and you have to put in one crore for marketing, then the producer is not in a position to do so. So a lot of these films are not being exploited well.

    What happens then is that films are left to the mercy of the distributors. Many times, the films do not get a good opening, except in Mumbai and other metros where you release the film in multiplexes. Even promotion on a channel costs Rs five to six million.

    A small film is still not a viable thing; it can become viable if digital distribution comes in. If an association or group of multiplexes is formed, you just need one print for all screens. That is what I am looking at.

    What was heard during launch of your film ‘Gadar’ is that it struck a chord because of the jingoistic appeal of the film?

    Why not! What’s wrong with that? But jingoism doesn’t ensure success. Take LOC or Border for instance. While Border worked, LOC isn’t working. I don’t think jingoism by itself works; Manoj Kumar tried it but after certain period it didn’t work. It really depends on the story.

    Lagaan for that matter was 100 years old but it was about the people facing odds and winning.

    Was there any resistance from within the industry when you started off?

    None whatsoever. If somebody is really talented, and can prove their talent, then the industry accepts you. But one thing is true, in the film industry there is far more acceptance for success than talent.

    It is a common knowledge that box office lacks accountability. Since Zee Telefilm is liable to its share holders, how do manage your accounts?

    As far as the audit system goes, the auditors look at the production. All the dealings that we do are contract bound and done through cheques, so auditors have a clear sheet before them. Once you give it to the distributor, your shareholders don’t have a say over the proceedings. So with Gadar and Fareb we handed it over to the distributors and charged them some money for it.That ends the matter. Now since we are planning to get into distribution, we will probably be doing that.

    What is the system that you will be following? How would you ensure transparency?

    We have got an ally- Rajshri. Luckily, they are the cleanest of the distributors. Our job is now to give confidence to our shareholders. For that we will be modernising our offices. We are going to computer link all the offices, so that on the day of the release, the information is transmitted to the producers and distributors alike. So there is no question of tampering with the data.

    Are you planning to move south?

    Zee has Padmalaya into its fold so there is a plan to move into the Telugu market.

    How different is Southern cinema from mainstream Hindi cinema?

    The Hindi film is a small market but regional markets are very strong. Telugu movies are strong, followed by Tamil movies. Malayalam is slightly more artistic. Karnataka cinema is one, which is not up to the mark in terms of quality and the production but still they are far better then Marathi, Gujarati and Bengali cinema. Hindi movies hardly get 15 per cent share. The market is bigger than adapting Hindi movies into Telugu by dubbing.

    Is Zee planning foreign collaboration?

    We have one film One Dollar Curry with French makers. We are looking to make crossover films, but we aren’t keen on English movies. The focus will be rather on Indian stories. I am working on a script with Jagmohan Mundra. One with Vijay Singh is almost complete.

    Earlier, I made a film with Mira Nair, Salaam Bombay. I would look out for these kind of films, to collaborate with the NRIs and the foreign makers.

    What are the revenues generated by the film division? How would you compare it with Zee’s total revenues?

    I still don’t have the actual figures. But if you calculate, I think it would be nothing, maybe two per cent of the earnings.

    Would you be making telefilms for Zee? From what I know you started the telefilms genre with ‘Phir Teri Kahaani Yaad ayi’, ‘Fareb’, ‘Aisi Bhi Kya Jaldi’. Is there a market for telefilms?

    No, there is no market. Zee has tried to revive with Kambakht Ishq, Star has tried it. But the question is – will people want to see a telefilm. I don’t think they really see a need for it. Unless there is a separate position in the minds of people, it won’t work. People still think of telefilms as an extension of a serial. With digital cinema coming in, probably there will have semblance of movie.

    What’s next?

    We are certainly going to be looking at overseas distribution and production. As for Waris, it is a story that requires a big star because it is high drama. I am waiting for a big star. I had approached Aamir Khan but it didn’t work out, while Shahrukh Khan had health problems.

    What is the plan of action for overseas distribution?

    It is not really clear in terms of concept. We are looking out for distributors in US, Canada, UK, Middle East, South Africa and the Far East. We cannot have our own as it would be difficult to manage, but probably we could collaborate with other distributors.

    How much has the international market grown?

    It has grown by leaps and bounds. With the break up of the USSR, the market was dead, there were certain countries which had banned Indian cinema, like Singapore, Korea, China and others like UK were too mainstream. They were open to only small markets in UK, Mauritius, Fiji. But with the multiplexes culture, the scenario is rapidly changing and there is more acceptance.

    What do you think about the trend of television production houses getting into movie making?

    Any body can venture into film making provided they have the requisite funding.

    So why are production houses getting into making movies? And what would you offer out of your personal experience?

    With movies, they increase their area of operation, influence. But what they have to realise is that the kind of skills that are required are completely different. Even though you might have state-of-the-art studios, the movies do not look good if they are shot solely insideon studios.

    Skills that are required to geta film off the ground, make it market it and distribute it are completely different from the television programme they make. There is a certain amount of glamour and aspiration to reach to a bigger audience.

    There are a couple of corporates like Pantaloon, Singhania, Sahara who are getting into films. But it seems like it isn’t a completely thought through process. There are disturbances with the budget; it is not in sync with what the market is seeking currently.

    How is ‘Bhagmati’ doing? When are you planning to release it?

    I saw the rushes and I am not happy with it. It is a very difficult film to market. People don’t realise the difference between cartoon and animation. Plus it is an Indian story. I am trying to make it as crisp as possible but I don’t think it will be ready till April.

    Do you mean to tell me that the market is not ready?

    The current distribution system does not really suit an animation film. People treat animation lightly, they confuse it with cartoons. While cartoon is just computer graphics, animation has a lot of layers.

    The market is not ready for animation.
  • “We need to build up strong emotional sagas on Sony” : Venita Coelho – SET’s VP: new product development

    “We need to build up strong emotional sagas on Sony” : Venita Coelho – SET’s VP: new product development

    ‘You see tourists stroll off hand in hand with children – and you wonder – am I being paranoid or is there more going on here than meets the eye? Unfortunately, there is. Paedophilia has taken root in Goa. It just made me angry and I realised I had to do something about it,” that’s Venita Coelho for you. A fervent womanist, who joined Sophia Polytechnic to get an idea of media as a young girl.

    She started her career with television software house UTV and has a long career history in the Hindi film and television industry as a writer and director. She has written over 12 film scripts – for directors like Santosh Sivan, has lectured on writing for several years at the Social Communications Department of Sophia College in Mumbai.

    In television, she has over 800 hours of programming to her credit as a writer – work that was done for Indian, Malaysian and Singapore television.

    After being a Mumbai person for several years, she moved to Goa three years ago, in search of an alternative lifestyle, and lived in an old Portuguese house along with four dogs. Interestingly, what got her back to the daily rigour of programming is Sony’s latest turn around soap Jassi.

    In this interview with indiantelevision.com’s Trupti Ghag, she spoke about her career, her decisions and her new role as Sony Entertainment Television’s vice president- new product development.

    Excerpts:

    The media industry is known to take its toll on professionals , so the question isn’t really why you left television some years ago but what got you back?
    Jassi got me back, literally! Although I have been off television for a while now, I haven’t been out of the loop completely. I have been doing films; a couple of Pantaloon films as well as a big one in the pipeline- Musafir. When Sony contacted me, I was least interested in television. After moving out from UTV, I hadn’t even watched television for three years. But they sent me the tapes of Jassi and here I am.
     

    And why is it that you decided to take a hiatus from television?
    Although it seems like ages that I have stopped working for television, it has just been around three-four years that I decided to bid adieu to television. It was the time when television started becoming a watered down version of its former self and I couldn’t help any in changing it.

    Now that I am back and I am in a position where I can influence, I am here for some time.
     

    What is going to be your action plan?
    The programming is going to be more research driven. We are getting in new energies, ideas, basically getting the fizz back. What I plan to do immediately is build up storytelling. I have been called in to offer fresh perspective. I haven’t been watching television at all for some time now, so I should be able to do that. The company has assigned me to develop as many new ideas as I can before the industry gets the better of me. (laughs)
     

    Have you actually managed to catch some television? What is your opinion about the current fare on the tube?
    I am aghast. It’s gone to being regressive and that’s a sad trend. But with Jassi being successful, there is is a pointer to the future that trends formed are likely to change.
     

    Since you are back from a stint with films, what is the essential difference you find between films and television?
    By and large, films have a structure in place; you have a story worked out, while the same cannot be said about television. Television today doesn’t really have a script to go by. I think in about five years’ time, the structure should be in place.

    Plus, television is so deadline driven! That’s not a bad thing necessarily, but it wears people out very fast. So the fatigue factor is high.
     

    What is your core team like? Are there any new additions to the team?
    I think the team that we currently have is more than enough. Since I am in charge of the new development, I will be working a core team of two-three executive producers. There is an addition to the team, a freelance filmmaker Salil Sand, who will be working with me closely.
     
    “It is a static talent pool in the industry, until and unless there are new and innovative ideas discussed and interaction encouraged we are just getting same ideas thrown over an over again”
     

    What is it that you will be working on?
    Daily soaps to begin with. It is a daily habit; you cannot do away with it. Unending sagas are really the order of the day (laughs).
     

    You don’t seem to be too convinced doing the soaps.
    No, that is not the case. Soaps are a tried and tested formula and they haven’t just been a three year old formula. It’s Balaji’s art of storytelling that has become popular but I see it spawning bad clones. What I aspire to bring in is a new era of storytelling. Something that is not riddled with clichés. Use cinema as a metaphor probably and get something within the parameters of the staple soap diet.
     

    What about experimenting with new genres?
    I think Sony has experimented with quite a few genres and we have many long running successful shows like CID and Heena. We have a strong weekend franchise. We are planning to revamp Heena soon.

    What we need to build up is strong emotional sagas. We are definitely looking at that in the near future.

    I would personally want to build up the telefilm genre, but unfortunately the market isn’t as conducive. We need to look at the business aspect as well.
     

    Do television shows work according to a rule book? Is there an evident need for a Censor Board?
    By and large, the television industry follows a three-part code. The first is the government code, the second is the channel code and third is the personal code.

    I don’t particularly think that there is a need for a separate censor board for television, but what I think should be eradicated is display of superstition. But again, I think it is a personal choice, as directors like B P Singh won’t indulge in propagating superstitions.
     

    If you were to describe Sony as a channel, how would you?
    It is a young and dynamic channel.The channel is not traditionalist. It is full of people who will want to bend the rules, carve a niche in different genres and yet offer staple fare as well. We at Sony aim to engage the viewers and keep them thrilled.
     

    What are you doing to ensure creativity?
    We have started organising workshops in tandem with writing. Just recently, we held a workshop on the thriller genre.

    It is a static talent pool in the industry, until and unless there are new and innovative ideas discussed and interaction encouraged. Right now, we are just getting the same ideas over and over again. You need to have a strong theoretical base to work upon, otherwise you get stuck in the routine fare.
     

    Do you feel there is a bias towards women professionals in the entertainment medium?
    In television, no. Since television is a relatively new field, and satellite television barely over a decade old in India, it was established on a seemingly corporate structure. People with drive can excel in television. It is difficult to manage both home and work and there are no concessions for women, but that’s fair enough.

    The same cannot be said about films, though. It is a little difficult for a woman to break though the patriarchal hierarchy. Plus, the workers too are male and not used to taking orders from ‘womenfolk’, so that can be a major problem.
     
    “Zee has a lot of sleeping loyalty”
     

    What has been your personal experience?
    Mumbai is a different story altogether. Here, a women can juggle a career and family. With me, I have been able to single mindedly focus on my career. I could work when I wanted and take off when I wished.

    I have a great support system right now. I have left my parents in charge of my place and my dogs. I go to Goa every weekend.
     

    Television is considered a woman’s medium. As a woman, how would you rate the portrayal of women on the small screen?
    I am aghast by the portrayal of women in the media. It’s regressive, totally absurd. That’s the reason why a simple story like Jassi is a breath of fresh air. We need to make a conscientious effort to change the way television is portraying women. Not only is the portrayal unreal, the stark black and white portrayal is quite unbecoming.
     

    What really helped ‘Jassi’ was the marketing spin, don’t you agree?
    Agreed that the marketing spin really helped a lot, especially so many innovative ideas like building up the curiosity, flash mobs and SMS. But I insist that it was an extremely well planned product and has a good story. It went on to dispel the myth that you need a big star to make it big, Sony got a complete nobody and look how well the show has done. That’s all because of its storyline.
     

    What is your opinion about the competition, both Star Plus and Zee?
    Star Plus has built up loyalty over the past three years with its soaps. They have really caught on with the people, have become a sort of habit. As far as countering that goes, I think we are the alternative to Star Plus programming. We have already built up the weekend franchise and will work on the weekdays.

    Zee has a lot of sleeping loyalty, which I think it has to take count of.
     

    What happens to your production company FireHorse now?
    It was established as a dream of two women, me and Deepti Datt. We produced two movies Bombay Stories and Monsters Under Bed, under the banner. We got a great response for both. I have received bouquets as well as brickbats. We have received monetary support, people just poured in money to help us tell our stories. Even now, we have a Canadian women filmmakers’ organisation, who have offered to help us out with the equipment.

    We have a couple of films in the pipeline, and are awaiting funds. We should start working on them in some months’ time.
     
  • “With films you have your story in place, the same cannot be said of television”: Shristi Arya Rose Movies

    “With films you have your story in place, the same cannot be said of television”: Shristi Arya Rose Movies

    A fiercely independent lady, Shristi Arya never believed in taking life easy. Even as a young girl of 15, she took up a marketing job to get some pocket money. Arya has been in the industry for over 16 years now, and her production house Rose Movies has finally come of age with its shift to television software from films.

    Along with her brother Goldie Behl, Arya took up the responsibility of their father’s production house after his sudden demise in 1990. Since then, the 31-year-old Shristi and her younger brother, have been battling it out. Neither of their big screen ventures worked great guns, but with her TV debut, Lipstick on Zee TV, came a round of reckoning. Today, the lady isn’t bitter at all but is gearing up for her next move.

    Rose Movies has just launched Jeet on Star Plus and has a couple of pilots ready to be pitched to the channels. Indiantelevision.com’s Trupti Ghag meets up with the lady and gets chatting about her shows, and more. Excerpts from the interview:

    When and how did you take up the responsibility of Rose Movies?
    Rose is our father’s company. He passed away in 1990, so the responsibility shifted to us. But since we were minors, our mother stepped in, even if only to sign the cheques. The rest of the job was ours. We made two films – Angarey and Bas Itna Sa Khwab Hai – after our father’s death. Bas… was my brother Goldie’s directorial debut.

    However, in time we realised that while we were looking out for film scripts, we had to do something to generate revenue. We had the entire infrastructure in place; people working since our father’s time were still with us. I knew we had to generate some work, but didn’t want to push Goldie into his next film just to keep the office running either. So television was a natural progression… Then Zee’s Lipstick happened.

    I am told that ‘Lipstick’ was the channel’s concept. What was your input to the show? Did the channel give you a line-by-line break up?
    Yes, Lipstick was the channel’s concept. But all that the channel gave us was a brief outline; we started from scratch. Both our ideation department and Zee’s creative department worked on it and built it up.

    We sat down and worked out all the characters and the back stories. And since it was our first show and we had the luxury of time, we sketched out the story in detail, though we knew we wouldn’t need all the details at any point of time.

    For example, we have worked out Suniti and her sister Suman’s age difference in the serial. While these points are not an obvious part of the story line, they are portrayed in the attitude of the characters.

    After this, I added certain nuances to the story (from a woman’s perspective, that is). I think, I made a show that I would like to watch.

    A Still from Zee’s Lipstick
    		 “I guess it is mandatory to include a love story“

    When ‘Lipstick’ started off, its story line was quite bold. Now it seems to be shifting gears to being a family drama. Why?
    We had several tracks that were bold. Even now, Suniti’s family is the same; and we have not added any new family or created new characters to ‘shift gears’. Kahin se nai buaji nahi aagai hai (No aunt has sprouted from somewhere). We are working within the same parameters, but we also take into consideration audience feedback.

    People used to enjoy Lipstick‘s family moments, so we developed it. After all, it’s all about what the consumers want to watch.

    Were you convinced about it? The peg that you worked on was about two women in a magazine business. Now it seems to have translated into a family feud.
    It is still that. They are still bickering over the business. It is still a power struggle. It is still about the control over the company. Suniti marries Tarun knowing that only if she is a Singhania, can she have control over the company.

    What about the casting? Did you have any hand in it?
    Yes. We went through video tapes and auditioned a number of people and finally zeroed in on the actors. In fact, most of them were rank newcomers.

    Just recently, you revamped the show and changed the lead characters. Isn’t it likely to affect the show’s viewership?
    Shweta Salve (who played Suniti earlier) had to take a break for 20 days. We could not bank so many episodes before she left. Lipstick being a daily show, the pressure was building up even more.

    Since we couldn’t run a show without the chief protagonist, the other option was to change the actor. So we had an intensive meeting with the channel.

    Zee had earlier succeeded in changing the main character and still running a show well (Hasratein – in which Seema Kapoor was replaced by Shefali Shetty). We also needed somebody who the audience was already familiar with and could identify with. So we got in Gautami Kapoor. Vishal Singh was also brought in for star value. Fortunately, we have noticed a slight upward trend in our TRPs, so we have been lucky.

    As for repackaging the show, we had already done about 198 episodes and thought a new look would be a value-add. So we repackaged it and made it a 200th episode special.

    Now Lipstick has a little more gloss, a little more of human interest. Earlier, we used to skim a lot of issues, but now, based on viewers’ feedback, we improvise on them. I am in constant touch with the viewers via e-mail.

    Yet, the content seems to have diluted now. Earlier the show was very crisp.
    Most television shows battle for attention. Our show was going very fast. On the other side of the TV screen, viewers wait for commercial breaks to get chapattis or run out of the room to switch off the gas. We realised that if they return a few seconds after the serial starts, they should not miss out on a lot.

    Now, in Lipstick, the story moves a trifle slowly, so that the audience don’t lose track. Having done films in the past, we often got too pacy while making serials. There are those nitty-gritties about a television show that we are now getting the hang of.

    Now that you have mentioned it, how different is doing a TV series from a feature film?
    Well, with film you can manipulate the budget but a television show has to be shot within budget constraints. TV has been a wonderful learning experience for me in terms of production. If film shooting is delayed by a day or a week, it’s okay. But you can’t have a blank half-hour on TV. Though it seems a little tough, I think it enforces discipline.

    Plus, I think you have far more professional people in television. Sometimes, you have to shoot even if it is not an ideal circumstance.

    Also, with films you have your story in place, the same cannot be said of television.

    So ‘Lipstick’ doesn’t have a finite story.
    No it doesn’t. Initially when we started, Lipstick was a battle for power between two women. In soaps, when you do a character driven story, viewers get involved in their lives. The characters continue and they do not have a finite story (being so close to real life), so how can the show?
    “Production is a thankless job”

    A still from Star Plus’ Jeet

    You have canned a couple of episodes of ‘Shakalaka Boom Boom’ (on Star Plus). How was it shooting a kid’s show? What kind of problems did you face?
    We have shot a few episodes, but it is yet to be aired. As far as kids go, they are better actors than adults. But you have to bribe them a lot (laughs).

    On the downside, kids are not full-time actors, so you cannot expect them to work round the clock. Plus, with the harsh environment, they are susceptible to fall ill often.

    On the programming front, you have to do a mind shift. You have to get into the child’s mindset to make a children’s show.

    ‘Shakalaka… ‘ is otherwise being produced by UTV. Didn’t it bother you that you were replacing them?
    It is not a replacement, it’s simply a different story and a different treatment. Star Plus has worked a new angle around it and that’s why we were roped in.

    As for UTV, I am much in awe of their work; they have and are still doing a great job. Hats off to them!

    Do you think we need more shows catering to kids?
    I think the trend has already started; we have a lot of shows for kids.

    Do you know a lot of children watch Lipstick! Once we had a kids’ picnic next to the shooting site and we heard kids whispering Nigar Khan’s screen name (Sheetal). Some tykes even started singing the title track.

    What do you think is Sheetal ‘s USP?
    Nigar, who does Sheetal, is a great actor. We never saw her as a vamp. We always believed that we have two main protagonists in the show. We don’t think she is negative, just that she has grey shades.

    Sheetal is an aggressive woman who gets what she wants. In her mind, she isn’t doing any wrong. She genuinely thinks that Suniti is wrong. Sheetal is a dramatised version, fighting for attention.

    How did ‘Jeet’ come about? Was it your idea or the channel’s?
    A bit of both, actually. We generally got talking on the spheres of life that are identifiable, but haven’t yet been exploited on the screen. We then decided to do a campus show, but for a change decided to go beyond the canteen. We took teachers’ life as the mainstay.

    Isn’t it a ‘Boston Public’ kind of a format?
    No. Boston Public can’t be done in India. The issues are very different. If you do a Boston Public here, then you got to start with a premise that the principal represents a minority because in Boston Public, you have an African-American as the principal. That itself raises quite a lot of issues.

    Then again, you will have to have a Jewish vice principal. Also, in India, we don’t have students who take out a gun in the classroom. That’s not how we conceptualise our colleges.

    We still have a guru-shisya parampara in India. I’ve never heard of kids slapping the teacher here.

    The only reason why Jeet resembles Boston Public is because at the basic premise, it deals with teachers. That’s about it.

    What is ‘Jeet’ about?
    Professors. You never think of them as people with emotions – they are just teachers.

    Professors in India face various problems – they don’t have a highly paid job, to begin with. Monetary issues often bother college teachers, but nobody pays any attention to that. Plus, they have to face a class full of students every day, of which almost 90 per cent don’t think they are learning anything productive.

    The show deliberately focuses on junior college because we believe that there are plenty of issues to be tackled in this arena. The show also has a great love story woven into it.

    What issues would you be dealing with in the serial?
    We will deal with issues like class differences, students’ interests, under-performance pressure, sibling rivalry, college elections, and so on. But the issues won’t make the show preachy, it will be entertaining.

    How different is the production treatment in ‘Jeet’ vis-?-vis ‘Lipstick’?
    Since Jeet is a weekly, there has to be a lot of content. In the 45 minutes airtime, a lot many issues are dealt with. In a weekly, you can take a little more time, the scenes can be slightly longer.

    On the other hand, in Lipstick, if you get into a long scene, the audience interest drops and it becomes boring. Production-wise, the amount of time we spend working on four episodes of Jeet is the same as the time spent on 12-15 episodes of Lipstick. Then again, Lipstick is a more set format – actors are far more clued in.

    What is ‘Jeet’s budget?
    I can’t tell you that. We have a 40,000 sq feet set in Kamalistan. We did shoot some scenes in another house, but predominantly it is studio shot.

    Was the love angle mandatory in ‘Jeet’?
    You need a lot of layers to run a one-hour show, plus we didn’t want to be too preachy. I guess at some level, it is mandatory. It is a human emotion – you need love, jealousy, and one-upmanship to portray a complete character. Unless you want to show that teachers are beyond all this.

    A hypothetical question. If you are asked to put ‘Jeet’ in a family drama mould, what would you do?
    If that’s what the audience wants, I will try and work out something, keeping the dignity of my show intact.

    Did you think that the main concept remained intact, when Star Plus’ changed its hospital drama into a family drama?
    If you are talking about Sanjivani, we cannot do a show like ER in India. It’s too depressing, you cannot watch it while you are having your dinner. As it is, you are fatigued, you would rather see something entertaining. Television still is the largest form of entertainment and the second cheapest form of entertainment
    after sex (laughs).

    Whatever happened to realism and creative stories? Does everything have to go the ‘saas-bahu’ way?
    When you get completely pay TV, probably then can you get an idea of what people want to watch. Most people say that they don’t watch saas bahu soaps, then why are they running? It’s a business like any other, channels aren’t stupid trying to dish out something that has no demand.

    What is the main grouse of producers?
    Production is a thankless job. You’ll appreciate a scriptwriter, a director, a set director or even the canteen boy, but not the producer.

    What is the production fraternity’s reaction to CAS?
    The production fraternity is a paranoid lot, anyway. Whereas earlier it was Bollwood rejected producers who shifted to television software, these days more serious players are making their entry. In my opinion, the implementation of CAS will really tell us what it is that viewers are actually watching. It’s that simple.
  • “Everybody comes to you with an agenda. You better be astute enough to figure out what that is” Maria Ressa – CNN Jakarta Bureau Chief

    “Everybody comes to you with an agenda. You better be astute enough to figure out what that is” Maria Ressa – CNN Jakarta Bureau Chief

     When you walk into the room to meet her, you would hardly think that this slight person sitting across the table is the same one who had reported on the dramatic political changes, economic crisis and social unrest in Indonesia, focused on the roots of separatist, religious and ethnic violence, which included brutal, ritualized beheadings in West Kalimantan, a separatist conflict in Aceh and Irian Jaya, and religious war in Ambon.

    CNN’s Jakarta bureau chief Maria Ressa is currently in India to promote CNN’s Young Journalist Award.

    She has traveled and reported extensively in Asia, including China, Japan, South Korea and India. Ressa was CNN’s lead reporter on three changes of government in southeast Asia: in Indonesia in 1998, in East Timor in 1999 and in the Philippines in 2001.

    In October 2002, just days after a lethal car bomb killed almost 200 people in Bali, Ressa provided the exclusive report that the first-known videotapes of an Al Qaeda training camp in Indonesia had been found. She has reported extensively on major events in the Philippines.

    More astute, focused and a harder worker than most of her contemporaries, Ressa has moved up in broadcast on sheer grit and want to know more. She is currently awaiting the release of her first book on Al Qaeda which she started writing post 9/11. The book is due to release on 28 November in New York.

    She spoke to indiantelevision.com’s Hetal Adesara and Trupti Ghag just hours before she addressed a bunch of budding journalists at a conference held at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) in Mumbai . Excerpts from the t?te-?-t?te:

    Your career graph suggests that you are quite focused on broadcast journalism as the career of your choice. Why?
    I grew up on it, although the move was by accident. I grew up in the United States, my family moved from the Philippines when martial law was declared.

    I studied English theatre, dance and molecular biology at school in US. I didn’t know what it meant to be a Filipino so after graduation, I think in a bid to trace my roots, I tried to get a scholarship to go back into the country. I went in supposedly to do Political Theatre on a Fulbright scholarship but it coincided with the people power revolt and within two months, I was directing the newscast at the government TV station.

    How did that happen? Weren’t you were fresh from college?
    The government TV station was in a terrible flux after Marcos left. I just walked into the station and said that I direct. That was it! I was directing the prime time newscast. Through television I learnt about the Philippines, about the people, the culture and what it means to be a Filipino. I thought I was going to stay for a year but I still haven’t left.

    What really made you stay so long?
    I was trying to figure out who I was. Whether I was an American or a Filipino…. During the people power revolt, I was trying to be a part of the society that was trying to be structured. It was heady for a kid and that’s the reason why I stayed on. I started a production house and CNN came with an offer in 1988.

    What was your impression of CNN then? Was it something that you wanted to do?
    I was looking at the way the revolt was covered by the foreign press. Most of the journalists were Caucasian men, who were making fun of certain things. I was very unhappy with a lot of the coverage and I though that the culture was misunderstood.

    So when CNN came out with an offer, I thought that I would work part-time for it and see. After I joined CNN, I realised that they hit a global audience. I was to join in to offer my perspective, try to take the reality I see in the Philippines from that cultural background and translate it for a global audience. I could also take into account the American perspective and try to explain it to the local audience.

    You have also been fairly consistent with the beat that you started with. Any particular reason why?
    I am still learning. I came to the Philippines because of my personal interest and then my boss at CNN asked me to widen my area of responsibility to South East Asia. It was a fascinating time to be in South East Asia because 1986 started a whole movement for democracy.

     

    “Television is very manipulative medium. In print you need more skills to get that same kind of impact“

    Now that you are also going into print, what is the difference you find between broadcast and print journalism?

    Earlier, I used to think that print journalism is easier because in broadcast journalism, especially in CNN, you are on air all the time. It is minute by minute reporting. In one day, I can do eight to ten pieces. So every half hour, I am writing something. As I grew older, I really began to appreciate print for its details.

    In many ways, print journalists have the luxury, which is what we don’t have. But they also have so many questions to answer. The thinking process is more disciplined for print. They have to come out with far bigger, broader pictures of reality. Although it is not common, but a TV journalist also gives that bigger picture.

    That is the prime reason why I stay in my region. I know the context well, I can give you the details and at the same time give you an overall view. You have to have volume to support the umbrella that you create in the beginning.

    Within a two minute TV piece, you should be able to tell the entire story with just one sentence and a still. Of course you have the tricks of the medium, the advantages of sets and sound, the feel, which is something that you can only describe in print but can’t feel. That’s the impact of television.

    Both media have their strengths and weaknesses and the strength of television is the immediacy of it and the emotions. It is a very manipulative medium. In print, you need more skills to get that same kind of impact.

    What about the ethics of journalism?
    Firstly, I would never talk about an off the record story. It’s anathema. As a journalist, you die if you do it. Journalists who let go their source cannot retain their credibility.

    In countries that I work, Indonesia for example, few people really tell you what is going on. If I burn the source, I wouldn’t be able to work there.

    The primary thing is that you need to protect your source and secondly, you need to be accurate. One source isn’t enough, you definitely need to counter check. I need to check out the source more than one time before I put anything on air.

    For example, during the War on terrorism story, I worked with intelligence documents. I made sure that there were at least three different sources from two different countries to back my story. Because even though they are interrogation reports of the terrorists cross-checked in custody, there is a chance that the guy could be lying. What is the credibility of the source?

    What are the essential requisites of a broadcast journalist?

    Don’t study journalism, study international affairs, economics. Journalism is about curiosity. It is about the way people are and the way things work. It is about reporting, telling the story that you have assessed with facts. But when you present it as fact, it better be a fact.

    Journalism is actually theatre in reality. As a journalist, you have a mission to present the version of reality and affect the way reality will work.

    Essential qualities are openness to different perspectives, analytical skills to figure out the information that you get, context to place it and obviously responsibility. Everybody comes to you with an agenda; you better be astute enough to figure out what the agenda is.

    More often than not, broadcast is about banging in the news first, being first. How do you work in such a scenario?

    This is the advantage of having contacts and working in the same beat for some time. When the news breaks, I already know the background.

    When assigned to cover the Indian Airlines hijacking in ’99, I read like crazy to figure out India, the people, the culture and the form of government. You need to collect the background information before you actually start reporting on the event. When you start reporting about the actual event, you start reporting about the how it began, the narratives, what the story is like, who are the people involved and what is the impact. These are the things that you put out before you actually start reporting.

    Actually speaking, anybody can tell what is going on, it is the perspective that the reporter needs to offer.

    Often times in breaking news situations, you don’t have time to put in all the analytical thought, so that means you have to do your homework beforehand. You should know the context and the end goal. You need to be reminding the audience why the situation is important and then put in minute by minute reporting.

    When we were covering the Bali bombing, we divided into two groups. A correspondent at Jakarta and then my producer, Atika Schubert went to Bali to say what’s going on there because it is a human interest story there. But what I did is go to Manila and Jakarta and do a broader picture to get to know more about the attacks. What is the terror network like, can we expect more attacks…

    So if you do the coverage well for television, you cover all those spaces. Sometimes you fall short, but it is all about preparation. I like to quote what my cameraman says, “Proper preparation prevents piss full performance”. At television networks, you have to work as team. My cameraman has to be as prepared as I am.

    “Over the last two years I have been in the my apartment for less than 80 days which means if I had children they would not eat, my plants would die“

    There is a lot of work going on in broadcast, yet people consider print sacrosanct. Why is it so?

    Because I think at the end of the day, print still gives you the broader picture. When you read a newspaper article, the reporter has put in a whole day to get all the details, so he is able to give you the full dish at one shot. Television’s breaking news will only give you a piece at a time.

    You can tune into television. But how many times will you tune in to watch a live report?

    Speaking about the gender divide, is there any such thing as a shelf life for women journalists?

    It’s your call, really. Let me talk about it personally, over the last two years I have been in my apartment for less than 80 days, which means if I had children they would not eat, my plants would die.

    It’s upto you to decide what type of life you want. Some women are very lucky and can have children at the same time while they pursue a career. They can have a family life if they don’t travel a lot.

    I think my ideas are the same. I still want to figure out what is going on. I still want to be a part but probably not at the same pace that CNN demands. But I don’t see my self leaving anytime soon.

    Is there any kind of disadvantage that women have?
    Some one can choose to look at it as a disadvantage but I look at it as an advantage. In my experience, when I am working in a conflict situation, working with the predominantly male military, I can get information from those guys that my male colleagues cannot. The fact that I am a woman doesn’t seem as bad then. I just use it to my advantage.

    You offer different perspectives and different analysis to a story. What is the thought process that goes into analysing it?
    I am accountable to a global audience, to the people that I live with. I live in south east Asia, so first thing that I look at is the cultural angle.

    If I am in Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population in the world, the Indonesian perspective on war on terror will be very different from that in Washington.

    Particularly after the attack on Iraq, I saw this divide getting broader. It was very easy for me because I was seeing both worlds. I was able to present what Indonesians think and what Muslims believe. I give a perspective of different cultures but in a way that even my audience in Iowa can understand.

    Decisions made at the foreign policy level are made by people from different cultural backgrounds so it is easier to understand what potential clashes can happen. So instead of telling the American audience what they expect to hear, I tell them what is happening here.

    To what extent has the divide deepened post 9/11, between the Muslim world, the Arab Muslim world and the Western world?
    If you look at the attitude survey conducted in south-east Asia in 2000, about 75 per cent Indonesians said that they liked America and in 2003, 85 per cent of Indonesians said they disliked America.

    In south East Asia, the anti-American sentiment has increased not because of 9/11 but because of foreign policy actions post 9/11. Those are the reactions in regions like Indonesia, Malaysia, where the prime minister is pretty vocal. The Philippines is the US’ strong ally but there are pockets where the feeling isn’t the same. But none of it had anything to do with Iraq.

    What was the situation for you on a personal level then? Were you divided between your birthplace and the place of work?
    I did not look at it like that. I try and understand the forces of our world. It is all about push and pull. It is all about the interest of nations and people. If you put it all into that context, you know where the interests of each group lie. They interact and that is what creates conflicts.

    No I don’t look at it as a person of that country. I just look at the world today, still trying to understand why? The big picture is what keeps me going on.

    How is CNN as an organisation to work with?
    I have been with it for 15 years, in that sense I grew up with CNN. It is the only place that I can see myself doing whatever I am doing now. I am able to do work the think tank guys do but I do it for a broadcast network that puts it on air, so I actually get to reach the audience.

    We are the only American network that actually has a set up in Indonesia. It’s gone through evolution and changes from when Ted Turner was there but the main mission remains the same. It’s the only place that I can see myself working.

    What is your view of Indian media?
    It is extremely free, people are extremely aggressive. I don’t mean to be offensive, but I think a level of accountability should be set in Indian media too. If a journalist cannot be held accountable, then you have to discount his credibility.

    Ideally, there should be an oath that the journalists need to take like the Hippocratic oath for medicine. What should that oath be, according to you?
    Accountability, credibility, accuracy and fairness. In TV journalism, with the rush to be first, if you have to choose between being first and being accurate, then you better be accurate. You cannot take it back. It is a violent cardinal sin.

    You cannot get it wrong because the minute you get it wrong, you have altered the reality. Personally, I have been in situations where I have held back the news because I am uncertain of the facts. I report it only when until I am absolutely certain of the facts.

    “You can never get yourself out of the situations you report because you need that to assess the situation. What you do is stifle the part that wants to scream“

     More often than not, journalists do take shelter under the term corrigendum or correction. What do you have to say?
    It is my worst nightmare that is part of the reason why I am very careful with my stories. Through the years, I have learnt how you can report in the breaking news situation. If you are going to report something, you better have your sources right, tell the audience what you know, what you don’t know and what is the context.

    How do get yourself out of the horror that you see around you and report the things happening around you?
    You don’t really, because you need that to assess the situation. What you do is stifle the part that wants to scream. For me, it is just being on autopilot now. You figure how it affects you personally later on, right then, you try to understand why it is happening.

    In Kalimantan where there was an ethnic conflict, I walked on to a field and I saw a group of young boys playing soccer. I knew there was brutal violence and so when I saw them I started going towards them. Just then, my cameraman tugged me and asked me take a look at the ball, it was the severed head of an old man. It was weird, it was a party atmosphere – they were having a lot of fun but the horror of what they were doing wasn’t filtering into them.

    I was there for four days, at the end of which I flew back to New York for two weeks. I hadn’t finished reporting it but I was affected by it…. I knew I had to get myself out until I could center myself before I was going back in. There are millions of reasons why people do what they do. Also when you’re reporting it your first instinct to judge it. It is easy to call some one an idiot but you need to understand the psyche of the people. Why is it acceptable to them? Then you will be able to figure out why this conflict is important.

    With this manic energy, how do you unwind?
    I have just managed to take three months off in the whole of my adult life. It was like the ghost train walked across me. I was really able to understand why things happen the way they do. The little time that I get, I read, watch DVDs or unwind with my friends.

     

  • “Out of lack of choice, television is a ‘close ups’ oriented medium” : Qaeed Kuwajerwala

    “Out of lack of choice, television is a ‘close ups’ oriented medium” : Qaeed Kuwajerwala

    A mischievous twinkle greets you when you suggest that he would have made a good looking actor. Pat comes the response that probably he should have been as that would have made his life easier. With his new show on Star Plus, Saara Akaash earning rave reviews, Qaeed Kuwajerwala is ready and raring to go.
    For one belonging to the new school of thought, life hasn't been easy. After a back surgery, doctors had warned him off the production jobs forever. But the spunky man couldn't let go off his dreams easily. Despite a decade of struggle, the guy did not give up and soon enough had a couple of serials behind him like     Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka and Yeh Nazdikiyaan (Sony), Balaji productions Kabhi Souten Kabhi Saheli (DD), Kohi Apna Sa (Zee) and Kasautii Zindagii Kay (Star Plus). Then came Taurus Video's Kyun Hota Hai Pyarrr, again on Star Plus.

    In a freewheeling interview with indiantelevison.com's Trupti Ghag, he spoke about his life, direction and more.

    How and why did a commerce student think about turning to direction?
    I landed in the commerce stream by sheer default. At that point of time, all I wanted to do was to complete my basic education. Coming from a business family, graduating from the commerce stream was a viable and working option. But I wasn't really academically inclined.

    I was an active participant in theatre during college days, usually as a director. I guess that is when the thought of making a career as a director germinated. Plus I am an avid film buff and a great fan of Amitabh Bachchan movies.

    Later, after completing my graduation, I enrolled with the Xavier Institute of Communications (XIC) for a film making course.Then I joined ad film maker Pooh Sayani's production Shunyata Films as a third assistant. It was with this stint that I got hands on training with the camera. I was confident enough of handling it all on my own, but guess it wasn't destined at that point of time.
     

    Why, what happened?
    I lost my father. Since I was the eldest son, the family responsibilities shifted to me. It was then that I took over the family business as a wholesaler for general medicine. Least to say, I loathed the job, plus it wasn't rewarding enough. We could just about manage to sustain. I did that for almost four years and then I decided that I could do it no more. In 1992, I joined Ram Madhvani's Equinox as an assistant director followed by a stint with Enterprise Advertising. Later, I joined a friend's company Videomagic. It was a small company making ad films. I tried my hand at directing ad films and corporate videos. But it was difficult to get good work in advertising. During that time, I got an offer as an associate producer of Swabhimaan being made by Plus Channel. Though I wasn't handling direction, I was pretty much the chief on the sets.

    With that started my period of struggle, I struggled in the industry for almost five years trying to get a break as a director without any success. Then I literally ran off to Dubai to join a production house in December 2000. I was involved in making ad films and corporate videos. But things really didn't work there either, so I hopped on to a plane seven months later with too many questions and doubts, back to India.
     

    You sound so pained when you say that…
    Can you blame me! I thought I was jinxed. Every production I joined closed soon after and work wasn't easy to come by. I had been out of the loop for far too long and I knew that work wouldn't come that easily to me. Fortunately an opportunity came my way to direct few sporadic episodes of Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka and Yeh Nazdikiyaan on Sony.
     

    With your training in film making, there should have been some work coming in, if not a lot. What happened?
    Well, it wasn't as if jobs weren't coming my way. But I did not want to do a job; I wanted to create something on my own…put forth my vision. I guess, I wasn't good at taking orders either as I am with giving. (laughs)
     

    Was it that you were way too ambitious?
    I don't think I was too ambitious. I didn't bag the deals because I wasn't at the right place at the right time. My initial profile was brilliant; I had worked with one of the biggest productions then,Swabhimaan.
     

    After working with the ad fraternity, why is that you turned towards television?
    After initial tryst with ad-film making, there was a time when the work wasn't coming my way. Fortunately enough, I got an offer from television. Since, as a medium it had lot of potential I decided to try my luck.
     

    You started your career during the DD age. What is the difference that you find in the system then and now?
    Television was a modest medium then, unlike now. But the modus operandi hasn't changed much. But with the onset of satellite television, there is definitely a rise in competition. Deadlines have become more and more stringent. The production values have definitely risen.

    During the DD times, there was limited choice that the viewers had, and the onus of bagging the advertisement was on the production house, unlike now when the channel is an active participant. The competition is stiff, neck-to-neck and what sells is the entire package, channels like Star Plus have realised that and therefore are definitely more involved in the production.
     
    "During the DD times there was limited choice that the viewers had, and the onus of bagging the advertisement was on the production house, unlike now when the channel is an active participant"
     

    But isn't that meddlesome?
    No, Channels have an image to maintain. Liabilities are higher. Earlier, when Mahabharat was airing, you hardly had people stepping out of the house. In recent times, you can't demand that kind of focused viewership. There is a viewership pie that a channel has to cash in on. At the end of the day they are running a business and there are many people that they are responsible for.
     

    When you joined the industry, you must have been amongst the younger lot. Did you ever find the environment hostile?
    Of course not, the times were lean and the work was definitely less but there was work for people who were willing to go that extra mile. But more often than not, it was the question of your luck… you either get it or don't.
     
    It is often heard that even though the programmes were scant, there was definitely more quality output. What do you have to say about that?
    I doubt it. There was obviously a lack of choice and there was quite less variety. Viewing time was restricted to a few hours in the evening and on Sundays, but look at the scenario now. The viewing band is from 11 am in the morning to 6 pm in the evening, then from 8 pm to way past midnight.
     

    But there is a major grouse that the television shows mainly deal with the 'saas-bahu' genre. There are two good shows and rest are all rehashes of the same?
    I completely disagree with that statement. For every Kyunki… there is a Krisshna Arjun, for everyKahaani… there is Shhhh…koi hai and for every Kasautii… there is Kucch kar dikhana hai.

    All said and done, the main target audience is the housewife and family drama is a genre that they can relate too. Look at us; we could lap up The Bold and the Beautiful, which is essentially a family drama, but brand Hindi television family dramas as retrogressive.
     

    But that was years ago, why are we following trends set abroad? Where is the creativity?
    There are stories and there are people who make it. Tomorrow if I were to make a Titanic, my treatment would be different. I have different sensibilities and my vision is different. Look at the three big soaps, Kyunki…, Kahaani, and Kasautii…, apart from the superficial similarities that they are all portray big families, Kyunki… is one woman's story, Kahaani … is about a family feud andKasautii…is essentially a love story. I think despite the limitations, we are doing a damn good job.
     

    What limitations?
    Mainly the budget, the technical facility. It might be easier to make a Matrix abroad because they have the technical finesse. It is difficult to do that for Indian cinema simply because we lack the budgets, but in television the situation is even worse. It might be difficult to call for an extra dolly or crane, which are nothing but the bare necessities.

    Be it out of lack of choice, but television is a close up oriented medium.
     
    "With the killing competition, there is a great risk of the concept leaking out"
     

    Getting back to your work. According to the latest TAM ratings, the 'Saara Akaash' debut episode was rated 7.3 in the C&S 4+ category on the TRP scale. It was the no 15 programme in the first week. Were you expecting this kind of popularity?
    At the risk of sounding pompous, I was expecting at least eight. Looking at the popularity of the channel and the publicity campaigns that the channel held, I hoped that we would have fetched at least nine. Had it been six months ago, I wouldn't have expected that kind popularity.
     
    Wasn't the original concept of 'Saara Akaash' changed?
    I wouldn't call it changed. Yes it was definitely tweaked a little basically because both the channel and the producers thought that it was getting too technical. But like I said, the audience for the prime time band is a housewife, so rather than making something that would have to be shelved sooner we thought of going in for a facelift. My mother, wife or bhabhi do not care about the details about the emergency landings, they need to know how much of a trauma it caused. The human interest, so to speak.
     
    For this project, all the four lead actors are Balaji actors. Isn't there some kind of contract they sign for exclusivity? How did you manage to sign them?
    It is a myth. There is no such contract at Balaji. I signed them because I thought they were right for the part. In fact, I think most of them were already working with other production houses. Instead of branding people as Balaji actors, I think we should look at the fact that Balaji is offering them a plethora of avenues to explore their talents. Why Balaji, UTV, Miditech… in fact, television has opened up so many opportunities for youngsters.
     
    Speaking about the various production houses, weren't you the director for Taurus films' 'Kyun Hota Hai Pyarrr'. Why did you opt out of it?
    There is nothing really into it. Since a lot is riding on the show, the channel needed my undivided attention on one project.
     
    Of late, besides actors being replaced another phenomenon is rampant that of the directors being replaced. Doesn't this affect the production?
    Don't think so. May be if the person appointed is incompetent, but otherwise I think it might offer the show a certain freshness. Look at Kasautii Zindagii Kay; I directed the story for the good 150 + episodes. Till that time we had already introduced the three main characters of the story Prerna, Anurag and Komolika. After the character was established all that my successor had to do was ensure its smooth run.
     

    Speaking of 'Kasautii…', isn't Prerna an unlikely heroine?
    Why Prerna? Just because she is an unwed mother. I don't think she has done anything wrong. The child is a symbol of her love; although it is not common, it does happen in recent times. Why should it not be portrayed on the screen? Personally, I think Anurag is an out and out fictional character; you do not have as white a guy as Anurag. I was in fact more worried about it. The challenge I faced was to convert a complete fairy tale character like Anurag into a believable one. I managed to successfully pull it off.
     

    One of the major grudges in recent times is that shows resort to twists and turns too many a times for comfort. Why do you think that the show makers resort to such trickery?
    I don't think it is unjustified. They have to make sure that their show is watched and not just sporadically. In recent times with the kind of stiff competition¸ you have to make sure that people tune into your show. It's a simple business strategy. We are definitely promoting the art, but at the end of the day everybody has to take a look at the business aspect. Nobody is doing a charity business and let's be very clear about that.
     

    What about a working proposition like a 'saas-bahu' saga, spawning ten others of its ilk? Does nobody care about plagiarism any more?
    Hell no! We are experimental as we should be. The main grouse is I think directed towards Star Plus. But let me tell you something, I think the channel offers too many options; it covers most of the genres of programming. I said before, we have been as experimental as our budgets permit. Do you thing it will be impossible for us to make a film like Titanic or Matrix or say the recentPhone Booth? Of course not, but I did say I would be able to do a better job.

    Just because we cannot relate to the concept, it doesn't give us the right to shoot it down. Plus there could be ten shows based on the same concept but they aren't same. If you look at it what was so different about Titanic, but let's not write it off as a masala movie. Only James Cameron could have pulled it off, just because it was based on an actual concept doesn't make it easy. The movie was written off before its launch as an ill- fated movie but it rattled the box office with its unique treatment.

    I know it's no excuse, but if you are comparing television in India and America, you have to realize that abroad they have seasons. It gives the makers time to strategise, come up with newer story ideas and think it through.
     
    But why can't we write and execute shows well in advance?
    I think this is mainly because of the competition. With the killing competition, there is a great risk of the concept leaking out and you might have another production house making a show based on an identical concept. If you have already canned 20 episodes, you can't do anything but air it.
     

    Television has become far too serious, why don't we have more comedies?
    We have to understand that television is business. Until and unless there is a demand for the project you cannot go ahead. But there are few programmes like Sab TV's Office Office, which is going well.

    There is a need for intelligent comedies but it is a very difficult proposition.
     
    "If they expect me to make a Devdas then them better come up with 50 crores"
     
    What do you look in a project before signing it?
    I don't really know, but my main prerogative is that it should excite me. I look out for projects which are different from what I have done before. If you look at my profile, I started off withKabhi Souten Kabhi Saheli, a story about two friends and their dilemma when they realise that they are married to the say man, then came Kohi Apna Sa, which was a story of three best freinds married to three first cousins. Later I took up Kasautii Zindagii Kay, which is a love story, followed by a campus caper Kyun Hota Hai Pyarrr.
     

    What according to you are the essential requisites of an actor?
    They should be able to remember their lines. Nothing irks me more than actor who cannot memorize his lines. I think most important for an actor is dialogue delivery.
     

    What is it that you cannot compromise on as a director?
    I am a very demanding director. Personally I think actors are a spoilt lot, so I do not believe in giving them any concessions. Plus I cannot cave into producers' demands, if they expect me to make a Devdas then they better come up with 50 crores (Rs 500 million).
     

    What is your modus operandi as a director?
    In our field, when you spend 15-20 hours per day on the sets I think it is important that we relate with the actors on a personal level. I make sure that my actors are so comfortable that they can talk to me about anything.

    As far as explaining the shot goes, I ask them to visualise that scene and then go ahead with the shot.
     

    So you essentially mean you ask them to be a method actor?
    Frankly, I think either you are an actor or not. Acting is not an acquired taste, you need to have an aptitude for it. As far as method acting goes, I find it extremely irritating when actors insist on getting drunk to portray scenes where they have a drunkard's role. What will you do when you have to shoot a scene where you are shown shot, get a bullet in you arm? Get real, this isn't acting.

    There was a famous instance when Dustin Hoffman, in his early days, had to portray a fatigued man, as soon as the shot was about to get ready he went for a 10 mile jog. Back huffing puffing, he gave the shot. The director patted him on his back and said 'good job, but next time, act'.
     

    Why haven't you worked with your brother, the well known actor Hussain? Is it by choice?
    No. It is destiny. I think he was offered Saara Akaash but things didn't work out. But I think it is great to have a sibling in the business, there is so much that we can learn from each other.

    In this industry, family support is extremely crucial. Hadn't it been for my wife and my family's support, I wouldn't have been here.
     

    What next after 'Saara Akaash'?
    Currently I am just concentrating on Saara Akaash, but I would like to direct films. Not because of its reach, frankly becasuse I think television has a better reach but because the canvas is larger.
  • “I know I deserve an award, chances are that I won’t get one”

    “I know I deserve an award, chances are that I won’t get one”

    Let’s not debate whether she would have made a charming pilot or not. But hadn’t it been for the rebellion, television would have missed out on a seasoned actress. Niki Aneja nee Walia didn’t plan her career as a television actress, she just took up a few modelling assignments to fund here trip to Boston for pilot training. Although she didn’t make it to Boston, she did take up acting on late ad film maker Mukul Anand’s suggestion.

    Following her cousin’s (well known television actor Parmeet Sethi) footsteps, she decided to give the small screen a try too. Shows like Dastaan, Seahawks, Andhi Jaazbat Ki, Piyaa Binaa, Patang and comedies like Baat Ban Jaye and Gharwali Uparwali followed.

    After a freak accident of the sets of Gharwali Uparwali, she had almost packed her bags. Then followed her marriage with UK-based marketing consultant Sonny Walia, which gave her another good reason to leave the industry and settle down in UK. But as luck would have it, the she got an offer from Ajai Sinha, for a project that she couldn’t let down. Now as we know she is getting rave reviews for her performance as Dr Simran in Astitva.

    In an interview that took place on the sets of Astitva, she told indiantelevision.com’s Trupti Ghag about her journey as an actress and her latest show Astitva Ek Prem Katha. Excerpts:
     

    What was it that made you take up Astitva, after you almost bid adieu to India television?
    Though I didn’t admit it then, I have always admired Ajai Sinha as a director and secretly hoped that I would get to work with him. When I heard the story, I went ‘wow!!!’ I was offered an author backed role on a platter. It would have been stupid to let it go.

    I don’t really want to sound pompous but I was bombarded with mails and telephone calls when I met with an accident. There were pujas held for my well being. I was overwhelmed with this response… I am not a film star to receive such response. People really wanted to see me back on the small box. So I couldn’t hang my acting cap. Well, not yet anyway.
     

    Of late the industry is taking quite a keen interest in your show Astitva. What do you think is the reason it is doing so well?
    Take a look at the shows around, television really does not have anything different to offer. Therefore a show like Astitva, which does not have huge sets or bejewelled women, is a visual treat. It is more realistic in its approach.
     

    Care to elaborate…
    Take for instance the scene where Simran is to discover that Abhi (husband) is cheating her. There was a dramatic climax built up toward it, like Simran’s constant threats to clear his drawer where he has slashed hotel bills. All that dramatised climax aside, after Simran finds out that her husband’s infidelity all she does is to lock herself in her room.

    With Simran being such a composed and well balanced character, it seemed ridiculous even to think that she would loose her cool. She is visible upset, but she does not blame anybody else for it.
     

    Is there any kind of homework that you do prior to coming on the Astitva set?
    Personally, I am against taking the scripts home because I do not have time. Plus I do not want to rehearse before hand. It might sound paradoxical, but it saves a lot of time. When you read your dialogue line beforehand, you already make up your mind on how you want to emote. Even if there is a slight change in the script, you are bound to get disturbed.

    And since I am shooting for 20-16 days a monthfor almost 14 hours every day, I have to do my groundwork on the sets.
     

    What is the groundwork that you do for ‘Astitva’?
    Don’t get me wrong, but writing for a daily is quite a tedious task. At times you find the writers taking liberties with the script, so we have to be forever on our toes. For instance, Simran is a very mature and composed character. She would not get worked up so easily, so she wouldn’t swear in public even if provoked. If the writer adds such a line we would have to improvise.

    I also make it a point to crosscheck the medical facts. Although the hospital is just a backdrop, you cannot let past a single detail without verifying it. I have a friend who is a gynaecologist; I rely on her expert advice for all the medical details.

    Also, I have put on quite a lot of weight ever since I got married. That has worked to my benefit I guess. I am 37-years-old on the show, which I am not in real life. The extra weight helps me look older. Although people, including my co-star, insist that I lose weight I think it lends the character that authenticity. Plus, I keep my nails short and never put any nail varnish and stick to minimal makeup.

    I get a good help from nature too. After 10 days of continuous and rigourous shooting schedule fatigue shows on my face. Guess with my character going through personal turmoil in reel life, the face matches too (laughs).

    I am a good observer, so when Astitva’s Simran was pregnant. I made sure I interacted with pregant women. I tried to copy their facial expressions and body language. Did you know people thought that I was actually pregnant.
     

    Do you always put in this kind of effort or is ‘Astitva’ an exception?
    Actually, I don’t really have to put in a lot of effort. It was just a matter of common sense. But I did spend quite a lot of time rehearsing for Pooja’s role in Gharwali Uparwali. I used to stand in front of the mirror making faces… making sure that I don’t look bad on the camera. I think anybody, who is working for a comedy, should do this exercise. Comedy is a serious job; it should not be treated like a monkey game. What artistes don’t understand is that while adopting certain mannerisms, they should check if the expression looks good or not, otherwise instead of laughing with them the audience will be laughing at them.
     
    ” A show like ‘Astitva’ which does not have huge sets or bejewelled women, is a visual treat. It is more realistic in its approach”
     

    What was the reaction of people when you left modelling for television? Was there any pooh-poohing?
    No, the term model-actor never really applied to me. I guess at that time I was this newcomer actor, who looked like Madhuri Dixit. Although my career as a model was pretty successful, everybody thought I would make a good actor. So instead of the sniggering at me, I had people encouraging me.
     
    How do you feel when people called you a Madhuri look-alike?
    It felt very weird when I started out. The statement used to describe me was the actor who looks like Madhuri Dixit and now it is Niki Aneja, who looks like Madhuri Dixit. So I take it as a compliment.
     
    Are their any other projects in the pipeline?
    Well, the second line of my designer label Niki Aneja is out and the third is scheduled for December. It is basically a collection of western party wear blouses.
     

    So after ‘Astitva’ you are planning to become a full-fledged designer?
    No, it was just that I didn’t like being a bored housewife in the UK when Sonny was busy with his work. Since I have been in the industry for long enough to know about fashion, I decided to design some clothes. It is basically something that I would be comfortable wearing myself.

    On the acting front, I have shot a pilot for Manish Goswami for a political drama based show Swarth. It is a story of three career-driven women from a political background, who happen to be sisters. I play the middle sister, while Neena Gupta is the elder sister and Shweta Kawatra is the youngest. I keep getting offers to do soaps at least once every 15 days but I am not really keen on such stuff.
     

    Are you disgruntled with the industry?
    Yes and with good reason. Wherever I go, I meet up with people who like my performance in Astitva. People have come up to me and started offering advice on whether I should take Abhi back or not. It clearly indicates that the show is watched, but is it reflected on the ratings…no! I do think TRPs are rigged.

    There are award ceremonies coming soon, though I know I deserve an award, chances are that I won’t get one. It is likely that the Balaji girls will take away the awards. Didn’t you think that Anchit Kaur was brilliant in Saaya. But she got an award for her two-bit role in Dhadkan instead! Even she was surprised.

    Even amongst the current lot there are a lot of talented actors. I think both Shweta Kawatra and Sangeeta Ghosh have a lot of potential but are unfortunately reduced to a bunch of hams.
     
    Any last words…
    Yep, to my fans… I am really touched by all the mails you send. I may not reply to them but doesn’t mean that they go unnoticed. It is because of your mails that I am back. And I really don’t need an award to know that I am a good actor, via your responses I get an award everyday.