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Tag: Vickey Lalwani

  • “People tend to neglect the finer show details, but Ekta doesn’t” : Nivedita Basu – Balaji deputy creative director

    “People tend to neglect the finer show details, but Ekta doesn’t” : Nivedita Basu – Balaji deputy creative director

    Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just Ekta Kapoor who calls the shots at Balaji Telefilms. Oftentimes it is her trusted lieutenant, deputy creative director Nivedita Basu, who steps in, on Kapoor’s behalf of course.

    But her success at the reigning soap factory, has been the result of an arduous four-year journey.”I sleep for just about 3 or 4 hours every day,” she tells us.

    She started her career in Balaji’s non-fiction department, where she had joined as a trainee. “I was promoted to EP, then an associate creative, then a creative, and just recently the deputy creative director rather swiftly,” she says.

    “Time has just flown by and I think I still have lots to learn. Whatever I am today, I owe to Ekta,” she says.

    What gave Basu an edge over her contemporaries was her unfailing passion towards her profession, which included impressive traits like voicing her opinion, asking her seniors about various things and a burning desire to make it big.

    In her new cabin on the fifth floor at Balaji House, Basu spoke to indiantelevision.com’s Vickey Lalwani. Excerpts:

    How does Balaji Telefilms function? Tell us the basic nitty-gritties
    As you know, Ekta is the creative director, while I am the deputy creative director. Every show has one creative head. All the creative heads report to me. They in turn have associate creative heads, who help them.

    Apart from being responsible for work on the sets, creative heads have to keep Ekta updated, but before that they have to sit with the writers. They have to co-ordinate with the channel and decide the cast.

    Associate creative heads are assigned tasks by the creative head, who in-turn gets their brief from Ekta. But that doesn’t mean that there is no interaction with the head. Ekta is hands on with projects, all the associate creative heads have to sit with her and discuss finer nuances of the characters. But the physical execution is taken care by the associate.

    We have a meeting every alternate day.

    But I remember that earlier one creative head handled more than one show?
    That was earlier. One creative head handled two shows and sometimes more at the same time. Things have changed.

    Why?
    Actually, the idea behind one creative head per show is to ensure that they render full justice to the programme they have been entrusted with.

    Ekta often comes up with brilliant ideas, but not all ideas are really translated onto the screen. On an average you can say that just about 80 per cent of ideas that she has visualised are expressed.

    When I joined, there were three to four creative heads. Now there are about 20.
    “The maid is the best person to tell whether a thing is clicking or not. These people are our real audience“

    And why was that?
    We are getting several offers for newer shows. But how do you move onto newer ones before ensuring that the older ones run smoothly. Plus there is so much competition nowadays, especially with a slew of new channels coming up.

    Even if you have many shows in the pipeline, you cannot let the old-timers like a Kahaani… or a Kasautii… take a beating. You have to constantly churn out awesome stuff for your older shows. Let me correct it, you have to constantly innovate especially for your older shows, because you have more at stake.

    Lets rewind to your executive producer days…
    When I was an EP, I used to report to a creative head. But during those times EPs weren’t invited for the meetings. Ekta used to sit with just the writer and creative head.

    I used to get the script and make the schedule, inform the artistes, see that their work was happening (pauses).

    Go on…
    But I wanted to rise above that. I started attending the meetings.

    And you exercised your opinion?
    (Laughs) Yes, but those people thought that ‘yeh ladki interfere kar rahi hai (this girl is too meddlesome).’ Once Ekta heard my opinion and thought that it was worth a try.

    The rest, as they say, is history?
    (Laughs). But nobody can beat Ekta. She is always bubbling with new ideas. Often it happens that I come up with some ideas and it is only later that I realise that they have been done earlier. But despite that, Ekta doesn’t shoot them down. She fashions them in such a manner that they come out looking fresh.

    She is always bubbling with brand new ideas. Often I am brain dead.

    Then what do you do?
    Go to Ekta, what else! Like it happened recently in Kasautii… The story had reached a virtual deadlock. I could not fathom what to do next. Ekta suggested Anurag’s (Cezzane Khan) death. The results are there to see. The death has brought in a new dimension and loaded interest into the show. Now I know how to play around for the next 50 episodes.

    Has Ekta ever told you that a particular portion, which you played around with, was not up to the mark?
    Yes, it has happened. She does get upset sometimes then, but she won’t say ‘tumne aisa kaise kar liya?’ (She won’t admonish me). She is someone who insists that we learn from our mistakes. She will express her displeasure, but forget about it after some time. And she will end it by saying that we should be extra careful next time. She does not hold it against anybody.

    “‘KKR’ was not a character driven show, it was a story driven show. One can’t stretch the story in such cases. But since the show was doing well, nobody wanted to take it off“

    How much of the story is ready when you go to the floors?
    About 80 episodes at least. If there is less than 50 episodes, then yuo can’t have a screenplay. Ekta doesn’t let us move ahead if we don’t have that.

    Is this a norm at all the production houses?
    I am sure that other production houses also have a broader perspective, but maybe we are ahead of the game. People tend to neglect the finer show details, but Ekta doesn’t.

    We had some very bad shows two years ago, and hence we insist on taking it slow and weighing all the options. If a channel demands a particular show in 15 days, we ask for a month. We want to be sure that the screenplay writer knows where he is heading. If he doesn’t, then it’s like ‘hawa mein teer maarna’.

    Did you know that I drafted 18 drafts for the upcoming MTV show? For obvious reasons, we can’t afford to become soapy. Plus with so much work being done both in and outside Balaji, one cannot take the risk of including similar sub-plots in any two ventures. We all have to be original and fresh.

    ‘Karma’ has finally been launched, but why did it take so much time?
    There was some delay from Star Plus’ side. But the delay mainly happened because we took time to get the special effects right. Every minor action has to look supernatural. Else, we would’ve had people coming and telling us that the action looks so common that even Karan and Ansh can do it. Surely, we didn’t want that. So we got a few people to make the look authentic, but it didn’t work out. Finally, we got it right.

    We got experts who we can trust. But somehow things weren’t too smooth in early days either. We made the pilot, then realised that something like this had been done before. Then we brought in a bit of romance, but soon realised that it wasn’t fitting in either (shrugs).

    How many of the famous Balaji characters can be attributed to you?
    None. So far, it has been Ekta all the way. We have tried and succeeded only to a limited extent. We take the characterisation to her, she has a look, adds a thing or two… and the effect is astounding. Maybe in the newer shows…. (smiles).

    Have there been occasions where you thought that you don’t agree with her?
    Yes. There have been occasions. When it happens, we sit with our group of writers and thrash it out and reach a common consensus. She (Ekta) explains her point and I try to see her justification. When I explain my point and she tries to see it.

    I have reached that stage where I can talk to her and express my gut feelings. Sometimes, while arguing, we even settle for a third alternative. I remember the time, in my early days, when people used to tell that such-and-such thing was tacky, but could never muster courage to forward it to her. I was scared.

    How much does a channel’s interference bother a creative person like you?
    With us, there isn’t much channel interference simply because Balaji Telefilms is run by a creative head. Sony Entertainment Television had become a little jittery about Kkusum when Jassi… was topping their charts. But pray, how can two shows be No.1 simultaneously? Every successful show has its peak. It was Jassi…’s peak time. Somehow we managed to convince them. We knew our story was strong in near future and we would be able to turn the tables on Jassi….

    So, the channels know the story beforehand?
    Of course! They will obviously want to be in the loop. But it is not possible to tell them about the screenplay. At times, we feel we’ll have a particular track for 10 episodes. But unfortunately, if the concerned characters tend to become boring, we need to switch the characters, say bring in another strong parallel track. At times, certain sudden decisions have to be taken. After all, we have to give the public what they enjoy.

    For example Kasautii… had dipped marginally, so we had to take a quick decision. That’s exactly how Anurag’s death was designed. Serials may be a staple diet but if the staple diet is not tasty there won’t be many takers.

    Yes, ‘Kasautii…’ had gone down…
    (Interrupts) Well, not majorly in any way. But by a few decimal points, yes. So maybe those few eyeballs had shifted to Sony’s Aayushman.

    So, Anurag’s death was a ploy to recover those eyeballs, which had shifted?
    (Smiles) Well, the channel (Star Plus) kept saying, “Ekta, do something.” At times, they themselves have good ideas, but this time Ekta stole a march.

    What is the general modus operandi on characters that are introduced midway?
    Often, new characters are introduced in small roles. We wait for them to grow and leave an impact on the audience. We give them certain scenes where they can leave an inerasable mark. If we feel they have delivered, we start building those characters; we may even try to bring them into the main story line if possible.

    Why are Balaji’s characters, say an Urvashi Dholakia or a Sudha Chandran or many others in such a garish make up?
    Balaji characters are more colourful, no doubt. But colour is a part of creativity. Let’s face it. When most viewers switch on their TV sets, they first keep flicking through almost all the channels. So, what will attract the viewers during search round? It can’t be those plain characters. It has to be that add ons and the heavy make-up, it could be just her bindi.
     

    KKR was always Shaina’s story, but people say that they watched it because of Ramola. Without Shaina, we went on for quite some time in the recent past. But if Ramola was away for more than one episodes, we are flooded with calls and letters ‘yeh kya dikha rahe ho?’ Ramola has pulled out a gun for 50 times but every time, people said ‘wow’. And mind you, she committed 47 murders in the show! Even on Sony’s Ye Meri Life Hai, I have heard people talking a lot about Tanaaz Currim who again is a dolled-up character. I think I have answered your question (smiles).

    Your talk about Ramola prompts this question. Why did ‘KKR’ go haywire?
    KKR was a daily thriller. For that genre, one needs to have a start-to-finish story. We virtually completed the story in two years. KKR was not a character driven show, it was a story driven show. One can’t stretch the story in such cases. But since the show was doing well, nobody wanted to take it off (shrugs). But believe me, even though KKR was a story driven show, we still worked equally hard on the characters.

    In such a case where your characters are so strong, does it affect you guys when your leading ladies opt out, like some of them did in the recent past?
    It does affect. In the case of Nausheen at least, I think it did. Even the channel (Sony) had become very panicky. Nausheen had become a household name. Kkusum may have been slightly better today if she had remained.

    Do characters resist a change? Like you changed Aporna (Gitanjali Thakker) in ‘Kasautii…’ from a swan to a fox?
    Yes. Actors resist changes. A classic case in point in Nausheen when she was asked to play mom to a 25-year old girl. On some occasions, I personally go to the sets and act out the new shade in the character. Also, I explain them the future graph of their character. When they see it from the other side, they begin to enjoy it. Else they are scared to take the plunge.

    Like I believe Sujal (Rajeev Khandelwal) has reservations on certain scenes?
    ‘Hota hai. Rishabh Bajaj (Ronit Roy of Kasautii…) ko bhi bahut hai’.

    But when you enact the scenes, you leak out the story to these people?
    There is no way out. Else their conviction does not show on the screen.

    What if they leak it out to the media?
    They won’t. Balaji actors are professional enough to hold back what they shouldn’t be saying. Like Parvati (Sakshi Tanwar) knew from day what the Tanwar-Seal fiasco was all about.

    Being so closely associated with the story and screenplay, ideas in general, how much of television do you see?
    Lots. Even Ekta watches a lot. I see lots of films too. I deliberately see bad projects too, for in creative line, you ought to be aware about the definition of bad. But there’s a lesson here. The maid is the best person to tell whether a thing is clicking or not. These people are our real audience (pauses).

    “We had some very bad shows two years ago, and hence we insist on taking it slow and weighing all the options”

    Do you change writers when things don’t work?
    No. They write after consulting me. If they have gone wrong, then even I am going wrong. Throw me out too.

    ‘King Aasman Ka Raja’ on Sony was a blunder. Agree?
    After Kya Haadsa… ended, we wanted to come on the same slot with a saga. But that would have taken two months. KAKR was a makeshift thing anyway. We said ‘let’s try a children’s show’. But yes, we didn’t plan it well. In that hurry, KAKR became very tacky. As I told you when we spoke about Karma, a super hero thing has to be planned very well.

    It was surprising to see Kkusum’s daughter having premarital sex?
    Some people have said the same, but I strongly believe that we showed what does happen in real life. It has aroused some emotions simply because the girl wears salwaar kameez. If the same girl had been wearing Western clothes, no eyebrows would have been raised. I demand to know. Why can’t a girl in salwaar kameez get carried away and spend some intimate moments with a man?

    With Balaji Telefilms expanding its repertoire into other genres besides soaps, what is the next line of action?
    We are going to take many professionals who are experienced and motivated to keep our flag flying. We wouldn’t be thinking of taking amateurs in this regard.

    Shows which have impressed you recently?
    I used to like Des Mein… in the Aroona Irani days. I used to like Sanjivani-A Medical Boon in early days even when they had mixed romance with the medical profession. But once they boiled down to a Kasautii… when they had an Anurag, Prerna and Komolikas, it put me off.

    I enjoyed Kum Kum – Pyaara Sa Bandhan in the Chanda days, but then Aman Varma was brought into the picture and I couldn’t even make out between the present and the flashback which scenes. I had skipped some episodes in between and Tusshar Kapoor who also loves to see television, updated me. I am not saying that the story telling was bad, but it was not interesting.

    Your ascent must have made a lot of Balaji people green with envy?
    Frankly speaking, there are hardly any old-timers left. I started about four-and-half years back, and the oldest people right now are just two years old. There “were” bad vibes between some colleagues and me, but that happens in every office.

    So you will always be the second lead at the soap called Balaji?
    Yeah, just a second lead. But I’ll always be always that second lead (laughs).

    Marriage?
    About two years away. My fiancée has gone to the US. When he comes back, we’ll tie the knot.
  • ‘Despite my face being splashed all over, I can still lead my life the way I want to. What more can I ask for?’ : Shweta Agarwal

    ‘Despite my face being splashed all over, I can still lead my life the way I want to. What more can I ask for?’ : Shweta Agarwal

    She is a stunner! And that is an honest confession.

    After witnessing her on -screen avtaar at a staged launch, one wasn't really sure what to expect when an interview at a local coffee joint was scheduled. But boy, did we rub our eyes in disbelief when she tiptoed in.

    That's the latest "ugly duckling waiting to turn into a beautiful swan" Nikki of Star Plus' newest entrant Dekho Magar Pyaar Se – – –alias model cum actor Shweta Agarwal, for you.

    Read on for a heart to heart that transpired thereafter with indiantelevision.com's Vickey Lalwani.
     

    When did the acting bug bite you?
    Having done my schooling from Dehradun, I came to Mumbai for college studies. After I graduating from St Xavier's, I did a couple of music videos and then shifted down South to do films.
     

    But, didn't you also act in couple of TV serials here as well?
    Yes. I did Shagun (Star Plus) and Babul Ki Duayen Leti Ja (Zee). In fact, I was the main lead in both the shows. But when the movies beckoned, I could not ward off the temptation. So I told the production houses and channels about it and they terminated my character in such a way that it didn't look unnatural.

    At that point of time, I thought that I was getting a great opportunity to do films, which I should not fritter away. I did five films (four Telugu, one Kannada).
     

    So why did you come back?
    It was not easy staying there. I started missing home.
     

    Were you staying alone?
    My mom and brother used to take turns and visit me, but they didn't stay on for long periods.
     

    Coming from a Marwari background, did you face parental opposition when you initially announced your decision to join the entertainment industry?
    Luckily, my parents are supportive. Plus, my dad graduated from the Film Institute, however, later got into business. My grandfather (maternal) owned a recording studio. So, showbiz is not an alien concept to my family. We are pretty cool about it. No hang-ups, what so ever.
     

    Back in Mumbai, did you start missing the filmi atmosphere down South?
    Before I could get some free time to even think about it, I got a few more videos. Almost immediately, I got a call for Dekho Magar Pyaar Se. I went for the audition. During the audition, they tested if I would look comfortable carrying weight. Nikki is a very fat girl, and as you can see, I am not fat in reality. So it wasn't going to be easy.

    Every behavioral aspect of Nikki had to be like that of an overweight girl. You could put on lot of padding on your body, but you need to be able to walk and sit like an overweight person. Of all the contestants (and there were many!!!!), I looked the most convincing with all that weight on.
     
    'I quoted them an X amount. They thought it was too high. So I requested that instead I be allowed to lead a normal life'
     

    Has Indian television come to a stage where glamour is slipping into the background?
    Any sort of change is either liked by the people or not. You will always get extreme reactions for any change. With Jassi, the transition of the protagonist from a beautiful saree clad girl to a plain bespectacled Jane worked. So, you may say that glamour is not essentially a requisite now. But the timing had to be just right. It came when the audience readily lapped it. Yet, a day will come when people will look forward for a "transformation".

    Jassi… happened at the right time, followed by Yeh Meri Life Hai, which I think is also doing quite well.
     

    But how is it that such deglamorised protagonists strike the right chord with the audience in today's times when fashion rules the roost?
    See, fashion rules the roost in upper-class homes, the high-society. But television isn't "the entertainment source" for the high society, but it is for the middle-class and the poor sections of the society. Therefore the association is much better and the identification is almost instant. There is a feel-good sentiment when you see a simple, fat, and ugly protagonist. It tells them you don't have to spend hundreds and thousands to look good. It tells them you don't have to feel inferior and ashamed of your appearance because you can be superior in many other ways.

    If you have a great looking girlfriend who is not a nice person, how long will your relationship last?
     

    But the girlfriend can be good in looks and heart at the same time?
    (Laughs).
     
    'DMPS is a boost to fat people who feel, rather live under a myth, that they can't fall in love'
     

    You said that you were comfortable in carrying the weight put on you for Nikki's character? How did this comfort originate?
    My dad and uncles are very chubby. There have been others who have been very, very fat in my family. So I have seen them how they walk, how they fit themselves into a chair, so it came sort of naturally to me. When I was small, I too was plump; it was baby fat, which I shed with age. So you see, I didn't have to do much homework for this role.

     
    The homework was not difficult, rather, wasn't required as you say. But at the end the day…
    (Interrupts) You said it! That's not easy. Carrying so much weight for hours together, the hair pulled back so tightly that I perpetually have a headache is very, very exhausting.
     

    Exhausting?
    Yes! But that is part and parcel, right! The energy surges back, when I drive back home. The hoardings on the streets, the fan mail I am getting… the adrenaline begins to flow…

    My mom is my biggest fan. She is on a complete high. She has gone checking the hoardings all around the city.
     
    But if given a choice, wouldn't you have preferred if you had a show where you looked your usual self. With the kind of advertisement campaigns we have these days, it would have generated more buzz than your previous shows. This in turn would have given you direct recognition with the masses.
    Not really. This is a blessing in disguise. Despite my face being splashed all over, I can still lead my life the way I want to. What more can I ask for? I wouldn't like people coming and mobbing me if I am sitting with my friends for a coffee or partying.
     

    Have friends and relatives, who didn't know that you were acting in 'DMPS', called to verify with you?
    It has taken them time, plus they are very apprehensive before checking. They'll call up and generally ask this way, "Oh Shweta, is that Nikki you by any chance?" Believe it or not, there are some close friends with whom I party, but they refused to believe when I told them that I was the DMPS girl!
     

    Did you suspect that Star's 'DMPS' will be compared to Sony's 'Jassi…'?
    From day one! My look is obviously going to draw parallels with Mona Singh's. But DMPS and Jassi…are as different as chalk and cheese. Both are bought from the same company. How can the same company shell out two similar products one after another? Plus I think the make-ups are quite different (pauses).
     
    Go on…
    I think if someone spots Mona Singh in person, he will know she is Jassi. But if someone sees me in person, he wouldn't know I am Nikki.
     

    Why?
    Mainly because her body is the same. Plus the face is not overdone in any terms. It's just the wig and the spectacles that come between Jassi and Mona. Mona probably even walks and talks the same way in real life as she does in the serial.

    On the other hand, if you see my behaviour and body language, it's completely different. There's even a different connotation in my voice. I have been shown very timid to begin with. So I am working at my voice accordingly. Later of course, with time, my voice will change as I gain confidence.
     
    ''DMPS' is the story of a fat girl. It begins with a girl, who is fat and remains fat till the end'
     

    We hear, Sony is planning to unmask the real Mona Singh soon. Is Star too going to adopt the same policy?
    No. DMPS is the story of a fat girl. It begins with a girl, who is fat and remains fat till the end.
     

    But isn't fatness being propagated in some way? Pray, obesity is dangerous…
    (Interrupts) We are not propagating obesity. At the end of the day, DMPS is a boost to fat people who feel, rather live under a myth, that they can't fall in love. Imagine Adnan Sami being thin. How many people will love him after he becomes thin?

    Believe me, people on my sets say that I look so cute in that overweight get up that they wish I really looked like that.
     
    But, what does Shweta Agarwal feel?
    (Smiles) Given a choice, I love the way I am. But even if I was fat, which I told you I was once upon a time, I still would wears trendy outfits, attended parties and did what every normal teenager does. Even today, I don't go to gym and do any workout to keep myself in shape.
     
    Now for the main question. Are there no restrictions from Star that you shouldn't move out as yourself in public?
    I had an option of being contracted with them completely or do it the way I wanted to.
     

    Please elaborate.
    I quoted them an X amount. They thought it was too high. So I requested that instead I be allowed to lead a normal life.
     
    One gets a feeling that Star hurried up with 'DMPS' simply because Sony was coming up with two new shows- 'Hum 2 Hai Na' and 'Aayushman' after a week's time. A knee-jerk reaction. Right?
    Wrong. Actually, DMPS was supposed to launch early July. But since we did not have enough in the episode bank, it got delayed. Since the Star and Sony launches were so close, you get that feeling. If Star were really keen to push it, DMPS would have hit the tube in June. Maybe Star would be in a better position to answer this one.
     
    How is your personal life like?
    (Smiles) Lots of relatives, lots of friends. I am very happy.
     

  • “You may be full of ideas & storylines but you rather not forget that you’re making the show for the channel”:Cinevistaas’ creative director Namit Sharma

     It all began with a brief affair with journalism. After doing freelance writing on entertainment for E-Times, The Metropolis on Saturday (both no more), Bombay Times, the Sunday Times of India, Sunday Review, Mid-day, The Asian Age, Screen, Cosmopolitan, Femina, Zee Premier and Raga to Rock, television beckoned. And this first class graduate in Physics went whole hog for it.

    He began as a production executive on The Bournvita Quiz Contest (Zee TV), went on to become assistant director on a weekly talk show Point Blank (In Mumbai) and worked as host-cum-director of Adaraniya Pradhan Mantri (Zee TV). He again got back to Bournvita Quiz Contest, this time as a production manager, where he designed the look of the production for a brand new season.

    Assistant director and scriptwriter on Duniya Gol Hai (Home TV), India’s answer to America’s funniest home videos, he went on to script 13 episodes of Superhit Muqabla (DD Metro), scripted 13 episodes of Bakeman’s Ooh La La (Star Plus), developed and contributed to scripting of about 15 episodes of Movers and Shakers (Sony Entertainment Television) and Uncensored (Sony Entertainment Television), wrote and directed one MTV Filmi Funda, directed the introductory spot segments for Femina Miss India- 1998, edited an audiovisual on 75 years of Hindi cinema for Filmfare Awards 1999… and worked on many live events.

    Oh, what a list!

    It’s about time he did some talking. Meet Cinevistaas’ creative director Namit Sharma, in conversation with indiantelevision.com’s Vickey Lalwani.

    Why did you try your hand at so many things?
    You may call me an experience junkie (smiles). At that point of time, I thought it was necessary to explore as many avenues as possible in this huge field of media. I wanted to settle down in one of the better ones. Also, I believe if you latch on to a profession, you should know all its aspects. Like if you are a journalist, you should know how channels function, how TV production houses work, how acting fraternity joins in the fray. You should meet as many people as possible, you should not only know how to file stories but, if you have the time, you should also try and understand how the layouts are done; you should try to get as much knowledge of the entire 360-degree churn as possible. And what better way, if age is on your side and you get the opportunity, than to get the first-hand experience.

    You opting out of Sony and joining Cinevistaas had raised many eyebrows?
    It was the extension of my own strategy that I joined Sony Entertainment Television (Set) as an executive producer in 1999 (and worked till 2002). At Set, I focused mainly on non-fiction and events; it was a great experience to be in the midst of Raveena Raj Kohli and Sunil Lulla. It may have raised eyebrows, because, I had been there for three years but nothing had gone wrong when I decided to leave Sony.

    What really happened was that I was offered an opportunity where I could grow and I went for it. I had been associated with Cinevistaas in a small way before. I had written a musical game show for them which was hosted by Talat Aziz and Archana Puransingh and aired on UTV but withdrawn after a few episodes. However, we had a wonderful relationship going. Siddharth Malhotra and I had become good friends and were frequently in touch. One day Siddharth called and asked if I was interested in taking up the post of a creative director in Cinevistaas. At that point of time, I had pretty much done whatever I could at Sony. I wanted to move on to the next possible level and grow further. So, I joined Cinevistaas in November ’02.

    First I was associated with the making of three pilots Saathiya, Zaroorat Hai, Zaroorat Hai (coming up on Sahara from August in all probability) and Jeevan Mrityu (now titled as Saaksshi). From January ’03, I was asked to take over Sanjivanis.

    But you opted out of ‘Sanjivani’ in October ’03. Why?
    I did it out of choice. In fact, I myself told Sunil Mehta that I wanted to do some other show. If you go on doing the same thing, creativity starts taking a back seat at some point of time. You start stagnating. Every show needs new blood to be pumped in at regular intervals which would help it look fresh.

    I even took a two-month sabbatical from being involved in the storylines. I got involved in the marketing of Saathiya and Jeevan Mrityu. Sahara bought the former, Sony bought the latter.

    What are the creative challenges you face?
    Several, actually. It’s a funny situation which Indian television finds itself in today’s times. Production houses have one vision while the channels have another. A creative professional is constantly asking himself – Should I stick to my guns or should I give in? But as a creative person, you can’t just prefer one over the other. At the end of the day, you cannot kill your talent. You are inherently full of ideas, storylines, among other things. But at the same time, you cannot or rather not forget that you are making the show for the channel. So, you have to make the two visions meet at a very amicable point.

    In a nutshell, a creative professional has to meet the channel’s expectations and yet deliver something that he is convinced about. As for me, since I have worked on both sides of the fence — production house and broadcast channel — it’s relatively easy for me to connect the two.

    But doesn’t it happen sometimes that you deliver something that you are not convinced about?
    It happens, but it is a part of our job. This happens in every profession. Let’s take journalism. An interviewer may not be convinced of interviewing a particular person but if his editor wants it, he has to do it. Let’s take films. Don’t filmmakers make films deviating from their forte just to tell the world that they don’t make only one type of cinema? Don’t filmmakers bow down to the demands of the distributors and add scenes which they aren’t very comfy with?

    Does the interference of channels irritate your sensibilities at times?
    It does. But as a creative professional you ought to go back to the bottom-line of creativity.

    Which is?
    Creativity does not work in isolation (pauses).

    Go on…
    If I sit in this room, write a story and manage to put it on air, what are the chances that it will work? But if I have a bouncing board, the success probability is definitely higher. We ‘creatives’ ought to discuss or even argue our ideas with any and every person available. Even a peon for that matter will do, because, he and his family is our audience. We make television for other people, not for ourselves. So we need inputs on how they think, what they want and what they don’t want.

    How important is it for you to get along with writers? What happens if your final creative product (designed by you and the channel) is eventually challenged by the director or actor on the sets?
    This does happen but not in a major way. If the director or the actor wants a line or two changed, we consider the proposal and take a call. Sometimes I comply, that is if and when I am convinced totally. But sometimes, I put my foot down, I tell them that I know my head is on the line but please go ahead as I am more than sure what I am doing.

    How do you develop the characters?
    From real life, like there is a lot of my college friends in Amar Upadhyay and Sanjit Bedi of the recent Saathiya. There is a lot of my own mother in Mouli Ganguly’s mom Shilpa Tulaskar in Saaksshi. Even Arjun Punj of Sanjivani was as spunky as some of my friends. Importantly, I sit with my writers and take the incidents from their personal lives as well. Television is a medium where you need characters that the viewers identify with, not make-believe characters.

    Punj was dropped, but now we hear you’ll are contemplating to bring him back?
    I won’t be able to endorse that, because, I am not involved with Sanjivani. At this point of time, I am doing Saathiya and Zaroorat Hai, Zaroorat Hai. Recently, I also did Saaksshi but for just the first eight episodes.
    “Television is a medium where you need characters that the viewers identify with, not make-believe characters“

    After which it underwent changes?
    Yes, I had launched the show and done the first eight episodes. Originally, the show was planned as a linear story. Set took a call that they needed to try another formula and gauge the audience response; they made it episodic. They said that their research showed that weekend shows generate newer audiences in contrast to dailies which are habit forming and have a loyal following. With this format, the story does not go too much ahead in every episode.

    Back to creativity aspects. Do you think creativity is really encouraged on Indian television? Or is it mediocrity?
    I know why you ask this. But please understand. Today, television is big business. You can’t experiment much. You can’t experiment as M F Hussain did by making films like Meenaxi and Gajagamini.

    But there are higher stakes involved in films?
    Yes and no. If you are looking at it singularly with respect to one show, it’s yes. But it’s wrong to look at a TV show in that manner. Let’s consider an example. For Sony, ‘Saaksshi’ is not just one show but a part of the larger business plan. Sony in turn is a part of the larger plan of Columbia Tristar Television. You can’t look at TV shows microscopically. Similarly, our Sanjivani is not just one show for Star Plus. It is a part of the larger plan of Star India which in turn is a part of the larger strategy of Rupert Murdoch. You ought to understand television that way.

    There is no larger godfather in film business. Mind well, the huge set-up of television is not a dampener on creativity. If a creative person understands how television functions, he can still find several nuances where he can offer valuable inputs to the final product. It is just the question of how innovative you can get within the parameters.

    All shows don’t click. Can you spot a winner beforehand?
    To start with, every creative person feels that his project will be a winner. Then comes the ‘kismat and ‘karma’. By ‘kismat’ and ‘karma’, I mean how aggressively your product will be promoted in a unique way to click with the audience. For that, the channel should be able to detect the USP of the show. Plus the channel should be able to give great ideas. Like I remember we didn’t start off Sanjivani very well, but Star Plus came up with the idea that we need to add melodrama into the story. The ratings almost doubled instantly. So, winners are made and never born. Like we are very happy with the way Sahara Manoranjan is promoting Saathiya.

    But doesn’t it worry you that ‘Saathiya’ is on Sahara where the TRPs of the channel per se are not high? Wouldn’t it have been better if it had been on Star or Sony?
    There are production houses which take a show and pass it around. They tell those channels as to who others they have offered.

    Isn’t it possible that some other production house lays its hands on the project while it is lying with some channel?
    There is that risk element. It used to happen in the past, but now it’s decreasing. More fair play has come into the system. The culture has changed. Professionalism has increased. Earlier there were lots of ‘filmi guys’ in television. Now a lot many people have come from advertising industry and media schools. It has become cooperative and systemised to a large degree. In the West, the system is, however, much better. There are screenings where the channels bid for the show. After six or seven years, I believe our markets will also open up in that manner.

    You said you don’t work on all shows. This is quite unlike Balaji Telefilms where…
    (Interrupts) Yeah. In Balaji, Ekta Kapoor looks into each and every show. Our’s is more of how UTV functions. We have a few creatives who report to Sunil Mehta and Prem Kishen.

    You earlier said that you sit a lot with your scriptwriters. Are you seriously satisfied with the scriptwriters’ lot in today’s times?
    Quality wise, we aren’t too short. But quantity wise, yes. Importantly, I feel seriously satisfied with a scriptwriter only if I can interact with him on personal level. I find time to sit with them at coffee outlets or even at my home, where we sometimes just chat and have fun. Sometimes we work even at their home. They need to feel comfortable. You can’t force someone to write beautifully, you first need to create the conditions for that. It is very important for a creative director and a scriptwriter to gel with each other so that they work in absolute harmony.

    Can creative people become good business people?
    Of course! Yash Chopra and Subhash Ghai are living examples.

    Who are the TV producers you admire apart from Cinevistaas?
    Tony and Deeya Singh. And Ekta’s success story is mind blowing, though I may not agree with all her serial stories per se. I don’t miss Kasautii Zindagi Kay and Kahiin To Hoga. She has redefined television in the minds of the viewers and is in absolute control. If one could get even 1/50th of that, it would mean a lot.

    Now that your ‘Saathiya’ locks horns with ‘Kasautii…’, which one will you see?
    (Laughs) Obviously Saathiya.

    Where do you see yourself five years from now?
    Directing a film. If Cinevistaas would give me that break, I would really appreciate. Otherwise, I’ll look around, although I really look up to them in awe. I can walk into Mr Mehta’s room and say that I want to make a pilot. I may tell him the story in three lines and he would not refuse.
  • “We have given 3 concepts to Sahara & Sony for which we are awaiting a reply”:Rahul Productions’ Smita Thackeray

    “We have given 3 concepts to Sahara & Sony for which we are awaiting a reply”:Rahul Productions’ Smita Thackeray

    Smita Thackeray, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s daughter-in-law, is slowly expanding her footprint on Indian television. Entertainment has been her weakness, rather something which she has loved to be actively involved with. Whether it is producing serials, films or controlling the piracy menace, she has taken up the cudgels and not just left it at that, but attempted to see them to their logical conclusion.

    Her latest serial Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Dhooom (K3D) starring Pallavi Joshi and Ali Asgar has clear shades of yesteryears’ popular films Brahmachari and Mr India, but it’s early days yet to say whether it will set the cash registers ringing. The serial airs on Star Plus on Fridays at 7.30 pm.

    Indiantelevision.com’s Vickey Lalwani caught up with Thackeray on the sidelines of the preview of K3D.

    Snippets from the chat:

    You seem to be becoming a big player in Indian television?
    Basically I am very fond of the entertainment media, be it dramas, films or serials. Plus, I think television has grown as an industry in the last one year by leaps and bounds. So why not? We have Bhagya Vidhata (ETV Marathi) which completed 100 episodes recently. Then we’ve done Jhenp (again ETV Marathi), which portrayed how cancer patients “are” treated and how they “should have been” treated, also we had Khel on Sony.

    It is surprising that you haven’t attempted soaps or thrillers in Hindi programmes so far. Most new producers soon take, or rather begin with, the safer route of a soap (mostly) or a thriller (sometimes)?
    I know. But I want my first outputs in Hindi programmes to be the ones which are close to my heart. Coming to K3D, I have always felt very much for the kids who are devoid of parental love. These children lead a very edgy life. If you respect them, they respect you more. But if you’re harsh to them, they retaliate. But yes, I have plans for soaps and thrillers on Indian television in the near future.

    What is your involvement as a TV producer?
    Right from the word ‘Go’ I am involved with my project. To begin with, I sit for for all story sessions. I firmly believe that television is story telling. You stretch the story but keep the audience interest alive constantly. Only then will the show succeed.

    How do you select the story?
    I go with my inner voice. It’s purely instinctive. Of course, I ask some of the close and senior members of the team who are directly involved in production.

    What’s happening to your film ‘Hum Do Hamara Ek’ starring Govinda and Raveena?
    It has been delayed beyond imagination. I had lots of problems with the actors’ dates. I will not absolve myself from blame. During its making, I was unable to devote much time to it; I was too busy with IMPAA. More recently, I had problems in selling the film too.
    “TV and film business are two different ball games“

    Did the film face a selling problem because Raveena and Govinda are not happening anymore?
    The distributors haven’t told me the reason, but I think Govinda is a great actor.

    Think of it. There is a chance that Govinda’s film can set the cash registers ringing because he has recently romped home in the Lok Sabha elections with a thumping margin.

    The distributors should understand that (laughs).

    It’s easy in films once you appoint a director. Isn’t it different on television?
    (Smiles) It is. On television, the channel contributes a lot of inputs. Every person sitting in the channel has a different mindset and vision. It’s a huge team work. You have to go as per the channel’s requirement. You have to accept it. You have to meet at a common point on everything. TV and film business are two different ball games.

    Coming to ‘K3D’, how has the experience been during the making?
    It has been fun. Plus there have been situations which have been difficult to deal with. Like we have selected mostly those kids who have faced the camera before. Yet kids are very unpredictable. One moment, they’ll give you one expression. The next moment, in the second take for the same shot, they’ll give you a different expression.

    Did you cast Pallavi Joshi and Ali Asgar in the leads, or was the channel (Star Plus) instrumental in casting them?
    They were clear that they wanted good-looking, well-known faces. And I wouldn’t disagree on that. It gives a polished look to the project. We suggested Pallavi and Ali and they did not take long to endorse the same.
    “Star Plus was clear that they wanted a good-looking, well-known face for K3D“

    You said you are fond of kids. Are you planning any films on kids? And what else is happening on the film front?
    I may come up with a kids film in near future, if I get a good script. I see a lot of Pogo channel myself. Look at our kids going crazy over Spy Kids 3. I am pained that we Indians don’t concentrate on making films like these.

    On other types of films, I am planning a biggie with Rajkumar Santoshi as director. Plus there’s Hum Jo Keh Na Paye starring Anupam Kher, Gauri Karnik and Abhijit Sanyal.

    Let’s talk about your TV soap and thriller which is coming up in the near future.
    That reminds me, there’s comedy too. Actually, we have given three concepts to Sahara and Sony put together – comedy, soap and thriller. We are awaiting a reply.

    How was your tenure at the IMPAA (Indian Motion Pictures and Producers’ Association) Piracy Vigilance Forum?
    When I assumed office, I could control the cable operators. Almost 80 per cent of these operators listened to me, whether owing to my position or out of respect. Now, video parlours have become players in this regard, add this to the CDs we get mainly from Malaysia and Dubai – it was a very difficult situation to control. We needed the police and the government’s cooperation, but unfortunately, there wasn’t substantial cooperation from them; they had other issues which were more important and serious than piracy.

    Is that why you resigned from the Piracy Vigilance Forum?
    I formed my own academy where I could involve people from other associations. While I was in IMPAA, people from other associations were apprehensive of supporting me. I want to give better results for the welfare of the industry with this academy. I needed more active participation. We have just started. Give me some time. I am trying my best. We have conducted many raids in video parlours.

    These people are not easy to deal with. You shut their shop; the next week they re-emerge. We want the producers to cooperate as well; they need to take control of their print security because most of the piracy happens before the film is released, during the time of preview etc. Cops and politicians must join the battle in a bigger way. Crores of industry money is going down the drain on almost a regular basis. It’s a long, difficult journey. But I am hopeful.
  • “In terms of judging an idea, Arunaji is more open to discussion. Earlier, Ekta too was, but of late, she is not the same person”: scriptwriter Mrinal Jha

    “In terms of judging an idea, Arunaji is more open to discussion. Earlier, Ekta too was, but of late, she is not the same person”: scriptwriter Mrinal Jha

    "I have a fascination for thrillers, but don't forget, I also wrote many episodes of Rajni. Today, I would even love to do a soap. I have the basic criterion of a good writer, that is because I have been an avid reader from childhood," says writer Mrinal Jha, who also wrote a chunk of Mano Ya Na Mano and Kaahin Kissii Roz. Currently, she pens Meher for DD too.

    As of now, Jha, who co-authored the novel November Rain on which Aruna Irani's Tum Bin (Zee) is based, is terribly peeved. "Ekta Kapoor has taken concept credit for Kya Haadsa Kya Haqeeqat (Sony) but the first episode of her current series was almost a frame to frame copy of my series," she complains.

    Jha has gone ahead and served a legal notice on Balaji Telefilms for "concept theft" over their latest series Kya Haadsa Kya Haqeeqat.

    In her freewheeling interview to indiantelevision.com's Vickey Lalwani, Jha spoke about her distress, Balaji House stint, and lots more. Excerpts:

    When did you first realise that the "concept theft" had happened?
    Before it came on air. I had read the synopsis of the show released by the channel in a section of the press. It read word to word of what our content of Tum Bin is. I made it a point to see the first episode. And I even recorded it. To say that I was flabbergasted would be an understatement.

    How did you check your doubts?
    What doubts? It was as clear as a crystal from the first scene. There are certain key sequences which define a concept clearly. The key sequences shown were an exact replica of Tum Bin: A boy's lover dies. He does a planchet to figure out where she is likely to be reborn, and is guided to the exact place. But upon reaching there, he realises there isn't a newborn at that site and returns disappointed. However seconds after he leaves, a pregnant lady enters the scene to suggest that the prophesy was true, but the hero could not meet his lover in a reincarnated form. The order of sequences gave it away. I am not laying any copyright claim on the planchet concept per se.

    You have blamed the person who originated with the concept (Ekta), not the writer (Mushtaq Sheikh)?
    The concept originates before the screenplay writer pens his stuff, doesn't it?

    You and Ekta have worked together before. Couldn't you'll have resolved it amongst yourselves?
    To be frank with you, Ekta knew about this concept. I had discussed it with her. She has even read November Rain. When this serial was being made, I was still working with Balaji. The fact that she lifted it without even asking has hurt me considerably. She very well knows how close Tum Bin is to my heart.

    "If the audience has already seen the chain of events in Kya Haadsa Kya Haqeeqat, and the mystery that will unfold, why will they sit and watch a daily Tum Bin?"

    A still from 'Tum Bin'

    Still, isn't your complaint too harsh? Recently, 'Bhabhi' did a take on 'Trishul', 'Saara Akaash' did a take on 'Lagaan', 'Sanjivani-A Medical Boon' did a take on 'Masoom'. We all are inspired by each other…
    (Interrupts) It's okay if a scene or two is same. Don't miss the point. How can the entire concept be the same? I have seen the latter episodes and I know what I am talking. If you recall, a party had raised objection to the serial Kanhaiya (Zee) saying that the concept was their's. The Court gave a decision in favour of that party.

    Does 'Tum Bin' stand to lose out?
    Yes, it might. Due to its condensed format, KHKH is moving at a faster rate. If the audience has already seen the chain of events and the mystery that will unfold, why will they sit and watch a daily Tum Bin?

    You sound extremely peeved?
    I am. If this is allowed to pass, this would signal the end of creativity on Indian television. Every second TV serial maker will lift concepts from anywhere and everywhere.

    How do you expect to be compensated?
    I am not fighting for money. I am fighting for justice to creativity.

    Would you be okay if she puts your name in credit titles hereafter?
    No. That cannot be done. It would suggest that she has run out of ideas. It would also contradict my selling of the rights to A K Films. The ideal thing would be that this particular series of KHKH is taken off air.


    A still from 'Tum Bin'
    "I am not fighting for money. I am fighting for justice to creativity"

    Is there originality on television today?
    There "is" originality. But we need to place a value on that. This is a golden opportunity to send out the message loud and clear that originality should be protected.

    How do we do that?
    There should be a Copyright Act which should clearly spell out what plagiarisation is. Believe me, plagiarisation is one of the main causes of why there's a dearth of writers in India. If there's no law to protect what is rightfully mine and doing well, why would any other writer work hard to be innovative? Besides, there should be a punishment for copying; a punishment which should be implemented in practice and not remain just on paper.

    Do you blame the channels for asking the producers to dish out only what is working? In other words, aren't the channels responsible for the herd mentality if one may put it mildly?
    You said it! This is one of the biggest problems in today's television in our country. It is easier to convince people by telling them ideas similar to what is already on air rather than dishing out something different.

    Think of it, the herd mentality is a collaborated effort?
    I would put it this way. Collaboratively, we aren't doing anything (laughs). Believe me, it's a very dangerous scenario. Soon, Indian television might find itself in the morass which Indian cinema found itself in the late 90s when it ran out of ideas and subjects.

    Rewind. Why did you leave Balaji House?
    I worked on the second phase of Mano Ya Na Mano and also Captain House. I was working on Kaahin Kissii Roz and during that time, it had entered the reincarnation phase. Tum Bin which also featured reincarnation had come on air and I felt I was repeating myself.

    Are you hinting that 'Kaahin Kissii Roz' should have ended before it entered the reincarnation phase?
    No. I understand that if a daily is doing reasonably well, there is no need to end it. Continuity is the basic funda of a daily. But KKR was a thriller set against a family backdrop. I didn't like the fact that it was gaining supernatural overtones. The decision had been taken jointly by the production house (Balaji) and the channel (Star Plus). I couldn't do much about it. As a writer, I knew I wouldn't be enjoying myself on that track. So I opted out. If it would have remained in its original thriller format, I would have definitely continued.

    Why do you think the decision to change the format was taken?
    Most serials have moved 20 – 25 years ahead. I guess, they wanted to do the same in KKR. Seems, the general feeling is that new characters need to be introduced. It also may have something to do with the demographics of the country. There is a large amount of young population wanting to work. This is a new trend. Perhaps there is some study that has gone into this. They feel that they can rope in the young audience to watch family serials this way.

    You are currently writing 'Meher', but earlier someone else was writing. Is a change of writer good for the serial?
    Ideally, a writer should not change. It's not easy for the new writer who comes in. In case of Meher however, I have managed it easily because too many episodes had not rolled when I stepped in.

    What's the difference between Aruna Irani and Ekta Kapoor? You have worked with both of them.
    In terms of judging an idea, Arunaji is more receptive and open to discussion. Earlier, Ekta too was. Of late, she is not the same person.

    Is there any chance that you and Ekta may work again?
    Interestingly, I was in talks with Balaji for a new show when this mess happened (laughs). But from here on? (shrugs). I think the answer is obvious.
  • “Some might think I am too young, but I believe risk taking abilities are more important” : (Part II)

    “Some might think I am too young, but I believe risk taking abilities are more important” : (Part II)

    If there is a list drawn up of the hottest young television professionals in India, her name will surely figure in it.

    Coming from a family of bureaucrats, Monisha Singh has blazed a trail wherever she has been. Whether it was as an anchor for a DD show when in college. Or whether it was at Balaji Telefilms, in its early days, where as creative director she played a large hand in helping Ekta Kapoor build the fledgling production house.

    Or whether it is at UTV where she has, as a creative director for the past two years, been steering the diversified media firm’s creative for a handful of television shows, which are among the more successful ones it churns out.

    All this and she is just 26.

    The bubbly young lady loves being in the thick of it, at the centre of it all. Not for her the command centre, she has to be in the trenches, motivating her team of producers and eepees (executive producers) like a captain egging on his soldiers on the battlefield.

    The economics graduate and mass communications post graduate is itching to do things, to move on to newer fields to conquer.

    Indiantelevision.com’s Vickey Lalwani caught up with her and spoke with her over several days to understand Monisha Singh, the television professional.

    Excerpts from a two-part interview:

    What was your experience at the fledgling Balaji Telefilms? What is the production house all about? What makes it tick in your opinion?
    Balaji Telefilms was an amazing experience; it was like a family. I saw it grow from a small team of 10-12 people to a Rs 100 plus crore (Rs 1 billion plus) production giant. It was there that I learnt how to use my creativity and weave it into a web that works for television.

    It can be one of the most grueling experiences and yet one of the most enriching ones for anyone interested in creating content for television. According to me five months at Balaji are equal to five years at most other production houses. The pace, logistics, hard work, team effort and creative drive exposes you to real television.

    They have learnt to maximize the creative and the production resources that they have, cut costs and yet give the final product a fantastic look. It is the clever use of money that they have mastered. Agreed that they get higher budgets then most others in the industry do, but then their shows get higher TRPs, which is not unfair. They don’t waste this extra money, they utilise it intelligently. Overall, there is a creative energy flowing through the organization courtesy Ekta.

    While the environment was energizing and fulfilling, I had to get further up the learning curve and expand my portfolio. And opportunity came my way in the form of UTV, which was as mature as Balaji was young.

    What excited you about UTV? What were the challenges?
    UTV is the big daddy of television; one of the oldest and most successful production houses. What it offers creative people is a huge library of creative knowledge accumulated over the years of dealing with almost every channel and genre.

    It has pioneered and created some of the more successful game shows, reality shows, soaps, comedies, quiz shows, action-based shows, thrillers and kids shows. Since I had primarily been involved with soaps, UTV attracted me as it would give me the opportunity to explore many more genres.

    UTV isn’t just looking at television, it is in almost every field of entertainment be it in advertising film making or commercial cinema or non-fiction or animation. It makes for a huge learning.

    Has your one and a half years of experience at UTV lived up to your expectations?
    Yes, and in every sense. As a creative director my job was not just to visualize and create, but to also make sure that it is rightly executed. I had to strike a balance between operations and creative, which is to keep the budgets in check and above all make sure that the show does well in the rating game.

    We started Shakalaka Boom Boom, a kids daily show on Star Plus. It became my baby. I was involved in character creation, casting, sets, packaging, editing, keeping costs under control and making it gel well with kids who were its viewers. From what I know, it became a cult with them.

    I was also shaping Kehta Hai Dil, which was earlier episodic but later took on a linear story format. Being a weekly it offered me a different set of challenges. It is easier to make a daily a habit. In a weekly, the content has to be that much more compelling, stronger, to get the viewer back six days later. On top of that Keha Hai Dil is a one hour format, which is a further challenge as you have to keep the viewer glued to it for an hour when her attention span is so short because of competitive options. And I believe, going by its ratings and popularity, I, along with my team, have managed to make a success of it.

    UTV has helped me sharpen my people management skills as most of the professionals working here are more senior and experienced than I and they report to me.

    I have developed several multigenre concepts for television, have been reading exciting film scripts, and now with UTV coming up with a channel for the young, I am also involved in broadcasting.

    Could you elaborate on that?
    Sure. UTV is launching a channel for the young, and the main focus is going to be localised programming dealing from drama, fantasy, game shows to animation series. We would also be acquiring foreign content and dubbing it, but the focus will largely be local programming.

    Research has indicated that there is a huge gap in the market for kids programming. The current set of channels do not cater enough to the needs of kids. General entertainment channels have kids shows like Son Pari, Shararat, Shaka Laka Boom Boom, Hatim and The Magic Box. While these are hugely popular, there is nothing more to it. It is enough indication that there is a gap for kids content.

    Our agenda would be to appeal to every child viewer. Advertisers have accepted the growing influence of kids on purchase decisions for products as varied as cars to computers to mobile phones. Gone are the days when they were just being targeted for toothpaste and chocolates. Therefore they are looking for media vehicles to carry their advertising. And our kids channel will offer them just that ideal vehicle.

     

     

    “There is no set pattern or formula to spot a winner. Research helps us get the ingredients together but at the end of the day, it is gut feel and that instinct that helps you differentiate between a winner and a loser”

    What are the challenges you face as a creative professional? How do you overcome them?
    The day-to-day challenges are about operations and creative, which I have talked about earlier. On the second level, it is being able to forecast foresee trends, innovations and pioneer a trend, and stay ahead of the competition. Whoever thought that a Jassi would come up and cause so many ripples?

    Also we have to keep up with changing times and flavour of the month. With the election mood in the country, we have an elections plot being woven into Kehta Hai Dil.

    One has to keep churning out compelling content day in day out, so that the viewer does not shift to sports or news or whatever.

    On a personal level, the challenge is to enrich oneself creatively during the day-to-day bustle.

    How do I face up to the challenges? Well, they are a part of the job. And one deals with them.

    Do you think creativity in television is encouraged in India or is it mediocrity?
    Whoever said commercial television is only about creativity! Look at the west, television there is a creative science. Somebody comes up with a good idea, then armies of professionals – be it writers, script doctors, producers, directors or the suits – swoop in and work at making it a product that has a chance at success. Creativity for creativity’s sake is not television. Within the framework of making a successful, watchable product, you can experiment with creativity. And that’s how it should be.

    Generating a product doesn’t mean you are guaranteed success. You have to market it, do promotions, PR, even then you are not guaranteed success.

    Creativity is encouraged in India within these parameters. I cannot create a show that is going to be watched just by me. At the end of the day, we are here to create programming that generates mass viewership, better TRPs for our shows. Be it following a formula or breaking the mould, the result has to be better TRPs. One has to cater to the needs of the viewer.

    But the viewer is only going to view what we want him to view. If we don’t think out of the box, how do we get the viewer to sample. There were experiments like Josh, and Astitva.

    Yes, we need to get in more genres, we need to open our minds to handling some taboo subjects and issues, but we need to do so within our cultural sensibilities and sensitivities. We need better budgets and better advanced planning to make a better product, be it in the area of cinematography or story or art direction – basically the look and feel.
  • “The day perception towards writing changes, the sun will set on the herd mentality which rules the roost these days”: scriptwriter-actor Preeti Dayal

    “The day perception towards writing changes, the sun will set on the herd mentality which rules the roost these days”: scriptwriter-actor Preeti Dayal

     A lot many things about Sony’s serial Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahi has aroused curiosity among people. One thing that everyone wants to know is Jassi’s real identity. But what many don’t know is that the popular daily is being co-scripted by actress Preeti Dayal (of Banegi Apni Baat (BAB) fame) who plays Nilu in Kittie Party – a high society, firebrand activist, always helping people with their problems. Besides this, Dayal is also scripting the Star Plus weekly Saara Akaash. And if that was not enough, she has also been spotted recently in a couple of films too.

    This Delhi-based arts student was passionate about reading, acting and writing right from her college days, and in pursuit of satisfying one of her passion, took part in a lot of amateur theatre. Post-college, she also dabbled in computer graphics. Destiny took her to England with a team of professionals from a production house who had come to India for making a documentary on Moharram which was being made for Yorkshire TV. There, she not only assisted the production house behind the camera but was also asked to pen a few stories. She started writing non-fiction stories and anchoring them too.

    Alongside, she wrote some stories and safely tucked them away. Then she decided to come back to her roots with husband Jogi Dayal and son. This time she decided to shift base from Delhi to Mumbai – because she believed Mumbai had opportunities for her.

    indiantelevision.com’s Vickey Lalwani caught up with this actor-cum-writer in one of her moments of leisure. Excerpts of what transpired thereafter:

    How did ‘Jassi…’ happen?
    It was my long association with Tony and Deeya Singh since the Banegi… days and their belief in me that Jassi… was offered to me. I liked the narration given to me because it was very different from the typical saas-bahu serials. It’s a great feeling to be writing the much talked about serial of today.

    And how does it feel to write ‘Saara Akaash’?
    Saara Akaash is also very close to me. Again this is not like the usual soaps of today where most characters have short a shelf-life, and therefore I can explore each character to the hilt.

    How did you get into writing for Indian television?
    Quite by fluke. Zee had just launched the Rishtey series and were constantly on the lookout for writers. Actually, I had been asked to contact a friend of mine, who was the original choice for Rishtey. As luck would have it, my friend had to leave for Kanpur in a day or two and could not meet the demand of dishing out stories at a short notice.

    At this point of time, I was asked whether I knew someone, rather, anyone else. I stuck my neck out. I handed them around 10 scripts which I had penned and stocked. Out of that, two stories got selected and telecast. One was Halki Se Dhoop starring Madhavan and Iravati and the other was Pal Do Pal with Pawan Malhotra and Mrinal Kulkarni. I also got to write the screenplay and dialogue. Through Pawan, I met his wife Aparajita Krishna who was starting Antaral, for which I was later appointed to write the dialogues.

    And what about acting?
    Writing happened first. Around the time of Antaral, I was offered a role in BAB and Saans. Actually, Zee TV had just launched and there was a lot of work for everyone. I too tried to cash in on it. Sutapa Sikdar who was writing BAB suggested my name to Tony and Deeya Singh.

    Around that time, I also did a play titled Piano with Saurabh Shukla. It was about a man’s conversation over the telephone. And I was the voice on the other end of the phone.
    “I am in an industry which hardly sleeps, and I make the most of this fact“

    You’re a writer as well as an actor. How do you balance the two activities?
    I think the two are a foil to each other. I am in an industry which hardly sleeps. I make the most of this fact. I observe so many things around me, I meet a lot of people. I am constantly on the move. So I absorb a lot. Now… I need an outlet.

    As an actor, I cannot give vent to all my feelings. I personally feel that acting is giving vent to feelings. Like when a scene is narrated to me, it automatically gets associated to one of the happenings / situations in real life. Now, there is a limitation here. As an actor, I am bound by the script and the director. I can be a bit flexible but I can’t let my entire reaction pour out… (Pauses).

    Go on…
    But… I can do this when I am writing. I can give the lines to an actor, which I feel a character ‘must’ say in a given situation. That’s why I write. If you are going to ask me whether I am firm about I what want from life- acting or writing, my answer is- writing. Once a writer, always a writer.

    I took up acting because I wanted to try my hand at something different. But writing never leaves you. And I think it is more creative than acting. When it comes to films or serials, you are the creator of a character. And what that character does or says is what you want it to do.

    What are the requirements to be a writer?
    Anybody can scribble, but to be a good writer, you need to feel a lot while writing. It is this quality that helps me to write. Writing cannot be a mechanical process. Mechanical writing can assault a good concept; it can mar the best creativity and make it appear as sheer mediocrity. And of course, one needs a good command over the language he / she writes in.

    What is the basic requirement when you write a different serial like ‘Jassi…’? Or is it just one of those things?
    You need a sufficient number of like-minded writers for a serial like Jassi…. Like earlier in Jassi… we had only two writers. The ideal number would have been four from the word ‘Go.’ This would keep everyone fresh to write his/her chunk of episodes. So, the earlier days were a trying period. Although now we are getting more writers.
    “Mechanical writing can assault a good concept; it can mar the best creativity and make it appear as sheer mediocrity”

    Why do you need like-minded personnel?
    Like-minded means they should not only think but even write and speak in a similar manner. Else the serial will start suffering from jerks and would lose the regular flavour that it has. Wherever there is more than one writer involved, there should be a constant change of notes amongst them in the beginning. After a certain stage, (which we have thankfully achieved in Jassi… rather quickly), there is no need for me to see what the other guys are writing. A kind of flow sets in.

    Why will the show start suffering from jerks? Do you need like-minded personnel in soaps?
    If there are no like-minded people in soaps then it may not affect too much because every 10-15 days the focus keeps changing to different characters. If two different people have written two different tracks, the viewer won’t realise it. The concentration has shifted from actor A to actor B, so the change gets masked and importantly, does not hamper the continuity of the show. Jassi… is a character driven show where the focus does not shift from the protagonist. If she (Jassi) appears even slightly different the glitch would show.

    According to you, what is the difference between acting and writing?
    Acting in instinctive, while writing is not. I may be able to give ideas instinctively but weaving them together in the right kind of words which would hold the viewer’s attention involves a lot of craft. One needs to read and write a lot right from a young age. Plus the reading should be not of the ‘time pass’ type or ‘fast read’ type. Whatever one reads, meaty or fluffy, should be observed with a sharp eye. You can even say that actors are born, while writers are made.

    Let me know how close you go to ‘Betty La Fea’?
    I don’t think we go too close. Jassi… has been totally Indianised. Like, the values abroad are totally different. We have to treat the characters as Indians because they are shown as Indians, we can’t start making them think like the West. If Jassi… hadn’t been made keeping the Indian audience in mind, perhaps it would have been made differently. Like, the kissing and love-making scenes would have been retained. That would have given a different flavour and feeling.

    Plus, here the environment is totally different, though I don’t exactly know how Columbia television functions. There is too much pressure. We all know, TRPs matter a lot. The show should not slacken. In order to ensure that, many times we need to bring a few of the forthcoming episodes together and condense the story telling. The audience should not feel that the serial is dragging. Here, a writer plays an important role. He/she needs to have a foresight to see where exactly they need to do the compression.

    But then again, we can’t deviate from the main track as most serials do, because at the end of the day, we want to remake Betty La Fea only. It’s tough, interesting, challenging actually (Smiles).

    Was it easier to write ‘Jassi…’ because you already know the route?
    In that sense, yes. But it should be remembered that a writer has to curb many ideas which naturally come into his creative mind or those which someone bounces off to him, and hence there is no flexibility.

    Once, someone told me that Jassi should have been shown as an ugly duckling with a very seductive voice, working in a call centre. And some guys should have been shown going crazy after listening to her voice. They would have proposed to her on the phone. And then when they would meet her, they would bang their head against the wall! That would have created many funny and realistic scenes. Don’t such things happen in real life?

    Your one pen is for Star Plus (‘Saara Akaash’), while the other is for Sony (‘Jassi…’)?
    That makes my job more challenging. Many people have told me that I should give up one of the shows. But I am a creative person. Creativity needs change. I am lucky to have that change sitting in my lap. Both these shows offer two different flavours.
    “Actors are born, while writers are made”

    Do you get jammed while writing?
    In my case it is a different situation for each of the serials that I am writing.

    For Jassi…, since we know the middle and the end, there is no chance of getting jammed. For Saara Akaash, presently I am not involved with the twists and turns given to the plot. We plan to have monthly meetings where we all would put forward our inputs and one person would take the cudgel of taking the story forward for a particular period of time. That’s why I said earlier, more writers are required for any show for that matter. There has to be a demarcation of jobs.

    When you write the dialogues, do you prefer writing the hard hitting variety?
    I don’t like the stuff which goes over the top like ‘tumhari aakhri saanse mere haath mein hai’, ‘agar tumne yeh nahin kiya to dekh lena’… and the likes.

    Maybe this is my limitation. I will not be able to write stuff which hits the skies and comes out amidst thunder and lightning – something like what Komolika (Urvashi Dholakia in Kasautii…) or Pallavi (Sweta Kawaatra in Kahaani…) speak. I am more close to reality.

    ‘Saara Akaash’ started promisingly, but has not been able to sustain the high TRPs. Why?
    (Laughs) My two shows Jassi… and Saara Akaash clash with each other! Plus don’t forget that Saara Akaash is a one-hour weekly. A one-hour format is slightly dicey, some people forget to tune in on a particular week.

    Are those the only reasons for the dropping of ‘Saara Akaash’?
    Hmmm… no. I think we started with a bit of Air-Force and then got into love relationships. We did not balance the mix. Perhaps, it was not clear what was precisely required. We should have maintained a balance in the showcasing of professional and personal life of the protagonists but the personal lives began to dominate and the whole show became very soapy. But now… we are going back on the Air-Force track and focussing strongly that the guys still are very strong on their mission.

    But didn’t you’ll take a long time to go back?
    It’s not in one person’s hands. The channel, the producer, the writers, they all need to sit and reach a consensus. The final call is with the channel. If I had my way, I would have never deviated. Mind you, I am not talking about the early days when lots of changes were made and the whole thing was rewritten. I was not in the picture, then. I was brought in, because they wanted to give an urban feel to the show. Maybe I am categorised as a writer for urban stories (laughs). I am talking about the first four episodes only. I would have loved to maintain that tone.
    “A one-hour weekly format is slightly dicey as some people forget to tune in on a particular week“

    As a writer are you happy with the casting done for your serials?
    Not always. But I can’t give you examples where I have been unhappy. I can’t take names, that would hurt many artistes. (Laughs). But sometimes, there have been cases where I have been more than happy.

    A case in point was Om Puri in Antaral. He shocked me in most scenes which I wrote for him. He often took it way beyond I expected him to. Another case is Parmeet Sethi in Jassi…. He is a tremendous actor. I am surprised, sorry and shocked that he had little to no work sometime back.

    Why do you think there is a scarcity of writers on Indian television?
    There is a scarcity of writers on Indian television, but I know for a fact that there is a lot of talent in this department, which can be tapped. The problem is that the writers themselves are shying away. They nurse a myth that there is no scope for writing on Indian television.

    The same thing happened with me. I fared well in school. But when I joined Fine Arts in the Delhi College of Art, people who knew me asked me why don’t I take admission somewhere else? Those who didn’t know me took it for granted that I must have obtained very poor grades in school.

    There was a time when we all thought that the advertising industry didn’t have a scope. But now! Heavens! A day will come when the perception towards writing also will undergo a sea-change.

    Do you think television writers in India are paid well or no?
    That’s a difficult question. You can’t compare the salaries paid to a writer in India compared to a writer in the West. Go to see, there are a few cons which are the outcome of this. Writers and actors take up more projects than they can handle and then work against time. This is how the herd mentality is born.

    There is no time to think anything original… a lift has become very common now. Anyone who lifts, will obviously do that from something that has clicked and not from something that has bombed. Anyway, the day when the perception towards writing changes; the sun will set on the herd mentality which rules the roost these days. Till then, we need to wait patiently and make the best of what we have. Encouraging our kids to inculcate the hobby of reading and writing should be the first step on our behalf.

    ‘Kyunki…’ was a trend-setter. As a writer, do you feel that ‘Jassi…’ too can be one?
    I don’t think so. As I told you earlier, Jassi… is a character driven show. Now, this ugly duckling concept is too much of a micro. It would come across as highly repetitive, if anything similar was attempted again.

    On the other hand, the saas bahu shows are repetitive in concept, but they bring out different situations in everyday life of most people. One can create a thousand tracks and many a times viewers can identify with these. Hence they can identify with the ‘saas bahu’ shows to a large extent.

    How much did the aggressive marketing methods adopted by Sony help in ‘Jassi…’ being a success?
    Tremendously. The marketing succeeded in generating a huge curiosity factor by which Jassi became a household name even before the first episode had been telecast. Brilliant is the word for the marketing methods adopted by Sony on Jassi…
    “The marketing of ‘Jassi…’ succeeded in generating a huge curiosity factor by which Jassi became a household name even before the telecast of the first episode“

    How come you ventured into films?
    There were a lot of offers which came my way in the past few years. But there was nothing substantial that I could be proud of, so I kept dilly-dallying. Eventually, I did Saaya (John Abraham, Tara Sharma) and Dhoop (Sanjay Suri, Gul Panag).

    Have you enjoyed doing films?
    I have. I like the elaborate planning that goes in the making of a film. It’s all very organised and streamlined. But if you are not a hero or heroine, it has its cons also. A lot of your scenes may get chopped at the editing table. But yes, I am one actor who doesn’t mind waiting on the set – be it films or television. Michael Keane had once said “Acting is one profession where you are paid to wait, so you bloody well wait!”

    Did your portions in films get chopped ever?
    I said that from a first-hand experience (Laughs). I had two scenes in Honey Irani’s last release Armaan – one with Anil Kapoor, the other with Amitabh Bachhchan. When Armaan released, I was not in the film at all!

    What are your future plans?
    I intend to write a film script. There have been good offers, even before Jassi… happened. Post Jassi…, such offers have multiplied. But time is a constraint. I don’t want to scribble!

    I would also like to do a play. I get very excited when I see artistes on stage. I will not do anything for a stop-gap arrangement, but only when I have the time at my disposal.
  • “Soaps are not my domain and I don’t think I will be able to direct them well” B P Singh – Fireworks Productions

    “Soaps are not my domain and I don’t think I will be able to direct them well” B P Singh – Fireworks Productions

    C.I.D hasn’t been hogging the limelight with double-digit TVR figures, but its consistent presence week-after-week is an indicator that it has a loyal following even after five years of being on-air. What is heartening is that at a time when elaborate family dramas continue to occupy viewer mindspace, this is one show among very few others that has bucked the trend with its consistent viewership.

    C.I.D has been produced by B P Singh and Pradeep Uppoor of Fireworks Productions. Singh has also directed the serial.

    indiantelevision.com‘s Vickey Lalwani caught up with B P Singh for an interview. Excerpts:

    How did ‘C.I.D’ begin its journey?
    It just happened. There was no survey, no homework. There was only passion. In those days, there was no trend unlike today, when we have a certain trend of family dramas. Almost any and every family drama seem to have some viewership, even though it may not achieve scaling heights. I don’t think there’s any family drama which has fallen flat on its face in recent times. To say it in one line, C.I.D was not a time-tested formula. Actually, I had made six episodes of the show even before Sony Entertainment Television saw the light of day.

    Could you elaborate on that?
    I had made six episodes in 1986. Sony began in 1994. Going back, I started my career in 1973 in Doordarshan. I was a news camera-man and handled the camera for about 10 years. Thereafter, I started getting an urge to break free. I thought I could see the scenes from a different and maybe better perspective. I asked Doordarshan if they were interested in serialising some detective stories. I started doing some groundwork by meeting some detectives, etc.

    I made a film called Sirf Char Din – a murder mystery – which was relayed on Doordarshan. Then I produced Ek Shunya Shunya for Doordarshan again. That time, it was the third best thing happening. Ramayana had a TRP of 84, followed by Udaan having 83, followed by Ek Shunya Shunya registering 75. Then I made a few Marathi serials for Doordarshan. Then, Sony happened. Those days, the satellite channel invasion was being talked about a lot. I thought, let me do something on satellite channels. During my days at Doordarshan, I had started with C.I.D.

    No homework, no survey earlier alright. But surely there must be some planning at least today on how to avoid the show from slipping down? I mean, are there any dos and donts that you follow?
    The storyline is always to be kept simple with the case solved over two episodes. That gives it that edginess, plus the twists and turns built into the plot add a great degree of value. Think of it, this is one reason from day one why C.I.D. is so successful. Actually, this whole milieu of the unfolding of a case is something that the audience relates to. Indian audiences have a certain attachment to suspense-led shows. The way in which a story progresses or a case is resolved has always intrigued them.

    Coming to the donts, which also have added a great degree of value. A decision has been made that we will not show any blood, or violence against women and children. This is another reason why C.I.D. is so successful. Despite the fact that the show depicts the police and criminals, a large section of children view this programme. A parent does not mind his kid watching C.I.D, but may raise his voice when it comes to seeing some other thrillers. This makes the show family oriented, thereby increasing the target audience.
    “I had made six episodes of ‘C.I.D.’ even before Sony Entertainment Television saw the light of day“

    A still from ‘C.I.D.’

    But why only thrillers from you? Say, even your other show ‘Achanak 37 Saal Baad’ or ‘Aahat’…
    (Interrupts) I have had a great fascination for thrillers, ever since I tried my hand at Sirf Char Din. While preparing for that film, I used to visit the Crime Branch. I had a friend, Inspector Jayant Wagle. During those visits, I interacted with many officials there. Plus, I was intrigued by the goings-on on the cases coming for detection, the style of the detectives, their modus operandi. I also started reading some detective novels written by Shrikant Sinkar. His writing was very live, I would feel that the case was happening before me. All these things got into me, and I started toying with the idea that I wanted to make a detective TV serial one day.

    Is it easy or difficult to get new whodunit plots on regular basis?
    It is very difficult. Actually if you read any of my plots before they are shot, you would term those as madness. Sometimes, it’s just a line- Somebody is found dead, who is the killer? The secret lies in how it is shot. The interrogation process has to be very intriguing, the chases have to be very realistic, above all there have to be three or four distinct and strong suspects so that the audience keeps debating, guessing or laying bets on.

    Why don’t you take ideas from real life incidents?
    C.I.D is not a reality show. If I was to put a real incident into a visual, I would not be able to put drama into it. The entertainment factor, which I think is very vital to keep anything going, would be lost. I would be bounded by limitations. Plus, I might get into social and legal problems. Do I want that? Certainly not.

    Didn’t you ever get tempted by any chilling real-life incident?
    (Smiles) Even if I did, I managed to ward off the temptation. Doosre ki chita pe, chappati nahin banani chahiye (One should not make rotis over someone’s ashes).

    You focus a lot on forensic techniques. How true are these?
    Well, quite a few of the tests we show are real. At the same time, we do show some imaginative instruments and tests. Cinematic liberties, you may call it. But you will be surprised to know there are some tests we show which ideally speaking should have been there with the Crime Branch since long. Like, the one where the computer can make use of fingerprints and detect a killer whose fingerprints are present in its database. Incidentally, this is going to be brought into effect in the near future. So if you see, we have been innovative and ahead of times in showing certain detective techniques.

    Would the serial have clicked if the main protagonist was not Shivaji Satam?
    I think it would have. But still, this is a difficult question to answer. Satam’s contribution to the success of the show is huge. The character of ACP Shrikant Patkar has hit off well with the audience. There is a lot of credibility attached to that character. The moment he comes on screen, the audience knows that the case will be resolved. His eyes speak, there is honesty and sincerity in his eyes.

    Why are you not doing any serial other than ‘C.I.D’?
    C.I.D has reached a point where I want to maintain the interest alive at any cost. And this is not easy after the show has completed five years. At the moment, I have my hands full with almost every aspect of the show – be it the script, screenplay, direction, designing of the shot or even the shooting of the episode.

    Moreover, nowadays we shoot a lot of scenes outdoors which involves chase shots. Now the shots have to be canned amidst 100-150 people on the road, with extra care is taken that no actor looks into the camera while doing it- else it would look unreal.

    Plus I read quite a lot, these days. I am reading books which have been written especially ‘for’ detectives- to teach them how to question different kinds of men differently, how they should sit, how they should stand. It is quite exhausting, sometimes.

    Shivaji Satam as ACP Shrikant Patkar in ‘C.I.D’
    “‘C.I.D’ has reached a point where I want to maintain the interest alive at any cost”

    How long you expect ‘C.I.D’ to sustain?
    Can’t say for sure, but I hope to do it for about another two years. C.I.D has entered its sixth year now, people still like it, people still respect it, there’s no point in taking it off. I think there’s lot more to show.

    You brought in ex-Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev in one of your stories, spread over two episodes. Was that a part of the sustained campaign?
    Kapil Dev is Max’s brand ambassador. So, it was the channel’s idea to put him in. It was just for a change. But yes, I was tremendously excited to have a legend in my show. The only initial hiccup was the kind of story that we would weave around him. You can’t waste a person like him in a side role. Neither could I show him as a negative character. And may I add that Kapil is a very good actor. In the two days of shooting, he gave us 24 minutes of footage – which is very unlike of most other artistes in the TV industry. C.I.D gained a lot by bringing him in. Many people started seeing the show again after the two episodes on Kapil were telecast.

    What about roping in Shweta Kawaatra for a few episodes? Besides, her ouster from the serial was very strange…
    (Interrupts) Okay, I accept that there is a certain need of adding popular actors into a show when it has been on air for a very long time. There may be some more celebrities coming in, but I can’t divulge their names. Exciting stories and good production values are the cake, but we do need a bit of icing sometimes.

    As for the way she left, which you say is strange was actually a deliberate ploy. She left in the serial feeling let down by the C.I.D officials, saying she would come back and avenge her humiliation. So I have left a door open for her re-entry. You see, she didn’t have too many dates to give us so that we could have her on the show continuously. But… there is a strong possibility that she would return.

    ‘Aahat’ too was doing fairly well. Why was it suddenly withdrawn?
    That was Sony’s decision. When Aahat hit the target, a lot of other horror serials cropped up too. You know how our TV industry is? It is the herd mentality that I am talking about. Plus, the other similar shows were being put head-on at the same times as Aahat. Nowadays a lot of strategic positioning is done before a show goes on air, those days it was a different story. Seeing similar shows on different channels at the same time, the people got confused and tired as well.

    Going further on ‘Aahat’. You said you have some donts in ‘C.I.D’ which make the programme fit for family viewing. Don’t you think you propagated quite a bit of superstition in the former which did not make it fit for family viewing?
    I did not propagate any superstition through Aahat. I am confident about it.

    But I distinctly remember episodes like that. Like, there was one where you showed that if someone steps on ‘nimbu and hari mirchi’, he gets possessed by a spirit. Plus the victim there was a child. It was so strong that I myself follow that superstition now. Fit for family viewing?
    (Smiles) Can we skip on this one? Next question, please.
    “Our industry goes by the herd mentality”

    If you insist. Going back to ‘C.I.D.’… Did this show ever give you a cause of worry?
    Twice. When Kaun Banega Crorepati came towering tall against it. But which TV show didn’t suffer because of the KBC mania? Anyways, we shifted it to Friday. Originally, it used to be telecast on Thursday. And the second time was when Shivaji Satam lost his eyesight in the serial for a while, but yet continued to solve the cases. Well, that was not appreciated and we did get a lot of thumbs-down.

    Ever thought of making soaps?
    Not really. Soaps are not my domain. I may produce one, but I don’t think that I would be able to direct it well.

    Are you open to working with other channels? Or do you want to remain a one channel man?
    I have a wonderful equation with Sony. At this point of time, I am not thinking about other channels. Whatever germ originates in mind, I will first put it on the table of Sony.

    What are your future plans?
    I am planning to make a film in near future. It will be too soon to reveal the name of the producer. Let him make a formal announcement. I haven’t thought about the cast as yet, but it will soon be finalised. No prizes for guessing that it’s going to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller (smiles). In the long run, I might have a fling with comedy.
  • “The fate of a programme is governed by the channel it is telecast on”:Sagar Arts’ Amrit Sagar

    “The fate of a programme is governed by the channel it is telecast on”:Sagar Arts’ Amrit Sagar

     The latest launch to hit the Star Plus’ screen is Hatim. Based on Persian children’s classic Hatim Tai, the fantasy show is being brought to life by the Sagar Arts’ complete with adventure, feats, science and lots of bravery and valour. Created by the newest entrants from the Sagar stable Amrit Sagar and Shakti Sagar, the show has combine the art of story telling with lot of technical finesse.

    Joining the duo is yet another member from the generation next of Sagar family- Jyoti Sagar. He is responsible for generating the computer graphics, an integral element of the special effects for the programme.

    Actor Raahil will play central character Hatim, while the main villain Jaal is being portrayed by Nirmal Pandey and the bigger villain, who operates behind the scenes villain Najumi is being essayed by Vijay Ganju. Jasmine is the female lead in the show.

    indiantelevision.com’s Vickey Lalwani met Amrit Sagar in Sagar’s ‘Natraj Studio’ at Andheri. Excerpts from the interview:

    Since the Ramayana days, how much has the company evolved? Where do you plan to go from here?
    I think we have evolved quite a bit and that’s why we have lasted, despite the on-slaughter of the saas-bahu soaps.

    With the young generation- Shakti, Jyoti and I- now joining in, we are focusing a lot on technology. Our latest show ‘Hatim’ is technologically quite advanced than all the previous shows from Sagars. We youngsters have studied filmmaking abroad, observed a lot. We aspire to bring in fresh and different stories. We are determined to change the face of Indian television.

    What is the improvement in technology?
    The special effects we did in Ramayana were done on the sets. For Hatim, we have used computer graphics, animation tools. Besides, we have changed even the style of taking the shots.

    You said that you guys have fresh and different stories. Isn’t ‘Hatim’ an old Persian tale? What new are the kids going to see?
    Ramayana has been told a million times. But yet we made it work, didn’t we?
    “At DD, with a new official taking charge every three months, you have a new policy introduced and you can’t even argue since it is a government channel“

    A still from Star Plus’ ‘Hatim’

    True. But ‘Ramayana’ was a mythological tale. With Indian’s being seen as spiritual wasn’t it bound to click?
    You have a point there. But we have also made Alif Laila based on Arabian Nights.

    While Alif Laila was taken off air by DD is a different story, but fact of the matter is that it was no1 on DD. Even when DD decided to withdraw it, it still enjoyed the top slot.

    Today, the same show is in its forth rerun on Sab TV. Why DD refused to give us one more extension for Alif Laila, is beyond my understanding.

    Is that the reason why Sagars looking at satellite channels? First you had ‘Arzoo Hai Tu’, now ‘Hatim’…
    I can’t really comment on that part. Of course, there is no denying that there are advantages of working with Doordarshan. The product is always yours, you can keep selling it and make money. But DD has some whacky terms and conditions, especially when it comes to rates. With a new official takes charge every three months, you have a new policy is introduced and you can’t even argue since it is a government channel.

    DD needs to get a corporate structure in place. The pubcaster can do better than any satellite channel because of its phenomenal reach. There is a huge market but sadly they are not willing to exploit.

    You seem to have a lot of complains. Care to elaborate?
    A producer buys air-time from DD. If one of his shows is doing well in the prime slot, he would appreciate if they give him the air-time in one of his afternoon shows (subject to the fact that he has a show in the afternoon slot) at a cheaper rate. If he can earn something more and promise to pay them in return, isn’t it beneficial to both of them? But DD is not willing to listen.

    Take another one. If a producer has a few seconds of advertising left in one of the shows in the morning/afternoon slot, he would appreciate if those few seconds are carried forward in the show in the prime slot. But DD is not willing to listen. The fact is that it is a Herculean task to rope in advertisers in the non-prime slots. Advertisers shy away in the non-prime slots of their channel.

    And where are the big promotional campaigns which are vital to create a buzz? Where are the publicity gimmicks which are necessary to sustain the popularity of a show? Look at the manner in which the satellite channels handle these departments. Content is important, but so is the packaging, especially in today’s times.

    How has the experience with Star Plus been? Especially since Star Plus is known to interfere…
    I don’t think that should be termed as interference, if you look at the quality of programmes on Star Plus. Besides, we would be foolish to close our doors on suggestions offered that are meant to help us.

    If Star Plus is not happy with a particular costume or a backdrop, we need to see it from their perspective.

    Deepak Sehgal (senior vice president, content and programming) remarked at the ‘Hatim’ launch that he was not very confident of the Sagars pulling this one off…
    But we did, didn’t we? There could be two reasons why Sehgal spoke that way. One, we have been branded as makers of mythological serials. Two, we are identified as DD producers due to our long association with them (smiles).

    There is a buzz that you were asked to make quite a few changes to the ‘Hatim’, after you showed them the pilot.
    Not really. We just showed them a show reel because we hadn’t shot anything. That time, Sehgal quizzed ‘kaise hoga?’, since it was based on fantasy. But we managed to assure him.

    Thereafter, Shakti and I sat with a team of illustrators who started making each and every character in absolute detail. Take for instance Hatim, his look, his costumes, his sword, his bow and arrow, his powers and took all the sketches to Sehgal.

    Though Tarun Katial was the senior vice president, we always did our dealings with Sehgal on the creative aspects. After that, Star Plus and Sagars started working hand in glove.

    Other than Vijay Ganju and Nirmal Pandey for the negative portrayals in ‘Hatim’, did you have anybody else in mind?
    Well, we considered Tinu Anand for Vijay Ganju. And, we were contemplating on taking either Raza Murad or Kiran Kumar for Nirmal Pandey’s role. But things didn’t fall in place. As for Raahil, he was my first and last choice for the lead role. Actually when he came for the audition, I didn’t approve of him. But when he changed into Hatim’s attire, I knew that he deserved to be chosen.

    Did you work in your studios?
    Yes. In Baroda’s Sagar Film City. At the Tilismi Workshop we created all the props for Hatim, be it sword, shield, throne, candle-stands, chandeliers, or even wall.

    We have about 150 people working there. Gujarat has lots of talented artistes in the field of art and craft. Then, there’s one in Mumbai- Natraj Studio wherein we have four more partners- F C Mehra, Shakti Samanta, Pramod Chakravarty and (late) Atmaram (now his family). Natraj Studio is rented out for shootings and recordings.

    A still from Sahara’s ‘Arzoo…’
    “Ramayana has been told a million times. But yet we made it work, didn’t we?”

    You have a show on Sahara- ‘Arzoo Hai Tu’. How was your experience with Sahara?
    Not bad. But it has a few rigid policies. The channel has the scope in terms of talent and finance. A KBC or a Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi is the need of the hour at Sahara.

    Nobody can discount the role played by KBC and Kyunki… in Star Plus’ success. KBC lifted it to the top, Kyunki… is helping it stay there.

    Karishma- The Miracles Of Destiny might have done well on Sahara, had it not got into controversy and suffered a delay in telecast.

    After ‘Arzoo Hai Tu’, we thought that you would make a soap or a sitcom. Why haven’t you?
    Soaps and sitcoms have been done to death. People need a change. Father is dying in one soap and the mother is dying another or a male protagonist loses his memory in one and the the female protagonist suffers the same fate. Or miracles of miracles some one, till then thought to be dead, is bring bought to life. They are all the same.

    Are you satisfied with the TRPs of ‘Arzoo Hai Tu’?
    Technically speaking, no. But what can the show do when the channel has a maximum of TRP as 1? Arzoo Hai Tu is registering 0.8, so it’s not doing too badly.

    Star Plus is a different story, most shows start off with TRP 4 on that channel. The fate of a programme is governed by the channel it is telecast on.

    Why did Sagars stop making films at one point of time?
    We experimented with television when films were not doing well in India. People had virtually stopped going to the theatres. Our experiment worked. When something works in your favour, do you leave it or pursue it? But now again, people have started going to the theatres. I don’t know what’s the reason, but either some good films are being made or people don’t want to be couch potatoes anymore or some lovely multiplexes are too tempting to resist. So, we are once again getting on the film bandwagon.

    Shakti and I- both plan to start our own film in 2004. We are writing our own scripts individually, but yes, we do share the progress of our story at regular intervals. Writing has been a bit slow in recent times, since Hatim is taking a lot of our time these days.

    What are the young Sagar debut films going to be like?
    My debut film would be an whodunit; it’s going to be a very dark film. Shakti is working on a Hinglish film, a crossover film, which would be aimed for international market as well.

    Only after the characters are build will we zero down on the probable of the star cast.
    Has there been an instance of difference of opinions between the elder Sagars and the younger Sagars?
    Sometimes. But we sit together and reach a common conclusion. Sometimes it takes time, but that’s a part of the game.

    So what next for Sagar’s on television arena?
    We have a few concepts in pipeline. We are trying to work on subjects, which are absent on television. We want to tap an unexplored market and make the most of it.

    Will you be working with DD in future?
    Why not? In fact, we are working on a certain concept for them too. All that I am trying to say is that they need to streamline and ease their rigid and irrational policies. DD is not realising that several producers are shying away from it.

    What is the budget on ‘Hatim’?
    (Laughs) I am not telling you that. I am not supposed to let this particular cat out of the bag.
  • “We will not deviate from the original script of ‘Betty La Fea’, come what may” : Deeya Singh

    “We will not deviate from the original script of ‘Betty La Fea’, come what may” : Deeya Singh

    Tony and Deeya Singh have been pulled in from the wilderness (their last well known work was Just Mohabbat and Banegi Apni Baat) by Sony Entertainment TV to make Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, but it seems like a good decision. Four days old, Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin on Sony TV had people talking about the plain Jane (who plays the protagonist in the Indianised version of Ya Soy Betty La Fea) and the theme which is novel in a country whose satellite television is obsessed with glamour, beauty, eyelid-batting heroines and kitchen politics.

    By their own admission, the rights require them to proceed more or less on the same lines as the original, and the show should end in a year and a half as the original did. With the directors (and the channel of course) sticking to the same speed and story as the original that was a massive hit in several countries, a repeat story here cannot be ruled out. At last count, Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin has broken through into the top 30 shows.

    Indiantelevision.com's Vickey Lalwani met a beaming Deeya Singh in her office.

    Excerpts:

    It's been a long time after your last serial until 'Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin'…
    Yeah. It's been a long time since Just Mohabbat and Banegi Apni Baat. But it hurts to see that nothing succeeds like success.

    Actually, Tony and I directed a daily serial Maan on Channel 9, but unfortunately Channel 9 did not happen. Nobody talks about Maan. We also did a show Dil Se Dosti (Sony) showcasing six friends. And we did Love Mein Kabhi Kabhi (Sab TV) which I strongly feel was one of our better shows. But the saas bahu rage was very, very strong at that time. The times were not conducive to the type of work we wanted to do or were doing. The show was not accepted. We were quite a disappointed duo for some time, at least.

    But still you kept going. What was the motivation?
    Our faith in ourselves. We spoke to each other at length and concluded that different kind of work will be noticed, sooner or later. We knew it was just a matter of time. We bided our time patiently, of course, with a little prayer in heart. And… the tide did turn.

    So far, so good. But tell me, do you think that 'Jassi…' would have done well if it had come as a one-hour weekly?
    I don't think so. The concept of Jassi… would not fit the structure of one-hour formatting. The hourly shows formatting require the script and screenplay to demand a visually appealing backdrop. If you'll see some of these hourly weeklies on Star Plus, you'll know what I mean. Go to see, Jassi… does not need a beautiful, breathtaking backdrop. It does not require an extremely large canvas. The concept in itself is fabulous. Besides, Jassi… has to be a part of your every day life. She needs to get into your bloodstream.

    Why?
    Because, she is out to deliver a message. She teaches you how to take the failures and rejections in life. Every day, we go through some downs. Jassi… is a balm on those depressing emotions. Consequently, she makes you positive and optimistic, which is the key to live life well.

    It is a sad state of affairs that we watch so much of negativity every day in most serials. What do you end up in bed with? Nightmares of vampires! Evil designs of vamps!
    "Jassi teaches you how to take failures and rejections in life"

    How did 'Jassi…' happen?
    Sony TV called Tony and me. We have worked with them before. They had this idea of buying Ya Soy Betty La Fea, we showed great interest… and things fit into place.

    You seem to be quite pumped with enthusiasm…
    Obviously. It's great to succeed without having any love-triangles, family squabbles, sudden deaths, et al. People are talking about this serial in buses, trains, taxis, rickshaws, restaurants, kitty parties… everywhere. We have managed to have viewers from the lowest common denominator too. Think of it, it's rare for a Sony show to be talked about so much.

    Simply put, why has 'Jassi…' clicked?
    Simply put, Jassi's character has connected with the Indian-ness in us. It has made us feel that there is a Jassi in us, a Jassi around us – one who is honest and confused, ethical and less-than-ordinary looking. As a protagonist, Jassi is an improvement on 'Tulsi' and even 'Rajni'. She is far more real, relatively.

    And yes, the fashion house consisting of the glamorous Rakshanda Khan and Manini De has contributed too. And of course, the models who walk in and out of the show cannot be discounted. We are going to have quite a few beauties on the show.
    "It is great to succeed without having any love triangles, family squabbles and sudden deaths"

    You say Jassi is very real. But she is out to erode every girl's dreams. Today, every teenage girl wants to become an Aishwarya Rai or Sushmita Sen?
    (Raising her voice) That's why she is so real. She is cleansing the myth that every teenage girl is nursing. Tell me, how many of them succeed in becoming an Ash or Sush?

    The best part is that she is not screaming over the rooftops while eroding that myth. It's just coming through. Believe it or not, parents have started telling their daughters to see this show simply because they feel it is just what the doctor prescribed for those girls.

    How did you choose the protagonist?
    If you are indirectly asking me who Jassi is, I am not going to answer that. But yes, I can definitely tell you how I selected her. She walked into my cabin and tripped. Jassi is a slightly clumsy character, very innocent and not a savvy marketable commodity. Two and two became four. That's it.
    How did you think of Parmeet Sethi and Apurva Agnihotri? Parmeet Sethi was literally sitting at home. 'Jassi…' gave him a new life. Now we see him in 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' and 'Saara Akaash' too…
    I don't know whether Parmeet was sitting at home (laughs). But I have always rated him as a very capable actor who should have been given more to do than just show brawns.

    As for Apurva's selection is concerned, we needed a fresh face, but at the same time he should look mature enough to head the fashion house and hold his own. So we thought that someone from the film industry would fit the bill.
    "If you are indirectly asking me who Jassi is, I am not going to answer"

    Are you having some cross-branding with the fashion designers?
    Ya. We are going to get such people who want to utilise Jassi… to use it as a platform for not doing the typical.

    If the currently good TRPs do not remain good tomorrow, will you still stick to the original 'Ya Soy Betty La Fea'?
    We will not deviate, come what may. No reinvention theory will be applied. We are not going to develop cold feet by stray comments. The show has been bought with a lot of belief, or rather, confidence. An intensive research was carried out to determine the prospects of the show. Thereafter, 10-15 intelligent minds whacked their grey on the research to look for loopholes if any.

    Of course we have modified it a bit to fit the Indian standards. Like, the grandmother was not a part of the Spanish show. And, the family has been made a little more alive. By making the family more alive does not mean increasing the emotions. We are not resorting to any tricks. Jassi… is one of the most natural shows ever made.

    Didn't you feel nervous taking up this project for Sony, because this channel has the reputation of scrapping whatever doesn't work?
    The success rate of Ya Soy Betty La Fea has been phenomenal wherever it has been aired. Why would we feel nervous? We had a readymade runway to take off.
    "Whatever Jassi will end up doing will be in complete sync with what her character dictates at that moment"

    Why so much of hype and hoopla about the show if you guys were so confident?
    Please change the word 'hype and hoopla' to 'great marketing' (laughs).
    Is the marketing strategy going to be aggressive persistently?
    That's for Sony to decide when to press on the gas and when to let the show take over. They are constantly 'at' it; this baby is equally theirs. As a director, I have to bother only about working very hard.

    Are you saying that the aggressive marketing has not helped?
    I am not saying that the aggressive marketing has not helped. But at the end of the day, why would one watch Jassi… everyday? The show has to be consistently good isn't it?
    Are you going to unveil Jassi or not?
    Whatever Jassi (read Mona Singh) will end up doing will be in complete sync with what her character dictates at that moment (smiles).
    Is there a fixed length to the serial, or is it a never ending serial considering the good response it has garnered?
    We will be committed to the original show. Nonetheless, this will be a good question for Sony.

    We've heard that you plan to venture into film direction too. Is it true?
    Absolutely. Television is our profession, films is our passion. But after Jassi…, the expectations have risen. The spotlight is on us. We have to be careful. We are working on our script. Mostly, the actors will be new. Maybe after six months…