ITV

Tag: X-Zone

  • “The thrust of every programme is the suspense element” : Sameer Mody

    “The thrust of every programme is the suspense element” : Sameer Mody

    He is the scream-master of television. With a string of suspense thrillers to his credit like X-zone, Thriller at 10, Saturday Suspense, Captain House, and the current Shhh… Koi Hai on Star Plus, scriptwriter Sameer Mody has established himself in the television industry.

    Coming from a family of performers, Mody began his career as a painter. After a brief stint with theatre as an actor he accidentally began to write for theatre. Thereafter began a series experiments as a scriptwriter for television. Meanwhile he had begun assisting Vinta Nanda and fondly calls her his mentor.

    Despite the thriller writer tag, he has been responsible for few reality based shows and sitcoms as well. He is currently co-scripting Zee’s Kittie Party.

    Excerpts of a tete-a-tete he had with indiantelevision.com’s Trupti Ghag –

    When and how did you get bitten by the writing bug?
    Well, it seemed like a natural progression at that time. My parents were professional dancers so I always was artistically inclined. I used to write poetry as a hobby. Meanwhile, a friend asked me to fill in as a scriptwriter for a telefilm Saundarya Kaha. By then I was hooked.

    What are the essential requisites of a good writer?
    It is extremely crucial that a writer has a point of view. A writer, needless to say, is creative, what is important is that he has to have individualism. There is no point in churning out clones.

    Do you write with a particular channel in mind?
    Not necessarily. But there have been times when I have been approached by producers to write a story of a particular genre with a particular channel in mind. I am quite sure that this not a solitary case. Personally, I think this should be the norm.

    It is nice to romanticise, but at the end of the day, your work has to be saleable. It is helpful to know what the end product looks like, so you start working backward. You are subconsciously aware of the channel’s choice. If you work around it, I guess there will be no ego clashes or creative problems because neither your work is tampered with nor do the channels interfere unnecessarily.
    “The sitcoms overseas usually have sexual overtones. We are culture bound people so that is a no-no for us“

    Your work profile consists of different genre of serials. What is the genre that you enjoy writing for and why?
    I can’t really pinpoint a particular genre. Writers should not have a fixed working style, they should be versatile.
    But I am always keen on introducing an element of thrill or suspense. Thrillers drive the TRPs. Every programme’s thrust is the suspense element.

    Tell us something about your writing experience for different genre.
    Writing is both a science and an art. What changes with change in genre is the application of either. To give you an example, writing for a daily soap follows the science rules. Not that the writer’s creative contribution any less but emphasis is on dialogue delivery, presentation, different character sketches rather than the story. It is based on certain set formulae and is analytical in approach. You have to stage few fake progressions as well, they may be used in the story ahead. While the weekly is more of a story telling.

    Thrillers are a different ball game altogether. It is my forte, I guess. I personally enjoy writing a thriller as it give me scope to think differently. Comedy, on the other hand, is very challenging.

    And why do you say comedy is challenging?
    Take a look at the sitcom history, usually a sitcom is either a hit or miserable flop.
    The sitcoms abroad are usually a rage; they have a freedom of expression. The sitcoms there usually have sexual overtones. We are culture bound people so that is a no-no for us.

    What do you have to say about channel interference in a scriptwriter’s arena?
    Well, I will not deny that. I think to an extent that is fair enough, as their money is at stake too. Besides, for any successful relationship, the partners need to come to a understanding. Compromise is the survival strategy.

    How do you go about writing on an everyday basis? How do you deal with writer’s block?
    A writer’s job is a lonely job. I might be siting in a room full of people buzzing around me, but I am usually working alone. It is a little challenging initially, but after a while, it comes easily.
    But it is a job like any other. I may have a mind block but that means I have to try harder. If I am stuck, I begin asking myself questions and the answers are usually my clues for the next part.

    Are the newcomers given a raw deal in this industry?
    Isn’t that true for any other industry! I agree that there is certain amount of exploitation and even the pay structure is unfair. But that is just for beginners, seniors I presume are paid fairly well.

    Scripts nowadays seem to borrow heavily from their foreign counterparts. What do you have to say about it?
    Ideas are all around. I might get an idea the same time as another person siting in another corner of the world. He might make something out of it earlier than me, that is simply not my fault.
    Although, I don’t deny that plagiarism occurs. It is very much prevalent but not as much as the fuss created.
    “We have had enough of the family drama“

    Unlike others, the Hindi television industry has a set of dialogue writers and a different set of script writers. What do you have to say about it?
    I guess it is a dicey situation. It is very difficult for a dialogue writer. The characters are not his handiwork so he is uncomfortable with them. There is certain amount of chaos but we will have to live with it till we find solutions.

    As an insider, where do you think our television industry is headed?
    I am not really sure. But personally, I think the current television scenario needs to be changed. I am against the portrayal of women in soaps and family dramas. It is definitely retrogressive, we do not have women of substance on the screen.

    I think that the public is looking for some real emotions, real tears. We have had enough of the family drama. My bet is on the reality shows and sitcoms. We need a change, but I am not quite sure if the social dramas will be off air.

    What projects do you have currently on hand?
    Besides Kittie Party, I am also working on a reality based show for Doordarshan called Talaaq Kyon.

    I also have a few movie projects on hand, I will be writing dialogues and screenplays. The Hindi film industry is looking at television as a competitor and I guess that is what is breaking the ice. Film gives you a larger scope to express, as it is a visual medium. It is much more detailed and vibrant.

    If not a scriptwriter, what would you been?
    I guess I would have been a politician.
  • X-Zone puts AXN in top 3 intl channels in India

    X-Zone puts AXN in top 3 intl channels in India

    MUMBAI: A series of invigorating promotional and marketing initiatives coupled with a localisation drive last year have paid action oriented channel AXN rich dividends.
     

    In order provide a whole new dimension to interactive television programming, the channel had brought down Mike Whitney for the AXN Who Dares Wins – India Special . Figures reveal that the series roped in 9.25 million viewers for the episodes spread over six weeks. The first run of the show in the week of 17 November to 22 December in the 8 pm – 9 pm slot on Sundays notched up a rating share of 20.6 with 14.1 rating shares for the repeat telecasts on Mondays. In fact, the India Special even overtook the original series in its ratings, the channel claims.

    Last year, AXN launched shows like Fear Factor, The Amazing Race, Guinness World Records: Primetime in the X-Zone band between 9 – 10 pm. The channel claims that this has put it among the top three international channels in India.

    Speaking on the programming strategy adopted last year Assistant V-P Sales and Marketing, SET (I) Ltd Rohit Bhandari said,”The challenge that AXN faced was really to take an inherently international and increasingly successful brand and give it a more local feel, something which it has very effectively done last year. We initiated the process of striking a fine balance by managing a firmly entrenched international brand, yet infusing just the required amount of local flavour thereby not diluting its brand identity.

    The branding is the same, the commitment to 100 per cent high-quality action-adventure programming is unwavering, but the execution in terms of on-the-ground events, programme content, scheduling and even advertising varies as the channel adapts to cater to the preferences of specific markets. Through our X-Zone shows and the AXN Who Dares Wins-India Special, we attempted ‘appointment viewing’ amongst audiences. We’re putting efforts on all fronts – creating the best quality channel, striking on-air presentation, and engaging on-the-ground events which viewers get a kick out of. “

    On the advertising front, AXN roped in several blue-chip sponsor partners – including Hero Honda, Samsung, Colgate-Palmolive, Perfetti and Bharti (Airtel) – for its local production and integrated their products into the show. The channel will announce plans for this year next month.

  • Dream Team India reveals plans for travel show, Zee’s ‘Chausat Panne’

    Dream Team India reveals plans for travel show, Zee’s ‘Chausat Panne’

    MUMBAI: Dream Team India Productions, a leading entertainment software provider to India’s leading satellite and terrestrial channels, has recently completed shooting the pilot episode of a travel show in Vienna, Austria. The show will be hosted by actress Nafisa Ali. The production house is approaching various channels for airing the travel show.
     
     
    Rajeev Mehta, managing director of Dream Team Productions, also confirms that his production house has got a letter of intent from Zee TV for producing the third or fourth of the Chausat Panne series. Tentatively named Lavanya , it is about the travails of a young girl with the same name.

    Mehta refused to give more details but said that he has commenced shooting for the 64 episodes that make up one complete run of each Chausat Panne series.

    Dream Team India has worked with Zee TV on shows such as Saturday Suspense and a serial called Suhana Safar starring R Madhavan and Gracy Singh. The company has also produced shows such as X-Zone and Rishtey. It had given the mandate of producing a telefilm to veteran director Aruna Raje – the telefilm was aired on Doordarshan through Channel Nine Gold. 

    While speaking to indiantelevision.com, Mehta says: “My vision is to turn the production house into a front runner in entertainment software. We plan to tap the export markets – especially south Asian markets.”

  • DD forays into supernatural territory with ‘Aap Beeti’

    DD forays into supernatural territory with ‘Aap Beeti’

    Doordarshan is shedding its image of a do-gooder pubcaster that has always scored the lowest on the vulgarity and violence front.

    Beginning tonight, the national network is getting its hands into the blood and gore business when it starts the telecast of horror serial Aap Beeti, in the Saturday prime time slot. From the BR Chopra stables, Aap Beeti is directed by Ravi Chopra. The production house confirms that the serial is the first in the supernatural genre to hit DD1. Each story in the serial will be spread over two episodes, which will be aired in the 9:30 – 10:30 pm slot. 

    Aap Beeti is being pegged as a serial about “man’s encounter with spirits”. Doordarshan, under the leadership of CEO Anil Baijal, has apparently come to the conclusion that it will have to follow winning formulae that have been a hit with satellite channels if it has to retain its hold on viewers. The pubcaster has seen a good response to Shaktimaan, its fantasy series, and Suraag the detective serial over the last one year, and had recently asked private producers to come up with shows in several genres. Aap Beeti seems to be the first step in the direction. 

    Its social service mould has thus far held DD back from going in for overtly violent programming. In fact, a 1998 study conducted by the Centre for Advocacy and Research has pointed out that among the five channels surveyed, 759 distinct acts of violence were observed over a period of nine days. ‘In proportion to the hours monitored Zee had the highest acts of violence and DD1 had the lowest’, the study says. 

    Satellite channels have had X-Zone and Anhonee on Zee which together had 118 or 53 and 65 acts of violence respectively, according to the study. Aahat, the hit horror serial on Sony had 13 acts of violence while Kohra on Star Plus had 30 acts of violence in a single episode. However, DD had its own share of blame. The child specific Shaktimaan had 17 acts of violence in a single episode, the study says. 

    Aap Beeti will try to get more eyeballs by putting up contests for viewers and giving away gold coins and other goodies as gifts, according to the production house.