Indiantelevision.com > Special Report > "I've trained myself to like what the viewer likes"

My Perspective on the years gone by

You've got to be realistic of the fact that by the time we got into private broadcasting it was all about business and DD was a public broadcaster so it wasn't really a business. With satellite television coming in, where I began my stint as a programmer, it was a far more competitive and challenging environment. It wasn't a single TV scenario. With DD around there weren't any genres created; whether it was sports, news, soaps or public broadcasting. DD's Chitrahaar made your music channel and the news was your news channel. Also, when I joined Star it was still a homogenous product where we did news, entertainment, all on the same channel.

But over the years one has moved towards fragmentation. One saw the advent of music channels, sports and news channels. With niche channels on the scene, we have definitely matured as a industry and TV has become much more dynamic.

From Humlog to Tara to the sindoor-n-sagas; critics would say we have regressed and not evolved?

We've definitely evolved. TV is totally based on viewer acceptance and viewer appreciation. It is a viewer's medium. In such a scenario, where research can now give you ratings weekly or bi-weekly, it is a viewer deciding what kind of content he accepts. During the early days of satellite penetration when serials like Tara broke the mould, it was really a breakthrough from the stereotypes that was projected on DD. People accepted the differentiated content because the target audience was very niche, catering to the upper SECs. Serials like Tara, which depicted women smoking and drinking, were accepted because satellite TV had not made its impact in the smaller towns in the SEC C, D, E which today form a critical chunk of the audience.

Now satellite television has found its feet downwards into the lower mini metros. Then, the culture value system also made Zee progress to the likes of Amaanat and Mehndi Teri Naam Ki. This was much before the advent of Kkusum, Kahaani..., or all the others which are not very different from Amaanat in terms of values, characterization, backdrops and value systems.

Today, one is making serials even for the lowest common denominator. And you're hoping to keep all the SECs within your reach.

Personal likes and Dislikes

I've trained myself to like what the viewer likes because if you continue to have a conflict within then you will always be one step in or one step out with the viewer. If you want to be whole hearted about what you're making you've got to believe that this is good television which I do believe. I live with the viewers' choice.
If you had to redefine or refine to evolve then it's in the same space you just push the envelope a bit further. But to do something diametrically different as a programmer from what the common view is definitely not TV for the masses. There are some value systems which are basic in a society and to go against that is not an intelligent choice.

Landmark shows

Aahat redefined horror on TV, Boogie Woogie brought in the song-n-dance to TV, Antakshari, a variety entertainment and indigenous homegrown product which brought in the variety factor. Amaanat, Mehndi Tere Naam Ki and Heena were in the similar package. Saaya, Saans and Sailaab very subtle and soft. Ghar Ek Mandir and Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Kaa were landmark shows. Then came Kyunki, Kahaani and Kasauti. Also, recently I would say Indian Idol has brought in the advent of reality TV.

Katial's agenda for Sony

There's lot that happening for the year 2005. A very different passionate love story by Balaji, Kaisa Yeh Pyaar Hain. Then there's a cross of two genres comedy and chat which I cannot name at this stage.

It's going to be a mixed bag. All programmers will try to innovate and try and ride on the success of reality TV. We will be experimenting further in the genre, and I know for sure that many other channels will experiment with the reality genre. But the success of it depends on how well you can execute it, how you think through the concept and how much the viewer connects with it. Interactivity is of prime importance.
I also foresee a lot of crossover genres; like a comedy with a chat; whether it's a thriller with a soap, whether it's mythological with a soap, trying light soaps like dramadies like Jassi. There will be more experimentation with the genre and the focus will be on characters with many more shades than the soapy weepie. There will be soapy weepies but with dimensions and colours.

We have pioneered the reality genre in India and we will definitely be concentrating more on it.

Is TV about ideas or execution?
We believe in trying out new people and new producers. Like we gave Yeh Meri Life Hain to Optimystic who had never done a daily soap. We were the first ones to have an Ekta soap with Ghar Ek Mandir.

In 2005, we are looking to do more things with newer people. Some of the stuff that we are trying to recreate, whether telenovellas or reality shows, with people who are not traditional TV makers but have great ideas. You need variety of minds to create good programming otherwise everything looks the same.

Our new show Rihaee will be our attempt to provide a platform for women's rights and crime against women. It's got a very docu drama feel show right in the middle of prime time. And it's our attempt to give back to society. So it's positive television.

We are going great guns with Indian Idol and there's no plan to replace Jassi as of now.

Why do you stick to adaptations, why not original stuff?
Most (of the) shows (we adapt) are transnational and are executed in more than 30 to 40 countries. In each country they make their own differences and adaptations in terms of the execution. These products are transnational and they find their home in every country. So, an Indian Idol will not look like an American Idol. Its interplay between the players and the judges, and the success story of a middle class youngster with hope and aspiration will not happen in the UK.

I see the show as the product. So how is an Indian Idol different from a Coca Cola or a Pepsi, which is marketed in different countries? Even matured markets like the US adapt from markets like UK. So, it's not about where the original show comes from; it's about what you make of it.

Current state of the market

Indian broadcasters and programmers will have to have the time and patience. They will have to invest in development and take risks to try and see what works and what fails. A market is fully mature when one can do breakthrough ideas time and again in the same year. When you do limited amount of quality programming which gets recycled and appreciated. We are currently a very low investment country. Even countries like Malaysia and Indonesia spend more on content. So, there has to be more quality, not the volume of programming.

TV Research

We definitely need more peoplemeters in the panel. But you've got to believe in the current system which is an accepted system. To question it every minute does not help your business prospects.