MxMIndia

Tag: Aparna Pandey

  • The soon-to-be-launched channel hopes to strike it big with audiences and advertisers with its mix of history and mythology, says biz head Aparna Pandey

    Epic way to break clutter

     

    By Johnson Napier

     

    With the Indian broadcast sector facing its toughest phase yet, it would be a daunting task for anyone to be attempting to try something new. But that’s precisely what excites newcomers in the space as is evident from the excitement around the soon-to-be-launched history & mythology channel, Epic.

    Being launched under Epic Television Networks Private Limited banner with big name backers like Mukesh Ambani and Anand Mahindra, Epic is being touted as the first genre-specific channel that aims to introduce Indian television to a new chapter in genre-specific entertainment that can further create IPs, strong characters and new heroes that draw a strong resonance with audiences.

    According to Aparna Pandey, Business Head, Epic, the need of the hour is a clutter-breaking approach that has a distinct personality. Replying to questions from MxMIndia, Aparna Pandey asserted that the channel has such a distinctive personality that it will appeal to the viewers and that they will have a very strong sense of identification with it. Read on to know more of what the channel has in store for the audiences and the path it intends to follow in the future.

     

    What is it about Epic that you feel will make it a standout in the Indian broadcast space?

    With maturity of digitization in India, consumers will be looking for content that appeals to them. We want to offer more choices to viewers by presenting thematic entertainment. With Epic, our aim is to introduce Indian television to a new chapter in genre specific entertainment that can further create IPs, strong characters and new heroes that draw a strong resonance with audiences. Our content philosophy is aimed at presenting a unique, episodic television format with a modern take on history and a fresh look at mythology – both fiction and narrative non-fiction. Epic will have action, drama, comedy, supernatural and narrative non-fiction content, set against Indian historic and mythological eras. The stories will be innovative with high production quality and a distinct look & feel that will appeal to both men and women across the country.

     

    We are confident that the brand promise will be reflected in our unique and powerful content line up, as well as the marketing innovations. Our initial trials and checks have received great response from people all over. Audiences are looking for something new and more relatable. The need of the hour is a clutter-breaking approach that has a distinct personality. We are confident that the channel has such a distinctive personality that will appeal to the viewers and they will have a very strong sense of identification with it.

     

    While the idea around Epic may be unique, is there enough content to be produced and consumed in this niche space in India?

    Indian history and mythology has so much more to offer in terms of content. The current history and mythological content largely remains within the confines of stereotypical entertainment and follows a traditional path. Our aim is to present the rich elements of our vibrant past in an entertaining manner that would be unique for all. We want mass audiences to connect and relate with our rich history and past more closely and beyond the traditional way of showcasing the stories. During launch, the channel will cover subjects ranging from drama, comedy, romance to super natural and narrative non-fiction. To give you an example, we have acquired the exclusive rights for Indu Sundaresan’s acclaimed novel “The Twentieth Wife” which describes the captivating story of grand passion and adventure, of one of India’s most controversial empresses in the Mughal Empire – Mehrunnisa.

     

    What is the core TG that you seek to lap up through Epic?

    Epic is the only segmented channel in the Hindi entertainment category that is targeted at both men and women in urban digital households. We want Epic to be part of the basket of channels audiences in urban India watch. Our core audience set would comprise working professionals, housewives, young adults who consume varied content on television. We intend to provide an option for the entire family to watch when they want to watch different, meaningful content.

     

    How do you see advertisers responding to the new offering?

    Since our audience set demographics is relevant for mainstream urban television, we believe that a wide variety of products and services across segments could find a direct fit with our channel and content ideology.

     

    What would be your emphasis on delivering content through the digital platform?

    Epic is a subscription-driven channel that is planned to be available across all DTH service providers and also on digital cable across 50 Hindi speaking markets in India. All content on Epic is shot on HD and the channel too would be available on HD. However, the channel will also be available on SD for all non-HD households.

     

    Our aim is to eventually reach over 80 million digital households across 50 cities. We are planning to find a partner for distribution and be a part of a channel bouquet to enable us to reach our distribution goals.

     

    Would you be experimenting with feeds in different languages as well?

    We may explore this in the future but as of now we will be available in one language – Hindi.

     

    Without no direct competition out there to challenge you, what would be the barometer on which you would rate your performance?

    Currently, we are focusing all our energies in getting compelling content that will appeal to our audiences. Epic is not here to compete with any channels in the Hindi entertainment category. Moreover, to compare Epic with current Hindi GECs would be an ‘apples to oranges’ comparison. We are not playing by the game of TRPs or GRPs. While we haven’t set any benchmarks in terms of evaluation, we will take a stock on performance after the complete of phase 1 of the channel post launch.

     


  • Seeing how viewers lap up myths and legends on TV, it's not surprising an entire channel dedicated to folklore etc is coming up. Will it be a tale with a happy ending?

    Will Mythology 24×7 work for Epic?

     

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    In the beginning there was Ramayana. It was the day, or rather the Sunday morning, when the world stood still as millions watched the televised dramatization of one of India’s best-known epics. Close on its heels was the sweeping soap opera of Indian mythology, the Mahabharata, and then came Bharat Ek Khoj which gave us facts laced with dramatized enactments of India’s myths and legends.

     

    Those were the days of Doordarshan. With the explosion of cable and DTH, and technological strides enabling better and better CGI, viewers are now spoilt for choice in the realm of mythology. The most popular currently is the magnetic Lord Shiva on Life OK, with the delectable Parvati and cutesy Ganapati capturing hearts of all ages.

     

    It is this raging popularity which has led Mahesh Samat, former Walt Disney India head, to plan an entire channel based around mythology. For someone who is has a passion for history this may seem an obvious move. “With digitization, today, people have access to various channels and hence, an availability to launch new genres. We did a lot of research and dipsticks before taking this decision. People want to have a connection with history,” says Mr Samat when asked about his decision to launch India’s first genre-specific Hindi entertainment channel – Epic.

     

    “Epic stands for story-telling. Here we are not just going to rehash history but create new characters from our history,” he adds.

     

    But is there really enough TG of this genre to launch a channel? “I think for such a genre, the TG is universal. Anyone who is in the mood to watch the genre will switch to our channel. Of course, we know that people won’t be watching the channel all the time. We would be an important part of people’s choice wherein they choose to watch us when they feel a need to watch something mythological or from our past,” believes Mr Samat.

     

    Pratap Bose

    According to Pratap Bose, COO, DDB Mudra group, for any genre, be it action or mythological, content is important for a channel to be a hit or a miss. “If the content is 10/10, nothing else matters. People should like what you give them and they will come to you if it appeals to them.” However, he does believe that apart from great content it is important that one effectively distributes and promotes the channel so that more and more people know about it.

     

    The channel launch is being planned for August, provided all regulations are cleared. And a 360-degree marketing mix has been planned for it. Aparna Pandey, who will be looking after content and packaging, will also be in charge of the channel’s marketing. Ravina Raj Kohli is the development head. The team is already in talks with various producers, though a lot of development work will be done in-house.

     

    Very few know that Mr Samat is a comic book writer and has authored a comic called The Adventures Of Vanayu – The Spirits Of Ixora. Will he be lending his talent to the channel, too? “I would leave that to my very talented and professional team. However, I wouldn’t deny I have a very good sense for such content.”

     

    With various networks launching regional channels or dubbed feeds, the Epic Television Networks Pvt Ltd knows the importance of regional space. However, they want to take things slowly. “We would like to build the brand in Hindi first and then go ahead… step by step,” says Mr Samat.

     

    And what about syndication? With Indians spread across the globe and an interest in Indian history at an international level, one cannot rule it out. “Syndication is a very good revenue option as well. But we will only think about it after we get it right here,” reaffirms Mr Samat.