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Tag: Deepak Dhar

  • … says CEO and MD Deepak Dhar in a freewheeling interview

    There’s more to Endemol than Bigg Boss & Khatron Ke Khiladi…

     

    While fiction shows have ensured the continuing success of general entertainment channel Colors, a significant contributing factor to its staying top-of-mind of viewers through the years is the popularity of reality shows Bigg Boss and KhatronKeKhiladi. While the new season for KKK is currently on, the announcements for Bigg Boss have started. The owners of both the format is EndemolShine India and CEO and Managing Director Deepak Dhar has been anintegral part of the global software major for the last 11 years after spending nine-odd years at Star India and MTV. Excerpts from a conversation.

     

    We are in the eighth season of KhatronKeKhiladi, and the 11th season of Bigg Boss is on the anvil. Given that general entertainment channels reflect popular cultureand if this popular culture reflects the times we live in, how would you say have things changed, from the firstKhatronkeKhiladiwith Akshay Kumar to Rohit Shetty now…

    We found a partner who was ready to take a position back in those days, and wanted to do stuff that the market was not ready to do, and we really created a market out of that, and those days it was Rajesh Kamatand AshwiniYardi. I used to be Rajesh’s deputy and I have had a fantastic equation with him. He said he needs a show from you and I assured him I would come back with an idea. So the following Monday or Tuesday made a pitch and a presentation.

    The channel was not even launched, there was nothing called Colors, there was no logo, there was no look-style-feel, and I went sat across the table, with Ashwini and Rajesh, and said I’ve got Fear Factor. And they said everybody has seen it on AXN, how does it become primetime 9 o’clock? Rajesh said he wanted something spectacular.

    I told him I have a different take on Fear Factor, so he asked me what it was. And I said it’s an all-female version of Fear Factor, so they said okay, and then Ashwini got a little exited and said:Tell Me More. So I said imagine what my mother or my masi is thinking while watching the show and saying ‘dekhoaajkalkiaurateinkya-kyakarrahinhain’. That was the thought and they kind of loved it. This was taking a usual route but in a very unconventional way.

     

    So how have things changed from then to now. Has your value system changed with the show being bolder now?

    Yes, with every season, things have gotten bolder, especially in Bigg Boss we have introduced a lot of tricks and things. There are some who have loved them, and there are a few who havn’t, but the TG really loves it. Like for instance when we put Sunny Leone in the house at one point of time and everybody was shocked and surprised. A show like Big Brother Bigg Bossalways throws up a lot of surprises – like we had Dolly Bindra and we also had the Great Indian Khali.

     

    And you had Jade Goody in Season 2

    Yeah, that was the headline story of the day. With ShilpaShetty as the anchor, and everyone wondered if Shilpawould do to Jade what she did unto her. But of course Shilpa took the ‘AtithiDevoBhavo’ route and and that was like super-energy, great storytelling at its peak.

     

    Now there’s Salman Khan…

    Yes, Salman Bhai is so emotionally invested in the property. He really plays the producer of the show. He loves something and he dislikes something, and he makes something, and to an extent he would go and say, this is the last season of the show, now I am pretty tired of the show, and we kept it the way it is. Because we really don’t want to script the show. I don’t know what he is going to say next, he might bash me (laughs).

     

    He ensures the buzz every season…

    The buzz starts the fact on whether Salman is doing it or not doing it and then who are the people who are going to be in the house. There are lot of people who self-proclaim they are going to be in the house. And the feeling when we produce it is that this could well be your neighbour’s house from 9-10pm or 10.30-11.30pm, whatever be the time slot.

     

    Although Endemol does a lot of content through the year, but it’s known essentially for Bigg Boss, KhatronKeKhiladi

    It’s not a compliment at all and while I would love to believe it’s a compliment, but it’s not a compliment, because we do so much outside of that. Big Brother is also such a big project at a global level for us and in India too it is such a big property now. It has gone to regional markets as well – Kannada, Bangla and Tamil with Kamal Haasan Sir as the host.

     

    We have seen that in the past that Amitabh Bacchan had come in too and while he did create a buzz, he didn’t fit in very well. Was that in the back of your mind with Kamal Haasan.

    No, not really, Kamal Hassan Siris as wicked and wacko as Salmanis really pushing us as well.

     

    How much is the pressure on you to offer new, out-of-the-box solutions. Like Colors came up with Rising Stars which took music reality shows to another level. How much do broadcasters push for your innovations?

    The pressure is enormous. Because you know everybody is trying to build a big idea, but having said that, every now and then we pull a rabbit out of the bag, and we manage to do something.

     

    And how about a Made in India format?

    So many years back (and we will come back with that very soon), we created the Great Indian Laughter challenge, which was something as disruptive, but at the same time very primetime, holistic family viewing kind of thing. It was the first time many men came to watch television and it was such a runaway success and after that the entire genre of comedy opened up.

     

    But these days laughter shows aren’t quite family, right?

    Yeah, now people forget that while pushing boundary or evolving you still want to keep it family.Having said that, we want to go back to the conventional standup comedy.

     

    So will there be an Endemol India format that you could take abroad?

    There will be soon.A lot of energy, work and thrust in the development pipeline is on that. So I feel there we might take again possibly a very unconventional route, maybe we will look at fiction to travel abroad, because you know internationally people are now wanting stories that feel earthy. Given the way Dangal and Bahubali caught everybody’s fascination internationally, and not just the Indian diaspora, there’s a learning there.

     

    And fiction is what you have gotten into, right after the funding came in but that has not grown as much as one thought it would?

    Well I would say yes, and no, but the pressure has been there almost every year, to deliver one or two things, can we go from one or two to three to four. I mean that’s the learning curve for us, right now we have got fantastic show called the Test Case, that is something as disruptive as it could be, and that has been a fantastic opportunity. So every year we do a couple of shows which are very-very disruptive and the market may not pick it up, but we find it as an opportunity.

     

    Do you OTT is possibly the next big platform for disruptions?

    I think so, given the way the landscape has changed, a lot of people will go there, and we are also thinking of engaging with digital audience.For instance, I got a call from Voot, and they said give us something on Fear Factor. A year back, I didn’t think I would get that kind of a call.

     

    While most of your revenues may be from television right now, do you think that could skew in future?

    I am not seeing skewing but amplifying and contributing at a very healthy rate, and in the next two years, we have also projected some growth in various segments of ours.

     

    What could be the kind of projection?

    I think it will double or triple up in that space, because the number of platforms that are coming up.

     

    So in double digits?

    Yeah, because the amount of content that the new platforms  are looking at… because you are not programming for just one slot, or one or two weekend slots across 13 episodes.They are looking at, say, 30 hour of content from Endemol, or anybody else. And that’s an opportunity for us…

     

    What about regional television? How has that been growing for you?

    Outside of Hindi primetime entertainment, the next big contributor to us, is regional, and there are six different markets there. So if you crack three of those markets, you are really well ahead of the game. We are the only producers who operate in all the languages, and we operate across genres, non-fiction to fiction, within non-fiction also, all the segments we operate in, so for us, the opportunity immediately multiplies, and amplifies, and that is where it.

    Bigg Boss, for instance, has gone from Hindi to Kannada, Bangla and Tamil and we will add a few more languages towards the end of this year. Then there’s this show called ‘Deal or No Deal’ which didn’t do well in Hindi, but has been a big success down south for Sun TV in all the foursouthern languages, with more than 500 episodes. So that was a big regional success for us. Also  a big success has been Million Dollar Minute, so right now we are doing it  in three languages, we have actually loved a lot of these.

    Is English a big frontier for you? And what else?

    Well, it is a little slow there, but I see things opening up maybe on the OTT side. Outside of regional we do a lot in the youth and lifestyle spaces, because that’s one big market for us – Nat Geo, Fox Life, History, MTV.Scripted is fairly strong and big for us, and as is regional, but it would be interesting for you to know that last year we actually produced Big Brother China in India, on our facilities, and who would have thought a Chinese version of China outsourcing to India. I have actually seen people in the house having roti and sabzi with chopsticks, and I was amazed at the way we got that show together…

     

    There’s of course the regular Hindi entertainment content… anything new there?

    Bigg Boss, KhatronkeKhiladi, MasterChef is another big one and waiting to go into various other languages. Food is such a territorial thing in India, and everybody loves to show their food and their kitchen, so MasterChef is one. KhatronKeKhiladi will also now go into other Indian languages. We have exploited Big Brother, Deal or No Deal, Million Dollar Drop, Minute to Win It… I mean there are others that are now waiting to explode into other markets. Many years back when Rajesh was here, I had told him: Sir, let us go regional and he said there is no money there, we might not even recover our flight costs. I said we will just go, and we went on well ahead of time, and really built that capability.

     

    A show that may have disappointed you? Something that you were backing hugely, but it did not work?

    I did a show called Yudh, and we were really emotionally invested in that show, but it just didn’t fire at all. I don’t know why, we thought it got it all covered up, with legendary MrAmitabh Bachchan. It was great story, a very family drama, but I think the learning out there was that maybe it was too dark.

     

    Huge expectations given there was Amitabh Bachchan, I guess

    Maybe it was an OTT kind-of a show, and not a primetime TV show.

     

    Possibly the channel at that point of time was not right?

    Yeah, possible. So that was something in which I had personally invested a lot of energy into it, to get that going, but having said that these are learnings

     

    With the going so good on most fronts, is there something that worries you? Anything that gives you sleepless nights?

    I would say two things that really worry me are unhappy clients if any and the next big idea. The clients need to be happy with the content or the way we are going about it, and the fact is that one constantly loses sleep thinking of the next big idea. It might be an idea which may not work, but I am constantly dreaming of ideas all the time. These are also the two things which keep me going. For us the fun part is we are the kitchen of a restaurant, a lot of things are being tried and tested. Many things work, somedon’t, but the fun part is we are constantly rolling up our sleeves to get something going.

     

    And if you are in the kitchen you should be ready to face the heat?

    Absolutely, all the time the pressure in terms of revenue pressures, the external rating pressure, you know what is the next big ground you are breaking, I mean it’s hot in here, but it’s very exciting…

     

  • In this new role Rege, will also lead the mandate for the company's films division

    Abhishek Rege appointed COO for Television & Films at Endemol Shine

    By A Correspondent

     

    Abhishek Rege

    Endemol Shine India announced the elevation of Abhishek Rege as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Television and Films. Rege currently leads the television business of the company as COO for Television.  The company recently forayed into the movie-making business and has co-produced films like Brothers, Traffic and Te3n. In his new role, Reg will be responsible to nurture and further grow the company’s film business in India, in addition to overlooking Endemol Shine India’s robust television business. He will continue to report into Deepak Dhar, MD and CEO, Endemol Shine India.

     

    “Having worked with Abhishek closely for many years, I have great confidence in his understanding and capabilities of the business. Leading such a diverse portfolio in today’s dynamic environment is a mammoth task. Under Abhishek’s able leadership our television business continues to grow and I am confident that he will also evolve our burgeoning film business”, said Dhar on the appointment.

     

    “I am delighted to have the opportunity to spearhead the film business for Endemol Shine India. By venturing into films, we have embarked on an ambitious growth path, not just from a business perspective, but also as creative professionals. I look forward to working closely with Deepak to grow the business further.” said Rege.

     

  • The Voice India goes on air on June 6, 9pm on &TV and will be aired every Saturday and Sunday at 9pm.

    &TV gears up for The Voice on weekends

    By A Correspondent

     

    Internationally acclaimed reality music show The Voice makes its way to India starting next month on &TV. Produced by Endemol and brought to us by Talpa Media, the show is unique in its concept as participants are judged only on the basis of thir voice.

     

    Speaking at the unveiling of the show on Tuesday, Rajesh Iyer, Business Head, &TV said, “This show is our first step towards presenting a high impact weekend property in the reality space. The format of the Voice has been widely accepted worldwide and gained popularity and we expect the same to work in India.”

     

    The show will be judged by some of top talent like Shaan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Mika Singh and Himesh Reshammiya, who will also double up as coaches for participants.

     

    The Voice has a unique format that begins with the Blind Auditions, wherein the coaches have their back faced to the performer, so that they cannot see, but can only hear the performance. If they like what they hear, they can press a red buzzer on their seat that will turn their chair around and see the performer. The performer then automatically goes into that coach’s team. However if more than one coach turns around, then the performer can choose a team. In the next round, that is the Battle Round, the coach will pit two of his/her own team members against each other to perform the same song. One out of these moves ahead, the other moves out. In the final round, the Live, the contestants will be coached by their mentors and a team of professionals. The top contestants will do a final performance and the audience is left to vote for their favourite.

     

    “The format of the show is one of a kind and has never been done before in India. I am excited to be a part of it and look forward to giving a break to at least five to six participants from the show. More than for the channel, the TRPs here are more important for the contestants who wish to make it big,” Himesh Reshammiya said.

     

    Said Deepak Dhar, Managing Director and CEO, Endemol India who are the producers of the show: “This is the first show in India, wherein emphasis is given only to the voice and nothing else. The blind audition is what distinguishes this show from all other reality music shows in India.”

     

    All four coaches are ecstatic to be a part of the show. “The Voice India is here to redefine the music reality space in India, and I am happy to be on board,” Sunidhi Chauhan said. Mika Singh added, “I am thoroughly looking forward to finding a voice that has an exceptional quality, something real and versatile that will make heads turn.” Singer Shaan couldn’t make it to the announcement; however he left a video message, “What clicked for me is that every round on The Voice is very different and innovative. If you want to be on television and on a music show, it has to be The Voice.”

     

    The Voice India goes on air on June 6, 9pm on &TV and will be aired every Saturday and Sunday at 9pm.

     

  • The Kannada version of Bigg Boss netted 6.3 TVR on eviction day on ETV

    Bigg Boss scores high on ETV Kannada

    By A Correspondent

     

    ETV Kannada’s Bigg Boss that has Kiccha Sudeep as host has opened with a 6.3 TVR on the eviction day over the weekend. It has maintained an average TVR of 4.4 for the week. With Bigg Boss, ETV Kannada has strengthened its position this week by witnessing a 46% growth and touched 279 GRPs, the highest the channel has touched in the last three years.

     

    Talking about this development, ETV Kannada Programming Head – Parameshwar Gundkal said, “Pitching a show such as Bigg Boss in the competitive 8pm prime time slot against other big format shows was a risk, but we are very happy that the risk has paid off very well. Bigg Boss as a format encapsulates entertainment as it is the perfect blend of emotions, drama and unscripted reality. Sudeep has a strong fan following and has brought in a lot of mass appeal and energy to the show keeping the audience enthralled. With a spectacular opening for the show, we hope to keep the graph growing as the season unfolds.”

     

    Commenting on the TRPs, the host of the show, Southern superstar Sudeep said, “I do not give much importance to the TRPs but I am thrilled by the response that the show has garnered. Most important and encouraging is the fact that we have been able to connect with our audience and keep them captivated”

     

    Deepak Dhar

    Deepak Dhar, Managing Director, Endemol India further elaborated saying, “Bigg Boss is one of our most successful shows that has been appreciated globally. The response we have received from the Kannada audiences with our first foray into the regional space is very encouraging. We hope to continue having our audience hooked for the rest of the season as well”.

     

    Produced by Endemol India Private Limited, Bigg Boss Kannada has 14 celebs like Arun Sharma, Narendra Babu Sharma, Chandrika etc who will be locked in a house… just like Bigg Boss in Hindi on Colors.

     

  • Advertisers at L’Oreal, Nokia, Samsung, M&M and Vodafone jostling for ad spots on popular comedy programmes

    Advertisers serious about backing comedy

    By Vijaya Rathore

     

    Laugh and the viewers -and advertisers – laugh with you. That’s a formula working like a charm for broadcasters who are riding on the increasing popularity of comedy programming.

     

    And with a record 151 million people watching comedy shows on Hindi general entertainment channels in the first 10 months of 2012 -as per data from TAM Media – marketers at Procter & Gamble, L’Oreal, Nokia, Samsung, M&M and Vodafone are jostling for ad spots on a variety of standups and sitcoms on Hindi, English and even regional entertainment channels.

     

    Popular shows like Comedy Circus now sell on a par with primetime soaps, pulling in as much as Rs 2.5 lakh for a 10-second spot. The year-old Comedy Central channel, which has 150 advertisers on board, is developing local content and is expanding its network beyond the top seven cities of the country.

     

    According to TAM data sourced from a broadcaster, the comedy genre was the second-largest contributor to ratings, after action/thrillers between week 49 and week 52 in six metros. Among English programmes, half of the top 10 shows were comedies in seven metros in this period.

     

    These include comedies like Everybody Loves Raymond, Last Man Standing and How I met your Mother.

     

    Reliance Broadcast Network, a part of the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group, is working on producing Prime Nights, a stand-up comedy property. The company is currently engaged in discussions with sponsors. “We will do onground events and televise them in order to reach out to a larger audience,” says Tarun Katial, CEO, RBNL, which has a joint venture with BIG Studios. Says Abraham Koshy, professor at IIM-A: “The audience may enjoy seeing others’ sorrows on national TV, but such programmes may not be popular in terms of brand association. Brands prefer to associate with happiness.”

     

    “Every brand wants to get associated with comedy,” adds Rohit Gupta, president network sales, MSM India, which has channels like Sony Entertainment, SET Max and SAB TV in its bouquet.

     

    SAB TV is a Hindi channel focused entirely on comedy, and Sony TV has Comedy Circus, a reality-based stand-up comedy show that is one of its most popular programmes. Comedy Central, the English entertainment TV channel owned by Viacom18 Media, which completes a year this week, has done “exceptionally well”, according to business head Ferzad Palia. “The channel is expected to break even much ahead of the original business plan on the back of strong advertising and subscription revenues,” adds Mr Palia without sharing financial details.

     

    Endemol India, which was the one of the first production houses to bring in stand-up comedy shows on Indian television about eight years back, is experimenting with formats such as comedy panel game shows and sitcoms.

     

    “We plan to bring in new formats to India in line with the international markets that have popular comedy game shows and sitcoms. Talks are on with broadcasters,” says Deepak Dhar, chief executive, Endemol India, adding, “This is a staple diet for Indian audience.” Endemol boasts of shows such as Bigg Boss, Laughter Challenge, Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi, Jo Jeeta Wohi Super Star, Wipeout and Chottey Miyaan.

     

    Advertisers for their part have a sound reason for associating with the comedy genre.

     

    “When consumers are watching content in a good or happy state of mind, the message is clearly more effective. Comedy shows are often watched by families which helps a lot of brands get the message across in the right way to the right set of audience,” says Alok Bharadwaj, senior vice-president at Canon India. TAM data indicates that comedies are most popular with kids (between 4 and 14), the 15-24, 35-44 and 45-54 age brackets, which pretty much covers most of the Indian demographic.

     

    According to media planners, comedy attracts advertisers from automobile makers to financial services providers and from shampoo brands to telecom companies.

     

    According to Hiren Pandit, managing partner with media-buying agency Group M, brands that use the humour element in their advertising prefer to ride on comedy. “However, brands cannot survive purely on the back of one genre and should plan the media mix diligently,” he adds.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2013, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

     

     

  • After declaring that Bigg Boss is family-friendly this season, Colors has taken the show a step closer to its audiences by flagging off the Bigg Boss Tour, an initiative which will give fans the experience of being close to the stars via a paid tour

    Bigg Boss goes ‘alag’ with tours of ‘house’

    Manoj Gursahani of Bollywood Tourism and Deepak Dhar with Raj Nayak

    By A Correspondent

     

    The intention was made clear at the start when the channel pronounced that Bigg Boss would be slightly different in its avatar through the ‘Alag Chhe’. tagline. After getting it to be a show that can be watched by all in the family, Colors has taken a new step in getting the show a step closer with its audiences by flagging off the Bigg Boss Tour. The initiative would give fans an extraordinary experience of being close to the stars via a paid tour.

     

    Beginning October 19, 2012, Bigg Boss fans will get to unravel all the live action direct from the house, experience the reality and magnitude of the production and the complex set-up besides other attractions associated with the format. As part of the opportunity, Colors has introduced special buses that are designed to simulate the Bigg Boss experience and give fans the ultimate ride from Mumbai to the Bigg Boss house at Lonavala. The project is managed by Bollywood Tourism for Colors and has been introduced keeping in mind the need to satiate the curiosity around Bigg Boss.

     

    The paid tour will be operational every day of the week, except for Thursday till the season ends. The attractions will include a ‘House Tour’ via a secret passage and a look through a special viewing gallery that would allow one access to live action in the house; Hall of Fame, a spot where visitors can relive moments from their favourite seasons and have a look at iconic memorabilia of the most popular housemates; Control Room, the centre of all production activity and a view of the numerous cameras capturing every move; Confession Room, a room for viewers to get a chance to play Bigg Boss housemate and lastly a view of Salman’s Chalet, a place where the host unwinds during the shoot. The Friday tours will be a highlight as the visitors will get an opportunity to view the shoot of the eviction episode by host Salman Khan.

     

    When asked about the novelty factor behind the idea and the need for such an initiative at this juncture, Colors CEO Raj Nayak said, “We decided to do such a thing with a show like Bigg Boss because the format allows us to do something like that. It’s one of the biggest and most expensive reality shows in this country today. Also it is one of the shows which has a cult following and is talked about a lot.”

     

    And that’s not the only explanation. Mr Nayak added, “There is this whole feeling of the show being scripted, so we felt that there is an opportunity where we can bring viewers closer to the channel and that they came and witness for themselves that it is a non-scripted reality show. That’s what led us to get talking with our partner Endemol on the idea, which they readily latched on to. This was followed by the roping in of an experienced team that caters to tourism around Bollywood in Bollywood Toursim. So the three of us came together and recreated this new experience and we think it will fly.”

     

    While the new initiative could be looked as an alternative for the channel to recover the huge costs involved around the show, that is not what its precise aim is. Asserted Mr Nayak, “We are not doing it for revenue at all. In fact I do not know whether we will make money at all out of this and I won’t be surprised if we even lose money. But that is not we are concerned about; we decided that if we cover our expenses great otherwise we will subsidise it. But going by the response I think we will be able to cover our expenses.” According to Nayak, the whole idea behind this venture is to give the viewers an opportunity to come and connect with the show at a reasonable price.

     

    When asked how big a challenge it was in putting together an activity as big as the tour, Deepak Dhar, MD, Endemol India said, “The way the show has been designed it is one human observatory that’s running 24×7. To plug and play into the Bigg Boss psyche was not a challenge; it was an interesting idea that we lapped up. All the three of us then got together to see how we could work this across seamlessly to the extent that the format can allow and what it cannot allow.”

     

    In fact the idea has already attracted the attention of Endemol’s other international teams who have taken note of the activity and are looking at the possibility of emulating it across other properties as well. Asserted Mr Dhar, “It’s just the start now; let’s see how it gets picked up later. There’s already a bookmark on how this can work as of now. But all said and done it’s an innovative thought, an idea that can be replicated to other properties as well.”

     

    While the channel is hopeful of attracting huge ratings in the first week, what it is also excited about is the huge response that Bigg Boss is receiving from the advertisers. Affirmed Mr Nayak, “The advertisers have taken to our show very well. We have got five sponsors on board as of now. Vodafone has backed us again; we never had ‘powered by’ in the past seasons but this time we have Samsung who has come by in that slot. Coming next week, we will have two more sponsors on board so for me it’s a success even before the show is on air. As for the investments, we are spending much more this year so we would want to recover that proportionately.”

     

  • Abhishek Rege appointed – Chief Operating Officer – Television; Doris Dey joins as Fiction Head

    Abhishek Rege & Doris Dey join Endemol India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Abhishek Rege

    Aligning itself to an aggressive growth strategy, Endemol India announced key leadership appointments across verticals. As part of their new structure, Abhishek Rege has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer – Television, where he will be seen overlooking strategic operations specific to the production of new shows for television across the country. Doris Dey comes on board as the Fiction Head. She will be responsible for driving the fiction properties and concepts that will best engage and entertain the viewers. Based out of Mumbai, these two dynamic professionals will be seen playing pertinent roles in providing seamless operational and strategic inputs across the company.

     

    Doris Dey

    Commenting on the new appointments, Deepak Dhar, CEO – Endemol India, said: “The last one year has been very exciting for Endemol India, with the new concepts being accepted wholeheartedly and the existing formats progressing to their much awaited seasons. As we move into our next phase of growth, it’s critical to have a structure that supports our ambitions and fuels expansion.”

     

    He added: “Abhishek and Doris come with a vast experience and I am convinced that both the professionals will drive our most ambitious phase.”

     

    Deepak Dhar

    Abhishek Rege said: “At the helm of a new growth phase, I look forward to working with a bunch of highly motivated individuals and continue to create newer benchmarks in the industry.” Prior to his appointment at India, Abhishek was associated with Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd.

     

    Speaking on her association with Endemol India, Doris Dey said: “I am looking forward to working with this incredibly talented group of people who are relentless in providing new and innovative content to the viewers.”

     

  • CA Media India CEO Rajesh 'Colors' Kamat has announced investments in Endemol India and Only Much Louder. But this is just the beginning…

    Two investments done. Many to come!

     

    By Shruti Pushkarna

     

    In many ways, the Taj Lands End hotel has been lucky for Rajesh Kamat. The early days as captain of Endemol India and Colors were spent at the hotel in Mumbai. No surprise then that Mr Kamat located his CA Media office at the hotel when he joined it last year as CEO to oversee the Indian investments for The Chernin Group.

     

    For most in the media fraternity, Mr Kamat’s decision came as shocker since he was cruising as COO of Viacom18 Group and CEO of Colors. He spearheaded the channel to leadership position in a record 9 months – thus breaking the 9-year supremacy of Star Plus in the Indian GEC space. Prior to Viacom18, Mr Kamat was Managing Director of Endemol India, where he set up Endemol’s operations in India. As the news of CA Media’s investments in Endemol India and Only Much Louder had just begun reaching the fraternity on Thursday evening, Mr Kamat took time out to speak with MxMIndia:

     

    It’s interesting to see the span of investments you’ve made? One in an international production company and another in a not-so- known youth and music company? So what kind of investments can one expect from CA Media India in the future?

    What we are trying to build is a portfolio of assets and each of these will come in with its own uniqueness. You will see us not only invest in different companies but also build different brands in companies. So the first set of announcements are more on the buying side of it, in the second set you’ll probably hear of a build, we’ll actually support an idea and build out a business.

     

    It’s therefore going to be a diversified media property which has pretty much all kinds of assets under it. Now coming to specifically Only Much Lounder vs. Endemol, Endemol is what I call the content hub and we will go on to make it into a content powerhouse. While it’s a strong television player, we believe there is a fair amount of growth that can be looked in. We can look at inorganic growth in television, we can look at moving from one screen to multiple screens. So, on one hand we have an investment in Endemol which is a traditional content hub, on the other, we are investing in a nascent pocket of music overlapping with youth, I see that as investing in the youth power.

     

    If there is a company which is talking about college festivals, music festivals and managing talent in a Dewarists kind of show and more importantly in a nascent pocket, if you find a promoter who you can bank on, it can’t get better. I think that’s the unique combination we found in a Vijay from OML in the music and youth space and on the other end, Endemol, the conventional traditional content business. So that’s pretty much what you see in our investments today.

     

    It’s a year and 26 days since you set up operations. In hindsight, do you think you could’ve announced the ventures sooner?

    No, that’s my biggest learning, having come from a broadcast background, I am used to weekly ratings. In transactions and deals, when you are talking about building relationships, trust in a partner and then investing in a partner, I don’t think things move at that pace, because you have to build the rapport, relationship, then establish the value that you get to the table, then talk about the value that you can unlock in that business proposition and then do the deal. So I think it’s fairly decent in terms of pace. And if you talk to any private equity VC guys, you rarely have two announcements in one go and too within nine months of starting off.

     

    Also read…
    CA Media to invest in companies, build brands
    That Rajesh Kamat was 1st CEO of Endemol is not a coincidence: Deepak Dhar
    We’re looking at strategic inputs from CA Media, Zodius: Vijay Nair

    How many proposals did you vet?

    I don’t even keep a count (laughs). I would typically say a ratio would be 1 on 10 or 2 on 20… would invest in 1 on 10.

     

    How come Endemol? There are several homegrown production companies too?

    If you are talking about a company which has the single largest independent producer globally, if you are talking about a catalog of offering, if you are talking about a creative hub which is scalable, it couldn’t get better than Endemol.

     

    Is it quite a coincidence that you were also the founder-CEO of Endemol India? It obviously means a lot that you have invested in it… you have a great amount of faith in the company

    It’s not. What does happen is that if you’ve had an association with them since inception, then you know the roots of the company. I have enjoyed an equation with them in form of having set that company up, and then, as partners at Colors and now as investor in the company… I am enjoying all of them.

     

    So will you have a say in Endemol operations?

    In any of our investments, we invest in them because we believe the business model is good and the management is great. So from an operational standpoint we never interfere with what the management is delivering and they are the reason why we are investing. What we get involved is more at the capital, strategy and in terms of an overall direction.  That’s the role we play.

     

    Since a lot rests on key programming that Endemol does, will you possibly look at who the guests in the Bigg Boss house will be?

    No, no…I think Deepak is more than happy and excited and so is the Colors team deciding who goes inside into the Bigg Boss house. In fact I watched the show but I am not as animated about the show.

     

    Which are the languages that you see Endemol getting into?

    It’s only fair if you put up that question to Deepak.

     

    There are investors/VCs who are hands-off, and there are some who are hands-on… what will you be?

    We would like to be strategically involved. In case of an OML, what we do is, we build a plan out with the promoter…if we built a plan out with the promoter, then at every step wherever they need support, we stand by them, that’s our role. So not only do we invest money, we actually invest time and expertise.

     

    Tell us about the other project that you are investing in… Only Much Louder?

    It’s a youth activator brand, it’s a company which does college festivals, as I said we are investing in youth power, so they are a company which focuses on youth. They use music as a vehicle and we believe it’s a great company to get into because alternate music and music is growing as a pocket, and if you have a captive youth which in India more than 65 percent is less than 35 years of age, then it can’t get better. And we have a great promoter in Vijay.

     

    How come Only Much Louder and not other higher profile companies?

    As I said, it’s a great pocket, we love the promoter and we believe that with him we can scale new heights.

     

    Do you see it reaching the heights of, say, a Wizcraft?

    You need to talk to Vijay on that…what I can tell you is, yes we are building the brand. We are making every possible effort to work towards whatever best… there are five verticals they are working on, we would love to work with them on each of the verticals to see whatever maximum potential they reach, why would you want to benchmark on anybody…

     

    What are your targets for CA for the year?

    We don’t set out with a mission to buy five or four companies, what we do is, we talk to promoters, we identify good companies and invest in different companies. So I don’t think we set out with a target or a mission to acquire or build x numbers. We’ll identify pockets which are growing, we’ll identify businesses which are great, promoters who are good to invest and who we can trust, and the minute we find one, we’ll invest, so no targets.

     

    MxMIndia is read by a variety of constituents amongst media and marketers. If we were to send a message to people on the kind of projects you are seeking, what can that be?

    If we find businesses which are synergistic, we believe we can add value, and then we go ahead and invest in them. If we believe that we can grow the business, then we get into them. However, if it’s even a business which we believe is a good investment but we cannot add value and we are not strategic in the business, we’ll not go after it.

     

  • Endemol India CEO Deepak Dhar on the CA Media investment, Rajesh Kamat and the CA Media role in his operations and plans for the future

    That Rajesh Kamat was 1st CEO of Endemol is not a coincidence: Deepak Dhar

    By Shruti Pushkarna

     

    Deepak Dhar has been responsible for Endemol’s operations since he joined the company in 2006. Dhar has produced popular shows for Endemol such as Bigg Boss, Laughter Challenge, Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi, Jo Jeeta Wohi Super Star, Wipeout, Chottey Miyaan, operacion Triunfo and Mission Ustaad. Prior to Endemol India, Dhar worked with Star TV as group head, programming. He was instrumental in producing shows such as Pop Stars and The Great Indian Laughter Challenge. Before joining Star where he worked for around five year, Dhar was senior producer at MTV for three years. Deepak Dhar has been Managing Director of Endemol India since 2007 and he will continue to lead the company post the alliance with CA Media, as CEo. Excerpts from an interview with MxMIndia:

     

    From what we in the media knew, Endemol India was the wholly owned India arm of Endemol in the Netherlands. So why go to CA for 49 per cent stake?

    We entered into this, largely from a strategic point of view…we had ambitions to go in the film business, and when we started talking to CA Media, they had strategic insights into the business. So this is more of a strategic investment than a financial one.

     

    Is the balance 51% owned by Endemol, Netherlands?

    Yes, the controlling stake is with Endemol and the balance with CA Media.

     

    Is there a possibility of further liquidation?

    I don’t think so.

     

    Any investor likes to cash out at some time… is that something that has been discussed? How much of a window is CA looking at?

    Well it’s too soon to talk about exit. We’ve just taken our company from being a TV production company to a content production company, so we are not looking at exits at this point.

     

    Also read…
    Two investments done. Many to come!
    CA Media to invest in companies, build brands
    We’re looking at strategic inputs from CA Media, Zodius: Vijay Nair

    It’s interesting that CA in India is headed by Rajesh Kamat who was the first CEo of Endemol India? Coincidence or did that help in this?

    Rajesh brings in a huge strategic insight. So no, it’s not a coincidence. With this investment we have put together the power of Endemol and his insights into the business.

     

    Endemol is essentially known as the Bigg Boss and owner of assorted reality show formats. That’s possibly an unfair comment. What next?

    Bigg Boss was only one part of our business. A huge amount of our content is also fiction, we produce around 900 hours of fiction. So fiction is our next focus area, we will also look at regional, we will look at digital very seriously. More importantly, we will look at movie production business.

     

    How much will CA have a say in operations of Endemol? For instance, that x person should be the guest in Bigg Boss?

    None at all. They are controlling the business but the operational control is entirely with Endemol.

     

    You are looking at expanding to regions: so where next? And what will you take where?

    We are already there in the Southern market, we have shows in Telugu and Tamil. Now we are focusing on Marathi. We will also look into Bengali, very soon you’ll hear announcement on regional players.

     

    There are networks like Zee which have not been buying international formats…?

    See that depends on the channel’s philosophy. A lot of broadcasters are picking up formats but there are still those who don’t pick up formats. So it clearly depends on an individual channel’s philosophy.

     

  • For the first time ever, the channel is launching the biggest sports entertainment reality show which will feature 30 top Indian and international wrestling superstars

    Colors launches sports reality show Ring Ka King

    By A Correspondent

     

    After having entertainedIndiawith their impressive bouquet of fiction shows, format shows and a number of successful reality shows, Colors, is all set to introduce a fresh format to its audiences.

     

    For the first time ever, the channel is launching the biggest sports entertainment reality show called ‘Ring Ka King’, which will feature 30 top Indian and international wrestling superstars including Jeff Jarrett, Matt Morgan, Scott Steiner and Monster Abyss; Indian wrestlers who have received international-level training like Jwala, Mahabali Veera, Romeo Rapta, Zoravar and Deadly Danda will also be among the participants. Indian cricket superstar Harbhajan Singh has been roped as the goodwill ambassador.

     

    The show will bring a mix of drama and reality by adding some Indian tadka to the good old wrestling matches that we have grown up watching. The show will go on air from January 28 at 8pm with subsequent episodes airing on Saturdays and Sundays.

     

    Colors CEO, Raj Nayak said: “We have always vowed audiences with some of the biggest reality shows like Bigg Boss, Khatron Ke Khiladi,India’s Got Talent and now we are proud to present yet another explosive first of its kind sports reality show – Tata Prima Trucks Ring Ka King. Coming down to participate in the show are international wrestling sensations.India, for the first time will witness the excitement of a sport and the intensity of a drama, both rolled into one.”

     

    He added: “We truly believe that the show will appeal to our viewers and advertisers who are constantly looking for new and innovative platforms to reach out to their audiences. We are glad to be working with Tata Prima trucks and hope that our relationship only grows hereon.”

     

    In what could be called a modern day clash of the Titans, some of the world’s most renowned wrestling superstars will be seen battling Indian pehelwans to capture the title of ‘Ring ka King’.

     

    In the first four weeks of the show, audiences will see matches that will crown a ‘Heavy Weight Champion’ and a ‘Tag Team Champion’. During the subsequent weeks, the champions will have to save their honour and title and fight against the other contenders who will challenge them to claim the belt.

     

    Through the show, audiences will get an insight about the intricacies of wrestling and what goes into making a show as enjoyable as this.

     

    Explaining the concept of the show Deepak Dhar, MD, EndemolIndiasaid: ”It’s an exciting format for us to work with. For the first time ever, we are combining sports and entertainment to create something very different and exciting. While the focus, of course, will be on the wrestling matches, it is the entertainment and the drama aspect of the show that will make the matches a lot more interesting. Endemol has entered into a partnership with TNA Entertainment, LLC to popularize professional wrestling. Endemol fulfils its commitment toIndiaby constantly bringing best-in-class entertainment toIndia. ”

     

    Jeff Jarret from TNA, who represents the international wrestlers participating in the show said: ”Tata Prima Trucks Ring ka King is a very exciting project for us at TNA. We know TNA has a lot of fans inIndia, especially young fans, so the enthusiasm levels are higher than ever. At the same time, the format of the show is very interesting which will allow our fans to see their favourite wrestling stars as not just wrestlers, but real people. Of course, we are looking forward to put on an adrenaline filled show that will get all our fans super excited.”

     

    On being title sponsors, Mr. Vinod Sahay, Head- Sales & Marketing, Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicles, Tata Prima Trucks said: “We believe integrating our majestic Tata Prima heavy weight trucks with Ring ka King. It represents a natural fit for both our brand and the show. The Prima range of trucks, tractor trailers and tippers bring to India international standards of power, performance and endurance, which ties in very well with the Ring ka King format which aims to bring international standards of wrestling to our country incorporating the same attributes of power, performance and endurance.”