"I'm not looking at being no.1" - Sneha Rajani

A very confident Sneha Rajani, Senior EVP and Business Head, Sony Entertainment Television talks about the number game, KBC and other shows on the channel.

Published: Thursday,Sep 05, 2013 15:39 PM GMT-06:00

Seema Matoo

Known for its metro-centric programming, Sony TV has an interesting line-up of fiction shows but they are not able to garner numbers. Now with new shows like the recently launched Kehta Hai Dil... Jee Le Zara and the soon to be launched shows like KBC, Desh ki Beti Nandini and Sanjeev Kapoor's Kitchen ke Khiladi coming up on the channel, it is sure gearing up to give a tough fight to its competitors.

Sneha Rajani, Senior EVP and Business Head, Sony Entertainment Television talks about these shows and feels that the TAM ratings are a bit disconnected with the metro-centric programming offered by Sony.

Kaun Banega Crorepati is in its 7th season... what new do we expect from the show this year?

This is the first time in the history of not only KBC but even Who Wants to be a Millionaire that we have gone with a completely different set designer. The iconic round set that is known worldwide is gone. The set for KBC season 7 is now rectangular and dramatically different from the previous one. This initiative, this change of set was initiated by India.

Secondly, we have upped the prize money to a whopping Rs.7 crores. The number of questions this season have increased to 15 questions. So now essentially and effectively it will be that the four questions 12, 13, 14, 15 will give you a chance to win one crore. The four questions in the feature will be called the Sapta Koti Sandook that will give the contestants a chance to win an amount starting from Rs.1 crore, 3 crore, 5 crore and finally 7 crore, so basically now we are giving four opportunities to win Rs. 1 crore plus 6 crores more.

This is the 7th season and the prize money is Rs. 7 crores, so in the 8th season will the prize money increase further?

I don't think the prize money is linked to the season, so I cannot say whether next year we will increase it or not.

The tag line is brilliant - Seekhna Bandh, Toh Jeetna Bandh... did it come from the channel?

Just when we were thinking that this season we have lost the deadline, our ad agency Leo Burnett did a superb job of coming up with this tag line. The tag line - Seekhna Bandh, Toh Jeetna Bandh is true for each one of us even today and the person who epitomizes it is Mr. Bachchan himself. I know that he learns something new from someone every day. He is like a sponge, who soaks in so much information and learning for which he stands apart.

And what has been your learning from KBC?

My learning has wholly and solely been Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. From top to bottom, all 6 feet 2 inches of him is a learning experience. I learn even as I observe him every day. I feel that it is a blessing and nothing short of it. When I am really, really upset I think of him and say to myself, look at him, what is it that you are getting upset with small things like a promo spot hitting air a day late? Secondly, Mr. Bachchan is tremendously disciplined. I myself am extremely disciplined about timings and in some ways we both are the same. We are very punctual, and I too like everything to be well planned but there is a difference, zameen-aasman ka fark hai, with me doing it and a person of his stature doing it.

The set for KBC was shifted from Filmcity to Yash Raj Studios this year...

And we assure you that it has nothing to do with Mr. Bachchan's health. The shehanshah is roaring and I have never seen such energy in Mr. Bachchan since long. He is out there poised for challenge.

How is the fiction show with Amitabh Bachchan going?

The progress on the fiction show is fine. The shoot is going on and everything looks good. We have not fixed on the launch date as yet and all I can say it that it will be after KBC.

Talking about other shows, as per the last week's ratings, Bharat ka Veer Putra - Maharana Pratap has surpassed Life Ok's Devon ke Dev. Mahadev.

I am happy about it and feel that it deserves a lot more. The kind of buzz I have seen around this show and also around Indian Idol Junior, I have not seen it in a long, long time. I am baffled but at the same time would like to say that we expected this for Maharana Pratap and that is the reason we launched it. Bharat ka Veer Putra - Maharana Pratap and Indian Idol Junior deserve much, much more.

Is it from the point of ratings that you expected much more?

TAM is the only official rating meter right now and we have to stand by that but I think as far as Sony TV is concerned it is a little disconnected because we at Sony always have been very urban and metro centric and the weightage that TAM has given to the LC 1 towns (with population less than one million) just doesn't work for Sony specifically. It works for SAB but not for us. TAM upped the percentage weightage of ratings from the lower markets and reduced the weightage of the upper markets like Mumbai and Delhi because you have to balance it out and make it 100% so at the end of the day it is going to make an impact.

Is that also the reason that we see fiction shows on Sony not getting the numbers?

Yes, as I said our fiction shows are not doing well as they should be because TAM measures certain sections which are not Sony heavy. A majority of this section is a set of audience that Sony does not even talk to! If 40 - 45% of the ratings are going to come from there then how do you measure up?

You don't believe in the number game...

I am saying that I'm not interested in Sony TV being no. 1. I certainly don't want to be No. 4, 5 or 6 but I am honestly comfortable being on the No. 3 or No. 2 position as long as I am being profitable. Fact of the matter is that because of the recent phenomenon at No, 5 or 6 from a business point of view we might be doing great but we need to up our numbers. But yes, I'm not looking at being No. 1.

So, to stay ahead in the numbers game will you ever tweak your programming strategy?

No. Why should we at Sony change our programming since we have accepted TAM and the ratings. That is the way the TAM system operates and we have willingly with our eyes open accepted it. They are representing India and I am representing a certain section of India. Loyal viewers of Sony TV relate to urban and metro-centric stories and we are happy with that.

Weekend programmes on Colors is doing really well...

Yes of course it is doing well... It is a template that Sony has created and is being replicated by others now. But we are proud of all our weekend shows like CID which is getting good numbers even after 16 years and even Crime Patrol, a format which has been copied by others.

Comedy Nights with Kapil is a major TRP earner. Any plans to come up with a similar show on Sony?

No. As it is Comedy Circus will move to the Sunday 10 pm slot once KBC starts.

Had Kapil Sharma ever pitched the show to Sony and will we see him again on Sony?

No he never pitched the show to us but Kapil is Sony's find and I don't believe in never say never. If it happens it happens. We launched him and we wish him all the best.

Rumors are rife about Chhanchhan, Saas Bina Sasural Season 2 and others...

Chhanchhan is ending and there is no chance of it getting an extension. Anamika too will end. Amita Ka Amit is a good show but however as per the ratings it is not doing well. There is no news on Saas Bina Sasural Season 2. There has been no remote conversation about it from our side.

Seema Khot Mattoo