When Mohit Raina-starrer 21
Sarfarosh Saragarhi 1897 went on air
recently, it was hailed as the game changer
of television. Before that, Porus was called
the Baahubali of the small screen. Another
show, Prithvi Vallabh Itihaas Bhi, Rahasya
Bhi, created a buzz for its massive canvas.
There has also been Aarambh: Kahani
Devsena Ki, which went off-air in just three
months. Shani, which is currently on air, is
also made on a larger-than-life scale.
At an age when viewers are consuming
more digital content, we ask producers
what's making them go so ambitious. From
audiences expecting premium content to
preparing to enter the big league
of international shows, they share their
reasons.
Telly watchers are maturing
For a long time, the viewers were glued to
soap operas and reality shows, but the tide
is now turning. The producer of Porus,
Siddharth Kumar Tewary, says, "I don't think
Indian viewers are dumb. We just need to
give them the right thing and offer it in a
newer and more exciting way. Prithvi
Vallabh (inspired by Kanaiyalal Maneklal
Munshi's Gujarati historical fictional novel,
Prithivivallabh) producer, Aniruddh Pathak,
asserts, "Television is no longer the idiot
box. While Siddharth says that one can
gauge whether viewers are ready for such
big shows only when producers create
them, Aniruddh states, "Serial creators have
kept the scope of television narrow. We
haven't accorded it the kind of respect it
deserves and that needs to change.
They need premium content
With shows like Game of Thrones, Breaking
Bad, House of Cards, and Narcos, among
others, Indian viewers have easy access to
international content. And Indian producers
are bucking up to offer a similar experience.
"We need to provide them premium content
to make them believe that we can give them
high-quality production and
narration, Siddharth says. The audiences
are spoilt for choice and only gobsmacking
content can save a show, according to
Aniruddh.
Preparing for the big league
Producers are upping the ante because
Indian shows will share the space with
international biggies. "In three months, 21
Sarfarosh will be on Netflix, along with
shows and films that are being consumed in
different geographical boundaries the world
over. So, we cannot be caught napping,
Abhimanyu Singh, the show's producer
reasons. This is the transitional phase when
the demarcation between television and
web is blurring. Aniruddh opines that by
next five to 10 years, entertainment will be
in the viewers' palms. "Each episode of a
Netflix show is made on a budget of $100
million. So, it's the need of the hour to make
cinematic shows in order to be taken
seriously in the global market, he says.
Abhimanyu adds that making superior
shows will help when more premium
content is required in future. "You will need
the skill sets. We are spending the money,
understanding technology and using newer
methods to tell a story to create stellar
content later, he says.
Keeping it real
In the past, historical and mythological
shows have looked gimmicky. Now,
producers are avoiding slipshod work and
want to make their shows look more
plausible. "The idea is to transport viewers
into the historical world and not fantastical,
Siddharth explains. For Prithvi Vallabh,
Anirrudh is ensuring that effects don't look
CG-created. Every time Abhimanyu has made
a historical show, like Chakravartin
Ashoka Samrat, the production house has
gone opulent. "But with 21 Sarfarosh, we
have gone realistic. We have given a raw
texture to the show, he says.
Going the extra mile
The extempore way of making shows
writing scripts while shooting, for instance
is also becoming a thing of past. Makers
are focusing on pre-production, shooting in
advance, and employing equipment used in
films to lend their show grandiosity.
Aniruddh says, "The script for Prithvi Vallabh
was complete before we started rolling and
we started the shoot six months before
going on air. Similarly, Siddharth designed
the graph of the show so that his entire
team would know what the requirements
going forward were.
Not losing viewers to the web yet
Even if viewers are turning to digital
platforms, it will take a while for them to
completely move. Abhimanyu concurs, "For a
while, television and digital will be
complementing each other. Of course, there
will be a friction later. As of now, brands are
still bullish about advertising on TV. So,
channels will continue to put in
megabucks. Since the cable is still a cheaper
medium, television is not going anywhere
anytime soon. And, creators are making
shows for the viewers. "Creation has
nothing to do with whether they view it on
television or digital platform. As long as we
are adding viewers and not losing them, it's
all good, Siddharth concludes.
http://www.dnaindia.com/bollywood/report-big-on-the-small-screen-2590124.
Udne Ki Aasha
Kumkum Bhagya
Arjun
