Note from Gautam Hegde - writer of IPKKND - Page 2

I agree with him on the most bit. When the scene is great, everyone's like BS-SI were amazing. When the scene sucks, we're like poor Barun-Sanaya, CVs you suck! And I can imagine they're probably having a really tough time these days with Barun on such a tight schedule.

But yeaaahh, a whole track full of comedy CANNOT be blamed on a bad day either.

Firstly the CVs who need to come out with such an explanation to the fanbase in itself talks about the achievement and success you guys have received with this show - that itself should be a winner for the hard work the Team has put in - that for the first time the CVs and the Writer of a Television show is having a dialogue with the audience...👏👏👏

GH Thank you for reaching out to the audience, your words convey the frustration that no doubt persists in your camp regarding the fate of the show, the current stalemate and let's face it, this unrelenting scrutiny by fans... Ouch! It must not be a good time to be a writer of a show under all sorts of scrutiny!

You speak of the cuss words but what of the love that has been showered upon the team - if the recent awards are any indication, it's pretty clear the viewers are not so mean as you make them sound. And you ask why? Viewers will respond why not! I agree you guys are virtually making a movie every week, if you go by that twisted logic, then I'm sure, so many people who watch your shows are making so many other meaningful things every week in their lives as well, but that's a lame excuse imo, what stopped you from using BS's limited time in a meaningful way rather than that silly romantic sequence the other day? Lack of ideas...? Or maybe the panic button... Why would you waste his precious availability in lame song and dance routine instead of something more logical, what stopped that?

The viewers respect your point of view, and appreciate all the hard work that goes into making of each episode but that is no reason to justify obvious mediocrity! -

Why was there no need to reach out to the audience when the show was climbing the charts?

Why was there no need to ask for audience ideas or make fun of them in that way, when you guys were presenting your story, in the way you wanted to at the start?

Because you guys stuck by your ideas and built it up nicely- stuck by your convictions ... and things always make more sense when you are convinced of your ideas, no matter how silly or filmi or cliched it may be, audience does lap it up. My suggestion is to stick by what you have conceived and be true to that, and not go on changing tracks, play with characterizations of your major characters, scripts as per demands. That will just end up messing your show, it's not our story to tell, it's yours, and only you can do justice to it, the best way.

Why the pressing need all of a sudden to defend things?

The other thing, which I think is seriously messing with your show, is all the publicity and by it, I mean all the bad publicity in recent times - what is the need for all those spoilers, pictures, insider info every day on this forum - are you not trying to gauge audience reaction? And whose reaction, those people who are least likely to contribute to your TRPs, those that do - will most likely not get those spoilers! See somewhere you are also benefitting from this interaction with the fans, and one which you have been using well, so it's a mutual thing, you've encouraged people to interact and provided them a platform to do that. It will obviously work both ways, pray tell me you knew it wasn't just the applause you were expecting your way! And this simple thing of BS taking a few days off should have remained just that ... what was the need for all those articles or interviews? Just too much publicity where it's not needed will only spoil things and put many people off. Just as you have invested into the show, so has the audience who watches your 'movie' every week. If its bad, well,...too bad, the ratings won't lie...either way!

And if you are a creative person or intend to be one, be prepared for the onslaught because everything you do will be scrutinized. And the nature of the medium...of your art ... is one where it[scrutiny] is inevitable. An artist who has no takers for his masterpiece, cannot whine on the podium saying, I spent x hours of my life working on this... so all you buggers have no right to criticize it. Hard work does not need to be stressed; it is evident from the final product because it will speak for itself. There is no alternate to that route...so stop ranting about that. Go back to your drawing board and if possible watch your show from the start to its last episode, do it objectively, if you are half as smart as you claim yourself to be, your product will speak for itself, and you'll know exactly what the audience has been complaining about. I can list out a few here, missing script..I'm sorry, it sounds mean I know but it really is one of the reasons, messed up characterizations, lack of adequate parallel tracks, not using all the supporting cast smartly ... at the moment they are like mere props... like those plastic pots by ASR's poolside...the thing that caught my eye first was the way you guys dealt with tracks, the resolution / treatment of issues was refreshing to say the least... you have no idea how many times i curse myself for watching this show, when you go on stretching this idiotic MU as if your show will collapse like a pack of cards the moment you resolve it. Wake up and smell the coffee, this stale MU [Terrace Misunderstanding] is what has infested your show...I could elaborate but then you get paid to do this not me. To be 'Senti' is good but learn to channelize it productively, and not get emotionally swayed. Let's not complain like a whiny kid!

As for the silly, fanatics, well that cannot be avoided given the internet and these internet forums - it's an inconvenience you'll have to learn to deal with the best way you can. But if it bugs you so much, just shut that fan page off for a month, and go back and work on your show without any outside influence, just the way you want to, have to and need to. Good luck in reviving a show, which can definitely fare better than its doing at the moment.

cheers,

-spirit-

Mr. Gautam Hegde and 4 Lions Films, thank you for this post. We are very appreciative of the fact that you have come out to talk about what is happening on the show and on the forums where you get to see feedback from people who watch it. Trust me, we love this show, and it is this love that gets expressed (albeit sometimes in a very "Shyam" way) by some of us. We care about the show, and want what is best for it. Understand the compulsions that you must face for coming out with a post like this, which no other production house or creative would do, and we love that you embrace the modern online viewership as much as you do the TRP audience.

As people who are working professionals here, some of us also understand your limitations – time limitations, working conditions, limited resources etc – who hasn't gone through that? We know you're trying to do the best you can as well, given all this. Personally I have enjoyed the show completely in the almost one year you have been on air, and I have not had any major problems with much of what you have shown (except the Bubbly track, which had me completely mystified). I am glad to see that you have accepted that there are sometimes mistakes made, and we hope that the mistakes are rectified like you did with the Bubbly track – quickly and with dignity.

Also, we understand how you are trying to straddle multiple age groups, and this is also something that sometimes works for, and sometimes against the show. You do gain some, and lose some while trying to bring about a balance. It's also one of the reasons IPKKND is unique in our eyes, but please don't lose that uniqueness in an effort to blend in with mainstream. There are a few things like Shyam's recent behaviour with Khushi, which are a little hard to watch – understand why you are doing it, but it can be quite hard for us, especially when we are so attached to the characters as if they are real. And if they are real to us it's because your entire team has made them so. It didn't happen overnight.

As a group, we do appreciate the writing and backend work as well – the nuances, the dialogues which might mean nothing but are uproarious, the multiple connections, the storyline, the premise of the show – it's all your brain child, and I am sure you care about it even more than we do. This is your bread and butter, this is what you do for your livelihood, we know it matters. There is appreciation for the CVs as well – while we might drool over the so-called packaging of the show which is Barun and Sanaya (which we can't help as well, they are awesome), we also love the show for being what it is, and what you have created. There are some who might disagree (and that is their opinion), but I personally think you do a first rate job in bringing us a serial that appeals to the teenage phangurl, the romantic, the dramatic, the comic, and the woman in me at the same time. Please don't let us hardcore believers in you and the cast and crew down – that is my only wish. I have so far had complete faith in you and I hope that this faith remains justified for a very long time to come.

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Dear Gautam Hegde and whoever is involved along with you,

You have to understand that we get upset with a bad showing because we are also very passionate about the show. We can all keep very silent, not criticize, praise all the good things done and keep mum when things go bad. But will it stop the TRPs from falling? No it won't. Don't you guys want to know why the TRPs are falling? So please stop cribbing, we are on the same team here. Take our feedback as constructive criticism and try to improve when and where it is slipping.

And yes we do praise everyone involved when a good scene happens. On the bandament day the cameraman and director got more credit than the actors. And on the GH scene the CVs got more credit than anyone else. Write more scenes like that and you will see praise pour in.

Yours sincerely,
Dedicated IPK prime time watcher and TRP contributor

PS: I have swayed, coerced, cajoled, persuaded innumerable people into watching this show. So I also have a personal obligation towards making sure the serial does fine.hence the rant.

If 4lions is going to review this thread then please take this in notice:

I don't know about others but this show has provided me with an illusionary solace (which is pretty pathetic) and I haven't ever been disappointed by the creatives!
Many fans outburst because of inconstantcy in tracks or poor editing! The crew works more harder than than cast and I have seen that with my own eyes how it all goes! I hope this note left the effect wanted on the fans.
Secondly, the channel plays a bigger part. Star Plus likes being the #1 channel with high TRP in which they ruin the actual proceedings the actual creatives of the show plan. I understand that for the channel its nothing other than business! But that doesn't mean they don't treat every show equally!

Ipkknd is a good show and there are still many fans out here that are happy with all the proceedings, many of them don't step in this bashing environment so they don't start getting bashed!

yes well said GH...what took u so long..ur post was long overdue...first of all...A BIG THANK U...for giving us IPKKND!!!!!!

I have always maintained that its the team effort that makes IPKKND a huge sucess. Not just the lead actors. Its a lot of hardwork and we truly appreciate the efforts that everyone puts in it.🤗 to the whole team of IPKKND.