'Perhaps people are moving because I'm not intimidating'
Ekta Kapoor's ex-creative head, Sandiip Sikcand, tells why he quit Balaji, and why artistes are following him out of Ekta's production house
Subhash K Jha
When Sandiip Sikcand moved from Balaji to Sony Entertainment it created quite a stir with talks of a fall-out with Ekta Kapoor doing the rounds. "I can't pretend that our rapport isn't ruptured. She didn't expect me to leave, neither did I. But things had come to such a pass that I'd have left Balaji even if I didn't get a job at Sony," says Sandiip.
Moving on, for Sandiip, was inevitable. "The move was very disturbing for me. Earlier, I was very clear that I was going nowhere from Balaji. In fact, at one time I had been offered a job by Sony and I had declined. I just couldn't think of a life outside Balaji. Ekta and Balaji were my family. But, unfortunately, there were always these elements trying to create problems at Balaji when I was there. In fact, one gentleman whom I don't want to name, sent an SMS to Ekta saying that I had joined Sahara when I was on leave and still editing Kasamh Se."
But Sandiip does not want to get into the blame game. "It was a painful move. Not a day passes when I don't think about Balaji. I'm still in touch with some of my friends from there," he says.
However, the lacuna left behind by Sandiip at Balaji is evident. "But I had no choice! The problem had intensified. Even the son of the house moves away from his parents if there are problems. I had to do the same… My decisions were being questioned there. Let's not talk about it," he says.
So, how does he foresee his future at Sony? "I'm amazed Sony took me on. I've no corporate background. I'm just a creative person. I started my working life as a garment exporter. After that I did some theatre, and then joined Balaji. So I don't have any corporate image. Now I'm being watched with hawk eyes just because I'm not a suited-booted corporate guy. People are waiting for me to slip up. Why write my career obituary when I've just started? Will Sandiip Sikcand perform? Is he smuggler and a poacher? Yes, I've been called both, it has been said that I've smuggled and poached Smriti Irani and Aamna Sharif away from Balaji! I just want to tell everyone to shut up and mind their own business, and let me mind mine."
But Balaji actors and technicians are moving towards Sony, after Sandiip. "Perhaps people are coming to me because I'm approachable and not intimidating. I like to have fun at work. But the minute anyone says he's coming to me at Balaji's expense, I say sorry. I'd never hurt my parent company. Even at Balaji I was the most transparent person around, always available to anyone who wanted to. I'll make mistakes, but new ones."
Sandiip's first effort post-Balaji is Kajal. "I took over when the show was already planned. I hope I've done a competent job with it. So far the feedback has been positive. Yes, there are technical glitches. I'm happy I've started at level 2, so I can go up to level 10. I don't claim to do a path-breaking show in Kajal. In fact, I've adhered to the formula that we used at Balaji. Yes, the Mussourrie location and cast are refreshing. But I deliberately chose to tell the story in a way viewers are used to. Let's be honest. Sony needs to get the eyeballs back."
Sandiip's two new ventures are the reality shows Jhalak Dikhla Jaa and Bigg Boss. "Bigg Boss is a challenge. It's a 'reality soap'. After Bigg Boss I've Anuj Saxena's production about a girl searching for love, who gets widowed instead. There's also Smriti Irani's new show Viruddh coming up in January. Then I've Tony and Deya Singh's Jeeta Hain Jiske Liye which has Renuka Shahane making a comeback. This show didn't need a girl, it needed a woman. You know, I always wanted to work with Renuka at Balaji. As creative head there I had called her up twice. I think all the things that I couldn't do at Balaji are being done now."
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