Episode 11
February 4, 2005
Karan: She's truly the first lady of Indian television. Ekta Kapoor and I share a lot in common - we both swear by the letter K, we are extremely superstitious, both of us are fellow Geminis, we're both scared of flying… How does it feel to be a millionaire at 29, Ekta?
Ekta: Money is secondary, honestly. You have a company, which has started a new trend in a completely new industry. I always wanted to make a company but I didn't know if it would be big or small.
Karan: A common thing we have is Sunita Menon.
Ekta: I had a family, I didn't have a Guru. When a lot of things happened in my life, I lost control. Sunita helped me through a very bad phase in my life.
Karan: She's the spiritual advisor, the psychic advisor and the emotional advisor to practically the entire film fraternity. She's Mumbai's favorite clairvoyant. What is your take on the common perception of Sunita Menon?
Sunita: People normally expect an older woman, with gray hair, really fat, peering at something and saying, "Your Saturn is sitting in the 7th house and now this is what'll happen". And there I am in my jeans and t-shirt saying, "Hi, how're you doing?"
Karan: But earlier you were like that, weren't you? You wore a lot of white and pastel shades.
Sunita: I'm glad you brought it up. Two films used my character - odd characters in white, with long hair and candles burning in the background.
Karan: Yes, one of them was Ekta Kapoor's film - Krishna Cottage. (laughs)
Sunita: Certain people also perceived me differently, like I'm not supposed to have a sense of humor, I'm not supposed to know about fashion or art or music. It's thanks to Manish Malhotra who asked me to stop hiding behind those clothes.
Karan: Ekta comes to you often, Sunita. does she do everything you ask her to? Is there something which went wrong?
Sunita: Several! (laughs) She's very naughty and she doesn't listen to me. She'll argue with me and then finally come and say, "Yeah, I should've listened to you." (laughs) I told her to make films only after she's 31, but no, the spoilt kid will not listen and make crappy films. (smiles)
Karan: Yeah, I once heard someone say, "Ekta's making these films to avoid paying taxes." (laughs) But the two of you are so close, so are you and I. Do you think that you lose objectivity with someone because you're so close?
Sunita: Not blinded, but I can't bring myself to say bad things. It hurts me, but that's wrong on my part. I wish for those things to go away. Many times, I just haven't told you people.
Karan: Does she come to you for really small stuff too like I do? (laughs)
Sunita: She comes to me for smaller things too. But it's better than people who come to me and ask me if they'll be invited to a party. I feel sorry for people like that, because if that's your priority, if that's what makes you happy in life, then you have a problem.
Karan: Tell me another really silly question you are asked.
Sunita: When will I lose weight? (laughs)
Karan: There is also the letter K which I was told about after Kuch Kuch Hota Hai - that stick to K. Ekta, your first TV serial Hum Paanch did very well. Do you think it would've been better if it were called Kum Panch? 😉: (laughs) Well, you see, numbers and alphabets accentuate your success. If you don't work hard, but have a K in your film name that's not going to make it a success.
Karan: Ekta, will you ever leave the alphabet K for anything in the world?
Ekta: No, it's stuck with me. It's my belief now, not my superstition.
Karan: I also hear you are a tyrant at work. (smiles) The whole of Balaji shudders at the mention of you name and presence. Is that true?
Ekta: Yeah! Ten people come together to make one thing. It's teamwork there. When one person messes it up, not as a mistake but because of a casual approach to work, then the show goes off air and I'm answerable to so many people who eat out of the show. We get money from that work, you can't take your work lightly.
Karan: What do you have to say, Ekta, when there are a whole lot of people who call your work regressive - to those critics or those opinions?
Ekta: Anything popular gets run down. (smiles) It's pure clich. Seeing someone in a saree or a mangalsutra does not mean they are regressive. If people think so, it's their problem. If 80 per cent of the country's watching, they have a mind of their own. We are not teaching them what to watch.
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