ekta says '2007 will be mine'

Her life script has the lather of a soap. From being a 'couch potato' herself to making viewers addicted to Balaji soaps, Ektaa Kapoor has vindicated herself. With her Midas touch, Balaji Telefilms has not only generated employment for thousands but has also created a new slew of superstars.

The winning three

Ektaa reviews the recent past saying, "It's been sporadic year for soaps. New shows like 'Saat Phere' (Zee) and 'Kasamh Se' (Zee) have done well. Interestingly, the old 'Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhu Bahu Thi' (Star Plus) is still number one. The time transition gave it a fresh life."

Reality check

Ektaa refutes that reality TV has eclipsed fiction. She says, "The second seasons of reality TV didn't fare well. It's age-old fiction that has lasted more than niche programming." That said, Ektaa shortlists the year's top three: "'Saat Phere', 'Kasamh Se' and 'Kyunkii…' have brought back the era when drama was second to emotions, when stories were simpler and dealt with mass India." Though she's all praises for producer Sunjoy Wadhwa's 'Saat Phere', she adds, "It's formatted in the Balaji style."

Check-o-meter

Getting self-critical, Ektaa confesses, "I want to improvise on the dialogues of my show. I want to check the monotony that sometimes creeps in the writing, making it myopic," she says. "Presentation should be upmarket and stories classic. I put the two together - mass drama with classy ambience."

Futurescope

The 30-something creative fountainhead reveals her future plans saying, "This year, I will move into mass reality programming that wins maximum viewers and provides talent with a platform. The concept is mine. Indian reality shows have never had their own formats - they've bought them (except for 'Nach Baliye')." She claims, "Year 2007 will be mine."

Frivolous flak

Pinky Virani's book 'Bitter Chocolate' mentions Ektaa's shows refraining from 'alien' issues such as incest. Consequently, Ektaa spotlighted rape in 'Kyunkii…'. But she says, "The way we presented rape was purposely gruesome so that viewers could connect with the victim and not be tantalised by it. Though the show peaked when the rapists got caught, overall it was dismissed as frivolous."

Dreaming on

You may condemn her shows for being regressive with bizarre background scores or etching extreme vile and virtue, but Ektaa remains unperturbed. "My soaps bring families together at the dining table. The old have something to look forward to in the evenings," says this peddler of a million dreams.