From big to small screen: Content gurus or overrated ventures? An Analysis

Sniff a bit, listen a little, observe a tad and you will realize, there is a smell of change in the atmospheric air of Indian television.

A potent medium of expression, reaching hearts and minds of millions, television (no longer an idiot box) content today is crammed with experimentation. Though identical soap drama elements still form the major component of the content capsule, notable variables are palpable and leaving indelible impressions in the viewing experience of television watchers.

Out of the different moulds, one such wave is talent shift from silver screen to small screen. There was a time when Bollywood stars and filmmakers would cringe at the mention of working on TV. However, there seems to be a welcome change in the approach over the last few years.

The ray of hope and optimism was Amitabh Bachchan’s immense success with Kaun Banega Crorepati. Post that, biggies like Salman Khan (Dus Ka Dam), Shah Rukh Khan (KBC, Panchvi Paas), Aamir Khan (Satyamev Jayate) and hordes of others took to small screen in an attempt to try something new and exciting.

Presence of a Bolly face on television reality show has emerged as a norm. The blend of television twist with grandiose aura of Bollywood is lapped by the audiences.

All good and wonderful!!! And the connecting stream between Bollywood and television has seen a surge in recent times, with celebrated and award winning filmmakers helming television projects, making the small screen even more beautiful and colourful.

Anil Kapoor much talked about 24 on Colors to the recent Nikhil Advani’s POW, Bollywood is definitely making it large on TV.

High production quality, big celebs, sharp editing, strong script, punchy marketing… a definite recipe for success. Or is it?

Sadly, the reality is far from being a rosy one.

Big producers like Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Saraswatichandra), Ashutosh Gowarikar (Everest), Vipul A Shah (Pukaar), Ramesh Deo (Tamanna), Anil Kapoor (24) and Anurag Kashyap (Yudh), who have successfully sailed through Bollywood, did not manage to create a stir in their TV ventures. 

Sanjay’s entry in TV space created creative hysteria. Press went bonkers and he seemed to be the answer, the messiah, the savior. However, Sanjay realized that TV is a different kettle of fish, dropped the project midway and the reins went to Sphereorigins.

Gowariker’s snow capped drama fizzled, 24 gained perceptional popularity not expected viewership, the biggest disappointment being Kashyap’s Yudh, Pukaar too had no audience connect, and in recent times, POW (Advani) and Naamkarann (Mahesh Bhatt) are proving to be massive disasters in the ratings chart. POW opened to a sad 1105 Impressions (in ‘000s) and saw a steep decline as it managed to get just 881 Impressions (in ‘000s) in the second week.

Now, the concerns raise certain queries. As observers of the space, we wonder what has gone wrong? Are the shows badly made, which in many cases is not true. Have the makers gazed the audience wrongly? Or Bollywood simply doesn’t understand the nuances of TV production and it’s best left with the Ektas of the world?

Sphereorigins’ Sunjoy Wadhwa shares, “Films and TV are different mediums altogether. The mentioned producers are big names and are capable to tell their stories in a couple of hours (in movies) not needing endless episodes (in TV). You cannot judge capabilities as the grammar is completely different in both mediums. I think these producers are doing a great job by bringing out different shows. I think we need to experiment to help Indian audience develop a taste. Till the time they do not accept finite and different content shows, as storytellers, it is our duty to keep trying.”

Producer Farhan Salaruddin (Beintehaa and Dahleez) on his part feels that picking on the right subject is the key. “One cannot say that these people do not understand TV. Vipul and Ashutosh started with small screen and they do know their business. I feel if a show fails it is cause of the concept. And that can happen to a TV producer also. If this was not the case, Rajshri Productions wouldn’t be doing supremely well in both genres.”

Point taken!!!

Concept is king, there is no doubt about it. However, at times, the targeted audience could be misjudged.

Someone who would consume a show like POW or 24 may be essentially a digital audience, who prefers to watch shows on a mobile and not used to appointment viewing. Industry experts say that these shows have a strong audience online, which doesn’t reflect in television viewing.

Another industry expert shares that TV is more of team work and the entry of these big names shifts the focus from the story to the makers. A popular name can create buzz but only good content help you sustain.

Producer Yash A Patnaik (Beyond Dreams) opines, “I think one should realise that people and content are very different. And understanding the medium is of high priority.  I feel you cannot judge anyone’s success and failure as at the end of the day it boils down to how much you managed to work in individual platforms. We need to keep the consummation pattern in mind while calculating it.”

Renowned writer Zama Habib is of the opinion, “I think it is viewers’ expectations that kill the fun. These filmmakers are geniuses in their own way but then TV is a platform which needs a different recipe to help build a taste bud among audience. The process of storytelling is different in both mediums; to put it, a T20 player who is used to scoring boundaries and sixers takes time to get into the groove of a test match. But then it is a game and you need to win it anyhow. Thus, whoever in TV says that they don’t care about numbers is definitely lying.”

He adds:  “I really think is a place where you can experiment but you have to do it with conviction. The audience is intelligent and you must know how to tell your ‘run of the mill story’ in a way that they lap up to it instantly. My co-produced show Sasural Genda Phool was not only appreciated but also did good on numbers because we touched a chord with our unique content.” 

Times are changing and lines between mediums are getting blur. Successful TV producers too are foraying into the 70mm space and exploring new possibilities.

Yash adds (who has produced Kaalo-the movie), “I ventured into movie business early and did make some mistakes. Now, I am mature and do my homework.”

“Everyone in TV business pines to get into films. Rashmi Sharma did a fabulous job with Pink. Her shows are the typical dailies yet she outshined everyone with the film. So there is definitely no hard and fast rule for success,” added Farhan.

Well, more the merrier. New concepts, new makers will bring variety to the content space, benefitting the audience at large. May be the time is not ripe yet, but as they say, when it rains-it pours. We are happy that the space is expanding and we, at Tellychakkar.com, are glad to witness and document the process.