The best part about this medium is that you don't have to please everyone: Ekta Kapoor
Producer Ekta Kapoor, who now ventures into the digital space with ALT Balaji that will create original content, talks about her future plans. Excerpts...
After conquering TV and making a strong mark in films, what is the next big move for Balaji?
Both TV and films explore different sides of our personality . While TV is intended towards family , films are for communal viewing. At home, we watch things that are acceptable to the entire family . When you're with friends, you want something that you can enjoy together. But individual viewing is a bit subjective as it deals with your personal taste.The digital platform will be more selfexploratory , individualistic and a path-breaking medium to explore.
What prompted you to foray into the digital space?
I always think a person or a company's resilience is tested when they are willing to start once again. It's like a reboot for us. I think setting a start-up within the parent company is great. More than being an innovative and interesting idea, it gives us a chance to explore creative expression that neither TV nor film gives. For films, you need to have spending power to buy a ticket every week. TV is `one size fits all', it's for the masses, and what appeals to them may not appeal to you. Because of this, a lot of individuals were getting left off.
When we made Love Sex Aur Dhokha and The Dirty Picture, a whole new set of viewers were explored and an alternate set of audience opened up. The digital platform will explore different kind of content -one which has shorter formats, way more clutter breaking stories and an interesting world to explore.
Do you think you will be able to recreate the magic of television on this platform as well?
I don't know. In fact, you should never know these things. All you know is that a bunch of young creatives and new stories will find home with at least some people. The best part about this medium is that you don't have to please everyone, nor do you have to have any big names to get people into the theatre.You just have to have enough of drama and storytelling capabilities to get your kind of viewer end.
So can we call ALT Balaji a 2.0 version of Balaji?
I'm hoping that this start-up has its individual appeal. To be an updated version of Balaji, it can follow the structure of the parent brand but creatively , it will stand for everything Balaji Telefilms doesn't stand for. It's shorter and has stories of different worlds, something that the television side of us doesn't explore. Having said that, Balaji Telefilms will continue to do what it does best.
Are you going to be the home grown Netflix of India?
We are pleased with how consumers in India are discovering the digital space. Initially, Netflix was an aggregated model that went on to create original content.
However, our model is different.
Everything that we are creating is original and exclusive to our platform. Our strength has always been telling original stories and that will be our biggest USP with ALT Balaji as well.
What will the format be and when are you planning to launch this?
The launch will be early next year.
It's not the content that television has ever created. Some of them will have the urban sensibilities and the stickiness of television but most of the stories otherwise are going to be something that people won't expect from us. In fact, I think we will land up shocking quite a few.
What genres will be explored?
Storytelling should never be compartmentalised into genres.
Most of them are genre breaking but the worlds are interesting.
There are worlds we haven't explored on television or in film stories that we cannot tell in films because of financial viability or on TV because they could hurt sensibilities.
How does 2017 look for Balaji?
A new step, a new beginning. Like someone once said -starting a new business is like catching a running train. You never know if you'll get in, but if you stand there, you'll miss the train. For me, 2017 is a year of change, the year of `ALT'. Change may be good or bad but one thing for sure is that it's constant.
Have you signed on any big names?
Watch this space for more. We definitely can call them interesting names (smiles).
Producer Ekta Kapoor, who now ventures into the digital space with ALT Balaji that will create original content, talks about her future plans. Excerpts...
After conquering TV and making a strong mark in films, what is the next big move for Balaji?
Both TV and films explore different sides of our personality . While TV is intended towards family , films are for communal viewing. At home, we watch things that are acceptable to the entire family . When you're with friends, you want something that you can enjoy together. But individual viewing is a bit subjective as it deals with your personal taste.The digital platform will be more selfexploratory , individualistic and a path-breaking medium to explore.
What prompted you to foray into the digital space?
I always think a person or a company's resilience is tested when they are willing to start once again. It's like a reboot for us. I think setting a start-up within the parent company is great. More than being an innovative and interesting idea, it gives us a chance to explore creative expression that neither TV nor film gives. For films, you need to have spending power to buy a ticket every week. TV is `one size fits all', it's for the masses, and what appeals to them may not appeal to you. Because of this, a lot of individuals were getting left off.
When we made Love Sex Aur Dhokha and The Dirty Picture, a whole new set of viewers were explored and an alternate set of audience opened up. The digital platform will explore different kind of content -one which has shorter formats, way more clutter breaking stories and an interesting world to explore.
Do you think you will be able to recreate the magic of television on this platform as well?
I don't know. In fact, you should never know these things. All you know is that a bunch of young creatives and new stories will find home with at least some people. The best part about this medium is that you don't have to please everyone, nor do you have to have any big names to get people into the theatre.You just have to have enough of drama and storytelling capabilities to get your kind of viewer end.
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| Ekta Kapoor |
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| Ekta Kapoor |
So can we call ALT Balaji a 2.0 version of Balaji?
I'm hoping that this start-up has its individual appeal. To be an updated version of Balaji, it can follow the structure of the parent brand but creatively , it will stand for everything Balaji Telefilms doesn't stand for. It's shorter and has stories of different worlds, something that the television side of us doesn't explore. Having said that, Balaji Telefilms will continue to do what it does best.
Are you going to be the home grown Netflix of India?
We are pleased with how consumers in India are discovering the digital space. Initially, Netflix was an aggregated model that went on to create original content.
However, our model is different.
Everything that we are creating is original and exclusive to our platform. Our strength has always been telling original stories and that will be our biggest USP with ALT Balaji as well.
What will the format be and when are you planning to launch this?
The launch will be early next year.
It's not the content that television has ever created. Some of them will have the urban sensibilities and the stickiness of television but most of the stories otherwise are going to be something that people won't expect from us. In fact, I think we will land up shocking quite a few.
What genres will be explored?
Storytelling should never be compartmentalised into genres.
Most of them are genre breaking but the worlds are interesting.
There are worlds we haven't explored on television or in film stories that we cannot tell in films because of financial viability or on TV because they could hurt sensibilities.
How does 2017 look for Balaji?
A new step, a new beginning. Like someone once said -starting a new business is like catching a running train. You never know if you'll get in, but if you stand there, you'll miss the train. For me, 2017 is a year of change, the year of `ALT'. Change may be good or bad but one thing for sure is that it's constant.
Have you signed on any big names?
Watch this space for more. We definitely can call them interesting names (smiles).
