TV is where the action is!

We have seen an exodus of actors moving from small to big screen and vice versa. But now it looks like even the producers and directors are looking at TV with renewed interest. For every Siddharth Malhotra, who moves from small to big screen (We Are Family) there is a Prakash Jha who despite the fact his last release (Rajneeti) was a blockbuster decides to return to TV. He has in the past produced and directed Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapney. Jha is now set to launch two TV shows by the year end. A lot has been written about small screen producers and directors making their way to the big screen in search of greener pastures (?) but there are many who are now on their way back what with business on the small screen getting more lucrative! So you have established film production houses digging their heels deeper into the TV business. Mukta Arts, Pritish Nandy Communications, R-ADAG (Anil Ambani’s entertainment company) are all making a dash for the small screen. International biggies like Endemol (Bigg Boss, Khatron Ke Khiladi), Fox Television Studios (National Bingo Night), BBC (Pati Patni Aur Woh, Desi Girl) have already taken the plunge. One of the oldest film production houses Rajshri Productions after its stint with TV way back in 1985, made a comeback with Woh Rehne Waali Mehlon Ki on Sahara One. It’s no surprise this paradigm shift is happening as the TV content generated is much more than the number of films turned out every year and it’s still growing. Harry Baweja, whose Love story 2050 crashed at the box office, has now ventured on the small screen with Ganga Ki Dheej on Sahara one. Hema Malini who is working hard at re-launching her daughter Esha with Tell Me Oh Khuda will also launch her TV show Jaiyyon Piya Ke Des on Colors. YRF, SRK’s Red Chillies Idiot Box are all gung-ho about the potential of the small screen. If Walkwater Media (Pooja and Aarti Shetty) tasted success with Tere Bin Laden they tasted equal success with Pratigya on Star Plus and so has Ronnie Screwvala’s UTV. Dheeraj Kumar’s Creative Eye all along has played its cards cautiously. They started with mythos on the small screen then moved to children’s films but continued its tryst with the small screen. If Akshay Kumar, SRK, Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra have found that TV is the place to be in then why will producers shy away from jumping on the bandwagon? After so many big production houses and well established individuals crossing over we only hope the quality of shows gets better. It’s time we matched up to the international standards. Meanwhile, with players entering the TV industry faster than you can flick the remote, the game just got bigger, meaner! And no, it’s no longer the idiot box. Read more...