<strong><em>They are the ones who run and almost rule the world of television. Master artists and visualisers, they create dramatic sequences on the small screen that touch emotional chords in the hearts of millions. And the reason for their success is because they share not just professional but personal ties as well.</em></strong>
<strong><em>Two’s Company introduces the lovable and respected duos in the world of television who work together to weave magic.</em></strong>
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SiddharthaLaik
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Tue, 08/09/2011 - 11:24
They are the ones who run and almost rule the world of television. Master artists and visualisers, they create dramatic sequences on the small screen that touch emotional chords in the hearts of millions. And the reason for their success is because they share not just professional but personal ties as well.
Two’s Company introduces the lovable and respected duos in the world of television who work together to weave magic.
Let’s take a peek into the lives of these dashing entrepreneurs and understand what makes them and their shows tick. We flag off this series with Mamta and Yash Patnaik of Beyond Dreams Productions.
Yash Patnaik, Chairman and CEO at Beyond Dreams, is a Symbiosis Institute of Journalism & Communications (Pune) alumni. He started his career as a journalist for print as well as electronic media and then went on to work with leading production houses and television channels. When not busy working, Yash loves sketching, writing and travelling.
Mamta Patnaik, Creative Director at Beyond Dreams, started her career in advertising with Trikaya Grey in 1995. She has to her credit as writer more than 3000 episodes of various soaps for leading broadcasters of India like Star Plus, Star One, Zee TV, Sony Entertainment Limited, Sahara One, Sab TV and 9X. Mamta is an avid reader and also pens shayaris.
Yash and Mamta co-founded Beyond Dreams in 2007.
From the house of Beyond Dreams
How’s the equation between you two?
Yash: We are very different as individuals but there is a bond that is too strong. I am more outgoing, I socialise a lot but she is quite an introvert and hates going out. I can’t really understand shayaris but she loves them. You must check her Facebook updates sometimes to read some great shayaris. If I like white, she likes colours and if I would go to Spain for a holiday she would prefer Ladakh. I think the difference is basically due to our backgrounds and the cities that we come from. I come from a small town in Orissa and she hails from Mumbai. Obviously there will be a difference in approach towards life. But the reason I think we have gelled so well is our ability to keep egos aside and not change as a person under any situation.
Mamta: We all are different as individuals but there are certain things that keep us together. We are diverse but yet wonderfully connected. He is a very good painter and I love shayaris. We both love art basically. I can say that the equation is wonderful as we both balance each other perfectly.
How do you balance professional and personal life?
Yash: It is tough but in our case we have our responsibilities demarcated. I handle the marketing part of the business and she takes care of the creative part. We help each other to grow in the business. In our profession we need to socialise a lot. Mamta doesn’t go out much, so I do it. But on the other hand she comes up with some amazing concepts. It is true that the profession keeps me busy but I try to spend as much time as possible with my family and son Aarav.
Mamta: For me I know that I have to handle both professional and personal responsibilities. I finish work and come back home as early as possible as I have to spend time with Aarav. This is the reason why I don’t socialise much as I don’t want him to feel lonely. At work, as Yash already mentioned our roles are bifurcated and this solves most of the issues. And Yash is always there and he can deal with problems calmly. Balancing professional and personal life is not really tough if things are prioritised in life.
How do you handle difference of opinions?
Yash: I give up. (Laughs)
Mamta: No way. (Laughs) Well, on a serious note I think we all have difference of opinions but we have our priorities clear. At work, he handles the marketing part and I handle the creative. At home, I know my role as a homemaker and he too helps me with the day-to-day work.
Yash: We divide our responsibilities and keep things simple. The best part is that we have not changed as individuals and that has made our relationship stronger.
How did Beyond Dreams happen?
Yash: Beyond Dreams was launched when the market was bullish. Mamta and I were working separately in different companies and we both wanted to come together and do something on our own. That’s how we started Beyond Dreams. We thought the road would be easy but the first three years were tough. Our shows didn’t do well initially but we learned from the lapses and came up with Rang Badalti which was accepted well by the masses. For Beyond Dreams it was planned that television will be the foundation and slowly we will venture into films. And we have done that with Kaalo. However, Kaalo did not do well in terms of box-office and after that we decided to take a pause and wait till we get a good script before making another movie. But movies are very much in the scheme of things and of course lot many shows on television. Overall the journey has been quite an inspiring and enlightening one.
Mamta: I agree with Yash completely. When we launched Beyond Dreams we had lot of financial issues but Yash really showed lot of courage and patience to make it work. For TV shows you cannot really judge what will work. It all depends on good scripts. We constantly work to come up with good stories that will be loved by the masses and soon we will come up with more interesting and likeable shows like Rang Badalti Odhani.
Do you think there is enough creative liberty for show makers?
Yash: There is a lot of creative liberty. Our country has a population of more than 100 crores and the market is huge. Someone who watches Dhobhi Ghat also watches Dabbang. Our work is to come up with an idea and present it in a likeable way. The best part is that television industry is growing and there is always a chance to experiment and come up with new shows.
Mamta: We make shows as per the sentiments of the Indian viewers. There is lot of space and opportunity to come up with more innovative shows. But our viewers at this point of time want the same format with a little difference. But as Yash said hopefully things will get a lot better in the future.
Now tell us about one thing that you like about him/her the most...
Yash: There are so many things actually. But I truly love her depth in contemplating and perceiving things. It is truly amazing.
Mamta: Yash is very courageous. He will tackle the gravest of problems without making any fuss about it. He is the one I can trust and believe completely.
What is the thing that you hate about him/her the most?
Yash: She doesn’t socialise much. I know she has to spend time with Aarav but I would love Mamta to come out and spend time with me and my friends.
Mamta: I will keep that in mind but I really don’t like his habit of keeping things to himself. He doesn’t share his problems with me. When a problem strikes he will keep mum and try to solve it alone. This affects me and him as well. He needs to share the bad and good things with his partner.
Yash: I think it is a good quality as I don’t want to trouble and burden my family with professional problems. So I try to deal with things on my own.
What is the song that suits him/her?
Yash: I don’t know about a song but certainly any shayari of Gulzar saab on rains.
Mamta: More than any song the dialogue from the movie Dabaang, “Ek baar jo maine commitment kar di toh mein apne aap ki bhi nahi sunta” suits him the most. He absolutely sticks to his promises. Furthermore, I want to dedicate the song Tere Bina Zindagi Mein Koi from the film Aandhi to him.
Can you share one secret about each other?
Yash: Oh, you must watch the expression on her face when she watches a horror movie. She goes to a theater to watch a horror film and then covers her face with her bag. She wants to watch yet she doesn’t want to watch it. The entire thing is quite funny actually.
Mamta: Now it’s my turn to spill the beans. When he is sleeping and you want to wake him in the morning just put few newspapers under his nose. He will sniff, enjoy its smell and get up. It is absolutely unique and superbly effective. I don’t think anyone else in this world has this habit. (laughs)
Yash: Apart from that I also wake up when Aarav hugs me. You can’t deny that!
What is the cutest thing about him/her?
Mamta: I will answer first. I like the fact that he likes to get pampered a lot. In the morning after getting up he behaves absolutely like a kid. Sometimes I feel I have two children in the house. My early morning mantra is, ‘Aarav eat your breakfast, Yash eat your breakfast’. (laughs). I think he is still a child at heart and I find it quite cute.
Yash: Sometimes, I call her and talk to her for hours about some business or marketing plan that she doesn’t understand at all. But she never gets irritated and keeps listening. And after I finish the conversation and ask her did she understand anything, she cutely says ‘no’. I then burst into laughter. I find her act of listening patiently quite cute.
Who disciplines and who pampers Aarav?
Mamta: I am the one who disciplines Aarav and Yash pampers him a lot.
Yash: I love to pamper Aarav. But that doesn’t mean I don’t discipline him. As a father I have certain responsibilities and I need to tell him that there are things he can do and there are also things that are strictly prohibited. So it is a mix of pampering and disciplining.
What are your future plans?
Yash: We at Beyond Dreams intend and aim to break all boundaries and create new paths in the world of television. We will also make good films having good ideas and explore the world of 3D animation. It’s not only about work but we aim to have a sound work environment in our office where one can grow professionally and personally. We want to stand out as a company.
Mamta: Our aims have always been similar. We work together to achieve a common goal. Apart from work, we are also planning to go to Hong Kong Disneyland whenever we get some free time.
- Babban Bhai vs Bimla Tai (2007)
- Cambala Investigation Agency (2008)
- Monica Mogre Case Files (2009)
- Vachan Dile Tu Mala (2009)
- Kaalo - The movie (2010)
- Jamunia (2010)
- Rang Badalti Odhani (2010-2011)
How’s the equation between you two?
Yash: We are very different as individuals but there is a bond that is too strong. I am more outgoing, I socialise a lot but she is quite an introvert and hates going out. I can’t really understand shayaris but she loves them. You must check her Facebook updates sometimes to read some great shayaris. If I like white, she likes colours and if I would go to Spain for a holiday she would prefer Ladakh. I think the difference is basically due to our backgrounds and the cities that we come from. I come from a small town in Orissa and she hails from Mumbai. Obviously there will be a difference in approach towards life. But the reason I think we have gelled so well is our ability to keep egos aside and not change as a person under any situation.
Mamta: We all are different as individuals but there are certain things that keep us together. We are diverse but yet wonderfully connected. He is a very good painter and I love shayaris. We both love art basically. I can say that the equation is wonderful as we both balance each other perfectly.
How do you balance professional and personal life?
Yash: It is tough but in our case we have our responsibilities demarcated. I handle the marketing part of the business and she takes care of the creative part. We help each other to grow in the business. In our profession we need to socialise a lot. Mamta doesn’t go out much, so I do it. But on the other hand she comes up with some amazing concepts. It is true that the profession keeps me busy but I try to spend as much time as possible with my family and son Aarav.
Mamta: For me I know that I have to handle both professional and personal responsibilities. I finish work and come back home as early as possible as I have to spend time with Aarav. This is the reason why I don’t socialise much as I don’t want him to feel lonely. At work, as Yash already mentioned our roles are bifurcated and this solves most of the issues. And Yash is always there and he can deal with problems calmly. Balancing professional and personal life is not really tough if things are prioritised in life.
How do you handle difference of opinions?
Yash: I give up. (Laughs)
Mamta: No way. (Laughs) Well, on a serious note I think we all have difference of opinions but we have our priorities clear. At work, he handles the marketing part and I handle the creative. At home, I know my role as a homemaker and he too helps me with the day-to-day work.
Yash: We divide our responsibilities and keep things simple. The best part is that we have not changed as individuals and that has made our relationship stronger.
How did Beyond Dreams happen?
Yash: Beyond Dreams was launched when the market was bullish. Mamta and I were working separately in different companies and we both wanted to come together and do something on our own. That’s how we started Beyond Dreams. We thought the road would be easy but the first three years were tough. Our shows didn’t do well initially but we learned from the lapses and came up with Rang Badalti which was accepted well by the masses. For Beyond Dreams it was planned that television will be the foundation and slowly we will venture into films. And we have done that with Kaalo. However, Kaalo did not do well in terms of box-office and after that we decided to take a pause and wait till we get a good script before making another movie. But movies are very much in the scheme of things and of course lot many shows on television. Overall the journey has been quite an inspiring and enlightening one.
Mamta: I agree with Yash completely. When we launched Beyond Dreams we had lot of financial issues but Yash really showed lot of courage and patience to make it work. For TV shows you cannot really judge what will work. It all depends on good scripts. We constantly work to come up with good stories that will be loved by the masses and soon we will come up with more interesting and likeable shows like Rang Badalti Odhani.
Do you think there is enough creative liberty for show makers?
Yash: There is a lot of creative liberty. Our country has a population of more than 100 crores and the market is huge. Someone who watches Dhobhi Ghat also watches Dabbang. Our work is to come up with an idea and present it in a likeable way. The best part is that television industry is growing and there is always a chance to experiment and come up with new shows.
Mamta: We make shows as per the sentiments of the Indian viewers. There is lot of space and opportunity to come up with more innovative shows. But our viewers at this point of time want the same format with a little difference. But as Yash said hopefully things will get a lot better in the future.
Now tell us about one thing that you like about him/her the most...
Yash: There are so many things actually. But I truly love her depth in contemplating and perceiving things. It is truly amazing.
Mamta: Yash is very courageous. He will tackle the gravest of problems without making any fuss about it. He is the one I can trust and believe completely.
What is the thing that you hate about him/her the most?
Yash: She doesn’t socialise much. I know she has to spend time with Aarav but I would love Mamta to come out and spend time with me and my friends.
Mamta: I will keep that in mind but I really don’t like his habit of keeping things to himself. He doesn’t share his problems with me. When a problem strikes he will keep mum and try to solve it alone. This affects me and him as well. He needs to share the bad and good things with his partner.
Yash: I think it is a good quality as I don’t want to trouble and burden my family with professional problems. So I try to deal with things on my own.
What is the song that suits him/her?
Yash: I don’t know about a song but certainly any shayari of Gulzar saab on rains.
Mamta: More than any song the dialogue from the movie Dabaang, “Ek baar jo maine commitment kar di toh mein apne aap ki bhi nahi sunta” suits him the most. He absolutely sticks to his promises. Furthermore, I want to dedicate the song Tere Bina Zindagi Mein Koi from the film Aandhi to him.
Can you share one secret about each other?
Yash: Oh, you must watch the expression on her face when she watches a horror movie. She goes to a theater to watch a horror film and then covers her face with her bag. She wants to watch yet she doesn’t want to watch it. The entire thing is quite funny actually.
Mamta: Now it’s my turn to spill the beans. When he is sleeping and you want to wake him in the morning just put few newspapers under his nose. He will sniff, enjoy its smell and get up. It is absolutely unique and superbly effective. I don’t think anyone else in this world has this habit. (laughs)
Yash: Apart from that I also wake up when Aarav hugs me. You can’t deny that!
What is the cutest thing about him/her?
Mamta: I will answer first. I like the fact that he likes to get pampered a lot. In the morning after getting up he behaves absolutely like a kid. Sometimes I feel I have two children in the house. My early morning mantra is, ‘Aarav eat your breakfast, Yash eat your breakfast’. (laughs). I think he is still a child at heart and I find it quite cute.
Yash: Sometimes, I call her and talk to her for hours about some business or marketing plan that she doesn’t understand at all. But she never gets irritated and keeps listening. And after I finish the conversation and ask her did she understand anything, she cutely says ‘no’. I then burst into laughter. I find her act of listening patiently quite cute.
Who disciplines and who pampers Aarav?
Mamta: I am the one who disciplines Aarav and Yash pampers him a lot.
Yash: I love to pamper Aarav. But that doesn’t mean I don’t discipline him. As a father I have certain responsibilities and I need to tell him that there are things he can do and there are also things that are strictly prohibited. So it is a mix of pampering and disciplining.
What are your future plans?
Yash: We at Beyond Dreams intend and aim to break all boundaries and create new paths in the world of television. We will also make good films having good ideas and explore the world of 3D animation. It’s not only about work but we aim to have a sound work environment in our office where one can grow professionally and personally. We want to stand out as a company.
Mamta: Our aims have always been similar. We work together to achieve a common goal. Apart from work, we are also planning to go to Hong Kong Disneyland whenever we get some free time.
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