Drama on the Net

If 24-hour TV channels were not enough, now a web site ibibo.com has tied up with 10000 Media Ventures (a company jointly headed by Raman Kumar and Khalid Hashmi) to launch its first online serial – the country’s first soap opera on the Net. In line with the medium, the makers are targeting the youth instead of the homemaker who has traditionally been the prime viewer of soap operas. The serial, unlike its television counterpart, will be just five minutes long. It will star mainly newcomers. The actors, scriptwriters and directors will be selected through an online poll. Anyone can log on to the site, see the videos the actors have uploaded, and make a decision. The candidates will then be chosen for direction, acting and scriptwriting based on audience polling and feedback from a panel of judges in the producer’s team. Though a team of freshers will make these serials called iSerials, Kumar and Hasmi will also lend their expertise. As of now, there will be 24 episodes of 5-10 minutes each.While Kumar has been one of the best known directors (he gave us shows like Tara), Hashmi played a pivotal role in setting up Zee News. Kumar says, “Today time is the biggest challenge for any producer or broadcaster. The duration has to be of the right time, the broadcasting needs to be at the right time…and you cannot blame the audience because our lifestyles have a major role to play. With iSerials, this factor will be taken care of completely. A viewer can watch it at his or her convenience and the episodes will be short enough keeping in mind the average attention span in the medium.” So after couch potatoes, we may soon have net onions!