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Kher back in TV production with radical changes

Anupam Kher appears to have learnt his lessons from past experience in the television industry. And learnt them thoroughly. Gone are the wild dreams of the past and the equally flamboyant attempts to make them come true. In their place is a much clearer vision and a firm strategy. There is a sparkle in the eyes which contradicts the slightly wry smile. And they cannot help but reveal a chastened man who is once again gearing up to face the future. Which is what Kher has decided to do.

Nailed down by severe financial setbacks, his Media Entertainment Company, which at one time boasted of having eight TV shows on air simultaneously, is now history. A bitter one, for many in the television industry, one may add. For there were allegations that Kher had not even paid the spot-boys their remunerations, leave alone the major stars and technicians who appeared in his productions. “I will started clearing up all my outstandings,” Kher defends. “You should have the intention to pay. And I intended to clear all my dues.”

The reason behind this confidence is Kher’s newly formed company, J. Radical Entertainment Company. Without batting an eyelid, Kher tells you that the “J” stands for Jai the Hindi word used for salutations - to God or anybody who comes close. You suspect that it probably has something to do with numerology, which is becoming increasingly popular among everybody in general and filmfolk in particular. Pat comes the reply with a you-got-me-there kind of smile, “Yes, in fact, it has everything to do with numerology and vastu shastra.” In fact, Kher reveals that the entire office has been constructed according to vastu. In a fickle entertainment industry, one can never be too cautious, perhaps.

The name “Radical”, Kher explains, indicates the kind of approach the company will have in the area of programming. “Every company has various ways of looking at programming,” he says. “Our approach will be to concentrate on the entertainment value of each of shows rather than their glamour value.” This, Kher believes, is just one example of his company’s radical approach.

The others, according to him, are the programming ideas which the company will keep churning out and his willingness to accept his past mistakes and learn from them. However, what is most radical about the company, according to him, is that “I am heading it.”

Radical Entertainment currently has two shows on air. Jaagte Raho, a daily talk show being anchored by his wife Kiron, which is beaming on DD News and Family Fit Gaane Hit, a countdown show with a story woven through it, on Metro Channel. This show also has a segment hosted by Kher himself called Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin. In this section, participants are encouraged to shoot a film - on VHS - on a given theme.

There are several shows in the pipeline, prominent among them being a travel show and a daily show. The travel show, titled Life Life Ki Baat, will explore interesting locations - in India, for the time being - and will also focus on the lives of local people, their culture and all that is unique to that location. In what Kher feels is a “radical” shift from a regular travel show, Life Life... will not have the usual anchor. Instead, this person will be treated like a character in a story, and will be an active participant in the events unfolding on the show.

The daily series called Rait ke Dariya, is the well-worn saga of a man who comes to Mumbai to “make his life” as Kher puts it. He is not really worried about picking oft-repeated themes. His logic: “There are so many Chinese restaurants in the city. But only the best ones are doing well. Others are struggling to survive. The same applies to programmes. If we stop making them just because a theme has been used before, we will have to stop working and sit at home.”

However, to give it a “different” feel, the story has been set in the year 1948. Kher is looking for channels with the right kind of budgets for both the programmes. He has also completed the pilot of a serial called Mumbaaza. This story is set in the backdrop of a jungle and revolves around a tribal named Mumbaaza.

For his second innings in television, Kher is not taking any chances. He is making sure that the stakes involved are never too high. “We have changed after going through that bad patch. We made some major mistakes. And paid heavily for them,” he admits. Going way beyond their resources, he points out, was one among these costly errors. “We will never do that again,” he promises himself.

Another decision which the company has taken is to maintain a low profile, at least until their shows which are already on air make their mark with viewers. The company has also realised that quantity is not the alternative to quality. “Earlier, when we had eight shows on air we thought it was a great achievement.” Then they realised that they were over-spending on certain actors. “As a result, our money got stuck.”

All of that has now changed. Kher says that they are spending less money now (“we have decided not to overdo things”). Besides, he says, they are focussing only on quality work and also have the backing of a good marketing team to promote the programmes. In addition, the company will soon launch its own website. “We are not in a hurry to expand,” Kher says, reclining in his chair. Experience, surely, is the best teacher.

Manoj Soral