What does it take to survive in the fleeting world of Indian television? Ask Gajendra Singh, director of Antakshari, Zee TV's long-running musical game show and he says, "Success. There is no such thing like 'you have to flow with the tide'."
Antakshari remained untouched during the shake-up at Zee last year, when almost every other programme was axed to make way for a new look. The show recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. The secret of their success, says Singh, is that through all these years, the show has retained its roots.
"We may be using modern techniques for shooting, but the soul is still the same," Singh says. Antakshari, Singh observes, is not merely a song and dance show - it is a show that reaches out to the hearts of the viewers.
Pointing out their efforts to connect with the people , he says, "For one show, we had flown down non-resident Indians (NRIs) from 12 countries to Mumbai. They had come from places as diverse as Australia, Kenya, Canada and the UAE. Some were from Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius, UK, USA and South Africa. They were all selected after auditions in their respective countries."
Singh explains how, for may of these NRIs, it was their first time in India. "Their enthusiasm was overwhelming. They were people who speak English and French, but don't know Hindi. They learnt Hindi songs especially for this. It's a great feeling."
We understand Singh's moment - sorry, moments - under the sun. We definitely want to know more about them, but also a few things besides them. Vickey Lalwani catches up with Singh at his Zee TV office to get an insight.
Excerpts:
How did you conceptualise 'Antakshri'? |
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And you took it to Zee TV? |
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Straight up? At this point, I mentioned my Antakshri concept to them, which was still looking for an outlet. They agreed to give me a platform. |
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Has 'Antakshri' made you famous? Sometime ago, we had invited 10-year-old kids - who were not born when the programme first went on air - to participate in an episode. We receive nearly 600 entries for that! That's where I rest my case. |
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How did 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' materialise? |
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Why haven't you tried your hand in other channels? Or are you a Zee loyalist? |
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Is your involvement at Zee restricted to being the director of your particular show? |
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You talk about creativity, but doesn't commerce overrule it? I surely don't subscribe to guys who claim to make a project for only personal satisfaction. Then, why release it to the public? |
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Do you think Zee has suffered in the recent past due to poor promotion? |
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How much did 'Antakshri' help in Zee's popularity? Tremendously. But it was the other way round as well. It takes two to tango. The channel never let my programme down. It was always ready with suggestions, innovations and encouragement. After all, you can't showcase your talent if somebody does not recognize it.
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Why was Sonu Nigam dropped from 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa'? |
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Do you agree that Annu Kappor stood tall against the ever-changing faces of female anchors in 'Antakshri'? Why? Then I approached Renuka Shahane. She instantly agreed but made it clear that she would do it for a year only. She said she had other commitments. Thereafter, I felt it wouldn't be a bad idea to change the female anchors every year. And thus came Shefali Chhaya, Rajeshwari Sachdev and Richa Sharma and Pallavi Joshi in quick succession. |
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But hasn't Pallavi Joshi already anchored the show once before? |
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How did the serial 'Awaaz' happen? |
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If it was Anil Chaudhary's script, why didn't Zee allow him to go ahead with the serial? Chaudhary said he would not be able to handle it alone. He gave the project for production to Zee TV. Zee, in turn, asked me to write and direct it. |
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'Awaaz' has been pitched against an established serial like 'Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii'... Do you know the response I am getting for the serial? It's overwhelming. I am flooded with fan mail. |
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Do you have an end in mind for the serial? Or is it one of those endless soaps? I have an end in mind. It should go on for about a year. |
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What next? I am planning to direct a film. I am working on the script with some Pakistani writers. |
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Subject? Communal harmony? |
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Would your new post of creative director at Zee stop you from taking up some project on other channels? |
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A little about your personal life before we wind up... It started when she began working in the research group behind the screens. Even today, she helps me with my work. |