Anand Tiwari is one multi-faceted personality. Apart from being a good actor (Udaan, Kites, Aisha), he is also a great show-maker. After producing a web series (Bang Baaja Baaraat), he and his partner, Amritpal Singh Bindra, are now producing Discovery Jeet Series Gabru, under the banner of Still & Still Media Collective.
“We trace the life of three Hip Hop Rappers and how they deal with success, which is not easily stomached by all,” says Anand in chat with IndianWikiMedia.
While agreeing that the show is not your regular TV narrative, he says, “Yet, it will appeal to the entire family, as it is eventually a human drama, which stays true to the channel tagline of rooting for the underdog. Even during the good old days of Doordarshan when shows like Buniyaad ruled the roost, didn’t Fauji and Circus not do well?”
He adds, “This limited daily is not being shot like a TV soap, in a single set. Rather, it has been shot more film-like, in real locations in different parts of the country. Having said that, we are very aware that we are still making a TV series. So, we have made the necessary adjustments, albeit in the real zone. We also have 20 original songs, which will be released over time, keeping in mind the musical genre.”
Coming to the web, Anand says, “I don’t blindly follow research data, i.e. the net is only watched by 16-24-year-olds. When we made Girl in the City, the general perception was that only men consumed net entertainment.”
“It is the best time to be an Indian content creator, for we have multiple platforms today, each having its own audience. The rise of the net does not mean that TV and films are fading. No wonder, we are also producing a film, Love Per Square Foot, in conjunction with Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP, which we will telecast on Netflix as well.”
Asked about the rampant use of s*x and abuse in web, he says, “Blindly following formula is risky. Have most of our recent films not crashed? Also, if you want to abuse, you can go to the road, or watch porn.”
But is net really big, for no OTT player has so far come up with subscription numbers?
“Digital entertainment is here to stay. The main driving force is that mobile phone (main source of web consumption) sales and technology upgrades (from 3G to 4G), which took years in the West, have really picked up steam. Even a year back, there were many doubting Thomases. Today, everybody is making a beeline to the web. The challenge is for smaller players to survive, as the Indian subscription market is still not mature. Most cash-rich biggies are here for the long haul.”
“We will come up with more seasons of Girl in the City and Official Chukyagiri. Since we are a content company, we want to work with all OTT players and platforms, giving diverse forms of entertainments,” he ends.
All the best, Anand.