Producer Herumb Khot and Nilanjana Purkayasstha, who run the banner Invictus T Mediaworks, work out relatable concepts that make for an endearing watch. We at IWMBuzz.com got into a conversation with Producer Herumb Khot, and he talked at length about the show Dabangii Mulgi Aayi Re Aayi and much more.
Herumb was always inclined towards creative fields and simultaneously started his career in fashion and advertising photography. Later, he started his career in the entertainment industry and is now a successful show maker. Kullfi Kumarr Bajewala, Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani, Dhadkan Zindaggi Kii, Peshawa Bajirao & Chandra Gupta Maurya are some of the notable Invictus T Mediaworks shows.
Read here.
Dabangii Mulgii Aayi Re Aahas been going good. Tell us about it.
The plot of the story has gone forward from the child phase to the grown-up phase with quite a lot of dynamics changing. We took the leap recently and the transition has been good. But, of course, we miss all the kids on the set. Originally, we had planned for the transition to occur after about a month or so, but due to its popularity, it took some time to implement. We’ve had some of the best kids, like Kulfi, Maira, and even Peshwa and Chiku.
What’s the secret behind managing all these kids and getting the work done and keeping them happy?
We somehow have a formula for doing that with kids, so that’s quite good. And we also enjoy teasing them. Not in a negative sense, but if you observe the atmosphere on set, and look at the kids, I mean, one thing we can proudly say is that all the kids we’ve worked with are still in touch with us, and they regularly meet us. So, it’s good fun.
Based on the concept, what do you look forward to in Dabangii now?
We believe the time has come for giving it back when girls are not treated well. So the Dabangii came from that. If you give her one, she’ll fall down. But she’ll get up and give you all three back. It’s that way. And now with the girl growing up, she is all set to fight her own battle. It is her journey to get justice.
How easy or tough was it to cast Rachana? Considering that this character needed a lot from that.
Rachana is fantastic. If you look at Mahi and Rachana, it certainly looks as if Rachana is the grown-up Mahi. The casting was no rocket science. We saw her, and we were like, yes, this is it.
What can the viewers look forward to now in this story?
Kind of being slightly out of the box, it’ll be fun. We are leaning more towards the fun aspect of it. But yes, the topic is serious. She wants to take on politicians and all who are the big ones and who have wronged her parents. So it’s up to her to give them justice.
Dabangii is a very good concept. How do you people react when you have such a good concept doing well but not hitting the rating?
It’s quite straightforward. I mean, if you consider the ratings that Sony prioritizes, even for shows like “Ramayan”, because let me tell you what the key point is. If you examine the real viewers who watch Sony, the ones I encounter frequently during my travels, they belong to a demographic that typically doesn’t have access to TRP meters. So, you see, Sony is renowned for a specific type of content that tends to be more meaningful.
How does it affect makers?
We’ve learned not to get upset anymore. This is our fourth show on Sony, and we don’t get upset because we know by Sony’s standards, we’ve achieved a certain level. It’s quite satisfying because people are actually watching it. And as long as we are delivering meaningful content, nothing beats it. It deserves recognition in the realm of television. Whether it’s our previous shows or the current ones, we consistently deliver, and looking back, we feel content with what we’ve accomplished. We love what we do, so we’re cool with it. We have no issues.
What is the benchmark or the goal that you and Nilanjana ma’am set when perceiving a particular story?
Our focus is primarily on the technical aspects of the story, how we execute it, and ensuring the overall happiness we bring to the show. Of course, we are aware of the channel’s expectations and the importance of TRPs, but those aspects are beyond our control and are subject to public scrutiny. Nonetheless, we find contentment in our work, especially when we interact with viewers who express their appreciation for the show. Recently, during a trip to Pune, I had the opportunity to engage with some individuals who shared positive feedback about the series. While TRPs might be lower than desired, such interactions reaffirm the value of our efforts.