Dileep Kumar
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MUMBAI: “My company works on two principles. One, nothing is bigger than the programme, not even the company. Two, if you believe in me and really want to share my goal and vision, please join me; else don't show me your face. I have never told this to anybody before, but seriously, the company needs an attitude. No company which does not have an attitude can ever be successful,” are the words of the woman who turned the small screen into big!
Balaji Telefilms that redefined the Indian television and made Ekta Kapoor a household name can be credited for the satellite boom in the country as well.
Like many of her counterparts, she too started her career very young. From being just yesteryear’s superstar Jeetendra’s daughter, today Ekta Kapoor is the woman who rules the hearts and the minds of many. She started off at 17 and since then, has loved, eaten and slept only television. Always thinking about concepts, casting, styling, selecting technicians, shooting and scheduling, marketing and acquiring the new skills required to succeed.
Set up in 1994, the powerhouse has completed 20 years of entertainment. It all started with a comedy show on Zee TV, ‘Hum Paanch’, in 1995 and today it has an array of shows to its name.
It wouldn’t be unreasonable to say that the performance of the Hindi television channels and the dominance of the Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) depends on shows produced by Balaji. One after the other, the production house has created blockbusters on the small screen. ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ and ‘Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki’ made everyone switch on to Star Plus every night from 10pm to 11 pm; people cried and laughed with the characters. So much so that the death of the character Mihir Virani on ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ lead to fan protest marches to bring back the character back. The shows also garnered unheard of TRPs for eight long years.
Soon, everyone chased her as she chased after success to make it to the top. Then, came another slew of superhit shows like ‘Kabhi Souten Kabhie Saheli’ (Star Plus), ‘Kutumb’ (Sony), ‘Kuch Jhuki Palkein’ (Sony) and ‘Kohi Apna Sa’ (Zee), ‘Kahin To Hoga’ (Star Plus), ‘Kasautii Zindagi Kay’ (Star Plus), ‘Kkusum’ (Sony) which took the company miles ahead from its competitors.
Some of the company’s on-going popular shows like ‘Jodha Akbar’ (Zee TV) ‘Bade Acche Lagte Hai’ (Sony), ‘Pavitra Rishta’ (Zee TV), ‘Ye Hain Mohobbatein’ (Star Plus), and ‘Kumkum Bhagya’ (Zee TV) hold strong in their time band.
Balaji, which possesses 23 modern sets and 37 editing suites in India, also helped enhance the primetime slot on GECs.
The company has produced more than 15,000 hours of television content since its inception, including content in Hindi, Tamil, Telegu, Kannada and Malayalam.
Filmy business
If television dominance wasn’t enough, the company soon entered the Indian motion picture business in 2002.
Till 2009, the company through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Balaji Motion Pictures,has produced and/or acquired 12 films, including hits likeBhool BhulaiyaaandSarkar Raj.
It set trends here as well when it co-produced and distributed India's premiere digital filmLove, s#x aur Dhokha, released in March 2010 under its ALT Entertainment banner. The film emerged as a sleeper hit receiving critical and commercial acclaim from audiences, worldwide.
The company continued the LSD success story with its second production,Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai, which broke ground at the worldwide box office. Other films to its credit areKuku Mathur Ki Jhand Ho Gayi, Main Tera Hero, Ragini MMS 2, Shaadi Ke Side Effects, Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara, Kya SuperKool Hai Hum, Dirty Picture and Shootout at Lokhandwala.
However, it hasn’t been able to make the same mark in Bollywood as it has in the television industry.
Other ventures
But that hasn’t stopped her or the company from venturing into other spaces.
Over the years, from a television content provider, it has evolved into a media conglomerate with organisational divisions responsible for television, motion pictures, internet and mobile.
Being the largest player in the industry and after having creating larger-than-life characters, it understands the skill set requirements of the industry.
Balaji Telefilms took an initiative to bridge the gap between demand and supply of professionals/actors,
Read More:-http://www.indiantelevision.com/television/production-house/fiction/20-years-of-balaji-telefilms-dominance-140705
Balaji Telefilms that redefined the Indian television and made Ekta Kapoor a household name can be credited for the satellite boom in the country as well.
Like many of her counterparts, she too started her career very young. From being just yesteryear’s superstar Jeetendra’s daughter, today Ekta Kapoor is the woman who rules the hearts and the minds of many. She started off at 17 and since then, has loved, eaten and slept only television. Always thinking about concepts, casting, styling, selecting technicians, shooting and scheduling, marketing and acquiring the new skills required to succeed.
Set up in 1994, the powerhouse has completed 20 years of entertainment. It all started with a comedy show on Zee TV, ‘Hum Paanch’, in 1995 and today it has an array of shows to its name.
It wouldn’t be unreasonable to say that the performance of the Hindi television channels and the dominance of the Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) depends on shows produced by Balaji. One after the other, the production house has created blockbusters on the small screen. ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ and ‘Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki’ made everyone switch on to Star Plus every night from 10pm to 11 pm; people cried and laughed with the characters. So much so that the death of the character Mihir Virani on ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ lead to fan protest marches to bring back the character back. The shows also garnered unheard of TRPs for eight long years.
Soon, everyone chased her as she chased after success to make it to the top. Then, came another slew of superhit shows like ‘Kabhi Souten Kabhie Saheli’ (Star Plus), ‘Kutumb’ (Sony), ‘Kuch Jhuki Palkein’ (Sony) and ‘Kohi Apna Sa’ (Zee), ‘Kahin To Hoga’ (Star Plus), ‘Kasautii Zindagi Kay’ (Star Plus), ‘Kkusum’ (Sony) which took the company miles ahead from its competitors.
Some of the company’s on-going popular shows like ‘Jodha Akbar’ (Zee TV) ‘Bade Acche Lagte Hai’ (Sony), ‘Pavitra Rishta’ (Zee TV), ‘Ye Hain Mohobbatein’ (Star Plus), and ‘Kumkum Bhagya’ (Zee TV) hold strong in their time band.
Balaji, which possesses 23 modern sets and 37 editing suites in India, also helped enhance the primetime slot on GECs.
The company has produced more than 15,000 hours of television content since its inception, including content in Hindi, Tamil, Telegu, Kannada and Malayalam.
Filmy business
If television dominance wasn’t enough, the company soon entered the Indian motion picture business in 2002.
Till 2009, the company through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Balaji Motion Pictures,has produced and/or acquired 12 films, including hits likeBhool BhulaiyaaandSarkar Raj.
It set trends here as well when it co-produced and distributed India's premiere digital filmLove, s#x aur Dhokha, released in March 2010 under its ALT Entertainment banner. The film emerged as a sleeper hit receiving critical and commercial acclaim from audiences, worldwide.
The company continued the LSD success story with its second production,Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai, which broke ground at the worldwide box office. Other films to its credit areKuku Mathur Ki Jhand Ho Gayi, Main Tera Hero, Ragini MMS 2, Shaadi Ke Side Effects, Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara, Kya SuperKool Hai Hum, Dirty Picture and Shootout at Lokhandwala.
However, it hasn’t been able to make the same mark in Bollywood as it has in the television industry.
Other ventures
But that hasn’t stopped her or the company from venturing into other spaces.
Over the years, from a television content provider, it has evolved into a media conglomerate with organisational divisions responsible for television, motion pictures, internet and mobile.
Being the largest player in the industry and after having creating larger-than-life characters, it understands the skill set requirements of the industry.
Balaji Telefilms took an initiative to bridge the gap between demand and supply of professionals/actors,
Read More:-http://www.indiantelevision.com/television/production-house/fiction/20-years-of-balaji-telefilms-dominance-140705
