It’s Not a Man’s World: Ekta Kapoor  ( June '18,2001, FE)

‘Television has given me the desired platform to express myself’

Ekta Kapoor’s success in television has spurred her on to film production

If you peep into the plush head office office of Balaji Telefilms in Mumbai, you will know the secret of Ms. Ekta Kapoor’s success. The dent in the pillow and an unfolded bedsheet makes it obvious that she has spent the night in the office cabin-couch. Even after working till 3 am in the wee hours of the morning and with a just few hours of sleep, the reigning “ soap queen” is still excited and charged up about work.

The 25-year old, creative director of Balaji Telefilms and the daughter of yesteryears film actor, Jeetendra is a household name today. With successful serials under her banner like Koshish, Kalash, Kanyadaan, Kusum, Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Ms. Kapoor has steered Balaji Telefilms in just a few years, to be amongst the most popular television production company. Says Ms. Kapoor,” Seeing your own production being aired is a great kick and the fact that most of them figure among the top ten TRP rating makes me feel wonderful.”

No wonder then, that she is wooed and toasted by many. She not only chairs the powerful entertainment committee of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), but she was also recently figured as one of the top 50 communicators by the Hongkong-based AsiaWeek. Balaji Telefilms today can claim to have established a brand equity that most channels bank on to boost its Television Rating Points (TRP). TRPs apart, Ms Kapoor is also one of the very few producers who can claim to have a serial on each of the satellite channels including Zee, B4U, SABe and Sun TV. Says Ms. Kapoor,” It is a great feeling. But frankly I am not sure if I deserve all this.”

Indeed, when most of the star progenies were following their parents footsteps, Ms. Kapoor took up creative direction of serials,” by default”. She grew up when she was young, with a dream of being a journalist because in those days, a burning desire to express herself always overpowered her. But, it was quite by chance that she stumbled into television serial production. In the early nineties, her father was offered by non-
resident Indian Ketan Somayya to produce software for his channel. The channel did not fare well and was later sold to Zee TV.

However, Ms Kapoor had already prepared some software and hence not wanting to make her efforts go waste, scouted for buyers for the same. Finally when Hum Paanch was aired on Zee, she knew this is where her heart was.

That was about seven years ago and Ms Kapoor was still in her teens then. Today she no longers regrets the fact that she couldn’t pursue journalism. “ Television has provided me the the desired platform to express myself” says Ms Kapoor.

But it has not been a smooth run, all along.” I have had to go through the entire grind. There was a time when I had five to six pilot projects ready and none used to get approved,” says Ms Kapoor.

While being the daughter of an illustrious father have had many advantages, she feels that the drawbacks seems to have initially outnumbered them. “People would ask for more money just because I had a rich father,” says Ms Kapoor. Her disgust becomes obvious when she says: “Experienced writers would try to force me to accept whatever nonsense they penned down, just because they thought that I was a brainless daughter of a moneyed father.” One cannot miss the spark of pride in her eyes when she says: “ Today I have made a place for myself and I can dictate terms.”

Today with about seven years of television work experience, she has firmed up plans to get into film production in association with the Mumbai-based Siddhivinayak Films. On the anvil are plans to produce atleast four films in the next few years. However, her involvement in film production initially will be less intensive than her work in television. She feels that she lacks the expertise. “It will be a learning exercise for me in the initial years,” she says.

Ms Kapoor is completely hands-on manager. She is involved from the start to finish in the entire creative process of making a serial: from conceptualising to editing the final copy of special episodes.Not surprisingly, this includes approving screenplays, casting, character formation, art direction, post production and packaging. “ The look of a serial is vital to its success and that is precisely why I take a keen interest in it,” says Ms Kapoor.

So how does she cope with success? “My family does the balancing act. They ensure that I am firmly footed on the ground, and at home I am still the kid who gets slapped and scolded so that I don’t get carried away.” After working for 10 to 15 hours a day, how does she relax? Answer: Ofcourse, by watching films and television, partying with friends and going on long drives.

She feels that it does not matter if you are a man or a woman as long as you know how to get what you want from life. She doe not believe in debating that it is a woman’s world. “For me it is a business person’s world,” says Ms Kapoor.