Inspirational: Ekalavya Bhattacharya

Ekalavya Bhattacharya

Founder of Blakomi and FuseBulb

With 14 plus years of experience in the Indian digital ecosystem, Ekalavya is the quintessential storyteller. He was previously the Digital Head at MTV India and the Chief Strategy Officer at ALT Balaji. Now with his two new ventures: Blakomi, integrating e-commerce and fashion with AI, and FuseBulb, a branded content and OTT content consultancy, and development studio, he is set to make a difference in the world of digital.

Entering the DigitalSpace with Ekalavya

“I was a digital addict,” Cook book. “If anything, remarks Ekalavya Bhattacharya explaining biotechnology taught me Viral Marketing,” he jokes. “I believe that attention how he was exposed to is the new oil, not the internet much earlier. His father worked at the The genesis of his digital journey began when he engagement.” computer center for the got inspired and eventually Indian Armed forces in became involved with Pune. “I managed to sell the online forum for CAT have to use storytelling. my TAZO (little plastic prep students, PagalGuy. Because in this attentiondiscs) collection to a guy com. Originally aiming to deficit generation, people’s in Australia for 25,000 do an MBA from the IIMs, attention span has rupees in 6th grade. Made to enhance his CV while become minuscule, one websites using basic working with PagalGuy. WhatsApp notification and Microsoft Word and HTML,” com, he flooded its CEO the mind wanders. For MTV, but computer engineering with a myriad of ideas on no one was watching TV was not a field that how they could expand the anymore, by 2011 it was intrigued Mr. Bhattacharya forum and even monetize an advertising averse because at that time it certain aspects of it. “I generation,” this is when comprised of just blind was super enthusiastic he realized the need for coders. about it,” he recollects. He branded storytelling to got invited for a talk at IIT really grab the consumer’s He says, “Wherever the Mumbai on Web 2.0 and complete attention. world evolves to, I have the arrival of Social Media always wanted to be at the at the age of 20. When “I believe that attention helm of doing what was he got into IIM Calcutta, is the new oil, not relevant.” This led him to Ekalavya was attracted engagement.” do his undergraduation in to the whole startup biotechnology, as Biocon experience and eventually “When I further moved to and Kiran Mazumdar Shaw did an executive program ALT Balaji, the ALT stood occupied the spotlight in sales and marketing. for alternate and that then. However, by the end was interesting. Helping of the course, he realized Coming to MTV and a media company pivot it was not for him and building an addictive in its storytelling and that the wonders of that user experience, Ekalavya launch an OTT platform stream stayed only within explains, “At the end of the for a completely different the pages of a Robin day to grasp the user, you audience as compared

consumption, this is What is Immersive “Any piece of content you put out needs particular to the creative space. So while technical prowess is always required, storytelling? This is an era of screenagers, people are jumping from one screen to make people feel your creativity is a process to the next. Therefore something or generate that starts from day one. The kind of content, stories also have to be cohesive, responsive, any sort of emotion, conversations, and people and consistent across can offend, make them happy, anything. Only you are exposed to, I had a wide spectrum of content I liked ranging from sports screens and mediums. Ekalavya also took some time looking into VR, as then it lands.” fiction to business. I have that is the true sense also learned a lot from the of immersive content people I have worked with.” consumption. However, Ekta Kapoor is a maverick Now, what is effective his revelation was that in this space and it was storytelling? Theoretically, “It isn’t only the device immensely gratifying to it completely depends on which is expensive get to work with her. But your audience, if we look but also the content they too realized that the at content today, digital experience.” The latter audiences were changing advertising has opened means that a director or and for that story formats avenues to micro-target cinematographer will be had to change. People people. Ekalavya reiterates able to tell a far better were no longer willing that ‘the pay and pray’ story by directing the to wait till 8 every day to days of advertising are viewer to look at a specific sit and watch the new almost gone. This way something at a defined episode.” Ekalavya followed he conveys there are angle that really enhances that up by telling that, “In two key aspects, first that scene. This direction is the OTT industry there is is understanding your lost when the consumer is a huge dearth of writing audience and catering to allowed to look anywhere and editorial talent.” This it specifically. Secondly, for themselves or figure is because film schools “The biggest enemy today out their own story on VR in India never taught one is apathy.” Very prevalent platforms. how to make a 12 episodes in our present generation ‘ki kahani’ and so, “The of scrollers. “Any piece people who evolved were of content you put out the ones who were anyway needs to make people feel good storytellers and knew something or generate what a good story was.” any sort of emotion. Only then it lands.” For this, he “Wherever the world When asked about how says, “There is no secret evolves to, I have always he managed to catch the talent for effective storytelling he says, the TV mantra. Lots of trial and error, and investment delve into a multitude of wanted to be at the helm of doing what is audience Balaji had that existing case studies to see relevant.” “Extensive content what works.”

Nevertheless, the following are where we will see the most innovation in VR and Mixed Reality:

Education - exposing little kids to wonders like dinosaurs walking across can truly enhance learning. Ekalavya tells us, “My sister is a pediatric ophthalmologist and I have seen her experiment with content exposure to kids.”

Porn - here is where everything on the internet has started from. Pop up ads, in-stream ads, text ads, multi betrayed streaming. Ekalavya remembers his boss from, Contest2Win share, “Do not judge pornography for pornography, but the platform it is. You will always find the biggest innovation there.” The fact is 50-60% of the content consumed on the internet is porn. Tactile and haptic feedback have all sprouted from porn which people are now moving to other forms of experiential design in other spaces.

Gaming - over this course quarantine, with not much to do, playing in these virtual environments have kept a lot of us going. There is excellent scope for immersive storytelling here. If you are jumping fields to what excites you, you have to stay adrift. Not everything will work out, but you have to take that step and not wait or imagine for the world to change and align with your passion, financially or fulfillment wise. You have to stay informed, aware, and keep replenishing your skillset. If in any case entrepreneurship does not work out, do not get stuck up.

Written by Miral Zafar