Pickle October 2017 Edition

We hear voices.

INDIAN ENTERTAINMENT BIZ GUIDE O C T O BE R 2017

3BEEP Uncommon creativity in the heart of New York City.

3B www.3beep.net

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CHARLES DARBY charles@3beep.net

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CONTENT BUYS FROM INDIA

Viacom18 Media has completed an eventful decade in Indian M&E space.

How Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats is looking forward to surprise viewers and competitors with the ‘contentfirst’ approach

VIACOM18 MEDIA The Great Surge 07-10-2017 PM 12:31:50

We hear voices.

INDIAN ENTERTAINMENT BIZ GUIDE O C T O BE R 2017

3BEEP Uncommon creativity in the heart of New York City.

3B www.3beep.net

TIM WERENKO tim@3beep.net Pickle_October_2017_Cover.indd 1

CHARLES DARBY charles@3beep.net

www.picklemag.com

CONTENT BUYS FROM INDIA

Viacom18 Media has completed an eventful decade in Indian M&E space.

How Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats is looking forward to surprise viewers and competitors with the ‘contentfirst’ approach

VIACOM18 MEDIA The Great Surge 07-10-2017 PM 12:31:50

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FILM FILM FI LM VIDEO VI DEO DE MOBBI MO BILE ILEE T LE TE LLEVI EVI VISI SION ON AR/ AR R//VVR ADDVE VERT VER RRTIS TISSIN IING NG DIGI DI GITAAL LLIVE LI V EVEENTS VE NTTS AUDIO AU AUDI DIO DI

GET THE EFFECT.

THRIVE ON.

RRAADI DIO

Deeply rooted in convergence and collaboration, NAB Show® is an unrivaled experience where the digital ecosystem gathers year after year to leverage new technologies, tools and cross-aisle synergies to propel the content economy forward. Tap into The M.E.T. EffectSM alongside world-renowned professionals to connect, collaborate and strategize the future of your business.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT HAPPENS HERE.

APRIL 7–12, 2018 • LAS VEGAS, NEVADA USA REGISTER TODAY: NABShow.com Free Exhibits Pass Code: ID74 Interested in joining the Indian Delegation?

Contact NAB Show India Representative Anushree Ramchandani to learn all about the benefits of this popular program. aramchandani.nabshow@gmail.com

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07-10-2017 PM 12:31:52

D H N N

DISCOVER 2,000+ NEW FILMS & PROJECTS

American Film Market & Conferences

®

November 1 - 8, 2017 | Santa Monica AmericanFilmMarket.com/buyer

TH

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07-10-2017 PM 09:58:37

FILM FILM FI LM VIDEO VI DEO DE MOBBI MO BILE ILEE T LE TE LLEVI EVI VISI SION ON AR/ AR R//VVR ADDVE VERT VER RRTIS TISSIN IING NG DIGI DI GITAAL LLIVE LI V EVEENTS VE NTTS AUDIO AU AUDI DIO DI

GET THE EFFECT.

THRIVE ON.

RRAADI DIO

Deeply rooted in convergence and collaboration, NAB Show® is an unrivaled experience where the digital ecosystem gathers year after year to leverage new technologies, tools and cross-aisle synergies to propel the content economy forward. Tap into The M.E.T. EffectSM alongside world-renowned professionals to connect, collaborate and strategize the future of your business.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT HAPPENS HERE.

APRIL 7–12, 2018 • LAS VEGAS, NEVADA USA REGISTER TODAY: NABShow.com Free Exhibits Pass Code: ID74 Interested in joining the Indian Delegation?

Contact NAB Show India Representative Anushree Ramchandani to learn all about the benefits of this popular program. aramchandani.nabshow@gmail.com

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07-10-2017 PM 12:31:52

DEC NOV05-06 6-7 HOTEL LEELA PALACE NEW DELHI NEW DELHI 6th Edition

CII BIG PICTURE SUMMIT

M&E: THE DIGITAL TAKEOVER Towards $100 billion Indian M&E Sector

®

vaishali.shrivastava@cii.in www.ciibigpicture.in

THE MOST POWERFUL PLATFORM FOR M&E INDUSTRY POLICY MAKERS INTERFACE

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.

E R E H S T R IT ALLRSE.TCAONNECT. EXPLO DO BUSINESS. 018 15ïš» 23 FEB 2

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MUST DO THINGS AT MIPCOM

••• This year’s series of MIPCOM Media Mastermind Keynotes, Creative Showcases, and View-fromthe-Top panel discussions will explore the new connectivity that sets out to unite players with the best partners to deliver the next generation of rule breaking shows.

Sony Pictures Entertainment will be screening the highly-anticipated, new drama series, “Counterpart,” an espionage series about a mysterious world hidden beneath the surface of our everyday existence.

Award-winning chef and TV host Gordon Ramsay and National Geographic’s Global Networks CEO Courteney Monroe will keynote at MIPCOM to track the global race for creative connections.

Discovery Communications President and CEO David Zaslav will be honoured as the MIPCOM 2017 Personality of the Year during a Gala Dinner on Wednesday, October 18 at the InterContinental Carlton Hotel.

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British comedian, writer, awardwinning actor and tireless charity and diversity campaigner, Sir Lenny Henry, will deliver a keynote address at MIPCOM 2017 as part of the event’s expanded Diversity Programme.

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mind mw h the rule The world’s entertainment content market, MIPCOM, takes place in Cannes, France from 16 to 19 October 2017, and this year takes as its over-arching conference theme, “The Global Race For Creative Connections”.

MIPCOM 2017 is set to showcase a record number of exclusive International Screenings, including compelling original crime series, a Russian period drama, a blue-chip wildlife series, and some caustic comedy shows.

Nick Bell, Vice President of Content at Snap Inc., and Sean Mills, Senior Director of Content Programming, will discuss the company’s growing slate of Snapchat Shows and the future of made-for-mobile video content.

A century after the October Revolution in Russia, the Russian Content Revolution is taking place and will be in the spotlight at MIPCOM 2017.

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Domingo Corral, Head of Original Programming at Movistar+, and Facebook’s Ricky Van Veen, Head of Global Creative Strategy, and Daniel Danker, Director of Video Product, will deliver keynote speeches at MIPCOM 2017.

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VIACOM18

The G 8

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M18 MEDIA

e Great Surge Now in its 10th year, Viacom18 Media has grown more than 40 times since its inception, operating 42 channels and 9 regional feeds with over a dozen beaming content outside India. Raring to go further, Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO, Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, shares his thoughts on how M&E space is getting transformed as he plans to become an agent of change that redefines the entertainment ecosystem in the country 9

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10TH ANNIVERSARY: VIACOM18

TECHNOLOGY HAS DEMOCRATISED CONTENT CREATION Viacom18 Media has completed an eventful decade in Indian M&E space. How Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats is looking forward to surprise viewers and competitors with the ‘content-first’ approach Viacom18 Media is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. How has been the journey so far?

Viacom18 has built a distinctive identity for itself through its strong focus on engaging and disruptive stories. This “content-first” approach is in synergy with our broadcast and digital business lines, and together, films, broadcast and digital form the bouquet of content entertainment that Viacom18 offers its consumers across all age groups. Then there is the sensory bouquet with experiential entertainment and merchandising businesses that complete the entire entertainment ecosystem that the network offers to it consumers.

The business philosophy that drives the organisation is that we want to be an agent of change that redefines the entertainment ecosystem in this country. After 10 years, five lines of businesses, innumerable brands, leadership positions across almost all categories and a good network reach, the journey till now is just a warm-up lap of an exciting future.

From being an outsider to the M&E industry in 2012, you are now well established in the M&E space? How challenging is to get embraced by the M&E sector in India?

There are two similar core thoughts that drive both the FMCG and M&E industry – your product/service is the most definitive ingredient to your brand success and the consumer understanding is the key to your success.

However, unlike FMCG which is a mature sector, media is young and is seeing newer genres emerge. Media’s inclination to be en-

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trepreneurial, and hence be more gut-driven than data driven was also an interesting difference that I considered when I moved to Viacom18. In all honesty, I was anticipating all this. I knew what I had opted for and it was an exciting challenge for me. I must also add that the pace at which M&E operates is truly mind-boggling.

That said, I think the very definition of the media and entertainment industry is changing rapidly. Technology has democratised content creation and is redefining distribution. As technology companies are making forays into premium content, especially premium video content, our industry will have to leapfrog a growth phase or two. In a connected world, mining consumer data, interpreting them as consumer preferences and using these insights to drive consumer offerings, is becoming the new norm.

Women empowerment, skills and collaborative approach are top on the Viacom18 Media’s priority list and differentiate it from others.

What are your thoughts on these issues?

Being a JV has its advantages! Collaboration is a natural outcome of it – and this is evinced both internally and externally. That, and building a culture that values innovation, even if it sometimes leads to failures, has driven us to create a vibe that is quite unique. Our hope is that this culture is a key magnet to attract topnotch talent – which further fuels our growth – setting in motion a winning cycle.

Women empowerment is one of the many causes we support socially, but is perhaps one of our most visible attributes. Viacom18 prides

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As the Group CEO, I believe my number one priority is to build a Viacom18 that is admired by one and all and is futureready. In my mind, this is a goal worth pursuing. We’ve started our journey and are committed to it Sudhanshu Vats

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Group CEO, Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd and Chairman, CII National M&E Committee LIKE PICKLE IN FACEBOOK

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The industry is witnessing robust growth and the need of the hour is to look at our industry from the perspective of ‘convergence’. This alone will recognize our role as a force multiplier. We will soon see the kind of consolidation being witnessed in the West and the $100 billion target will become an attainable reality itself on being a network with a humane purpose. Our reach and influence on our consumers also puts a responsibility on us – to use the influence to bring about positive societal change.

In a very short time, Viacom18 Media has produced more than half-a-dozen businesses and leaders in various business verticals and looks further to grow stronger. The depth is visible and there is something for all viewers across the country? As the Group CEO how do you see this going forward?

As compared to our own popular channels, Viacom18 is still a young brand. MTV has been in India for 20 years; Nick was launched around the start of the millennium, VH1 in 2006 and Colours in 2008. Not only have we grown more than 40X in the last 9 years, we also operate 42 channels and 9 regional feeds, with over a dozen beaming our content outside India. In addition to a fast-growing broadcast business, we also have a profitable films business known for its distinctive content, including our latest Toilet Ek Prem Katha. We launched our live events business around three years ago and it has several iconic IPs, including Vh1 Supersonic. Last year, we added the video OTT offering VOOT, which is now ranked among the top streaming apps in the country and showcases our future-readiness. As a network, we now operate a profitable set of brands across businesses and we only see this growing further in the years to come. As the Group CEO, I believe my number one priority is to build a Viacom18 that is admired by one and all and is future-ready. In my mind, this is a goal worth pursuing. We’ve started our journey and are committed to it.

Viacom18 Media’s new kid on the block VOOT won IBC’s innovation award in content distribution? How significant was this honour for the company?

VOOT, which launched in 2016, currently hosts over 40,000 hours of content with over 25 million monthly active users.

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Winning the IBC2017 Innovation Award for Content Distribution was a huge honour for everyone at Viacom18. We are known for our content business, but to have our company feature on the global technology leader board, was a major acclaim for everyone involved. I’ve said before that the media landscape is changing rapidly and the marriage of gut and insight will be crucial in this new paradigm. Kudos to the team for delivering the innovation in partnership with Google.

COLORS TV channel continues to be the major growth driver for the group? What are your views on the channel’s success?

There is always more room to grow. While COLORS is doing well, we will continue to do more by developing other sub-genres within our general entertainment network. As we grow our portfolio, we will continue to reduce our dependence on Colors. From an ad-sales perspective, our reliance on our flagship offering Colors Hindi is expected to drop from about 4/5th in FY12 to almost half in FY18. Our Kannada channel, from its ETV acquisition in 2012, has moved up from fourth position to the top in the last three years. Today, the channel has 36 per cent market share of the Rs 600-crore Kannada market, growing at over 12-13 per cent annually. We also launched a second Kannada GEC in HD in 2016 and will continue to focus on growing our regional bouquet. India is a macrocosm of many ‘Indias’ and this is evident in the differing entertainment tastes of the various regions of India. In such a scenario, regional is big focus are for us. We will be soon launching our 7th regional offering in Tamil Nadu.

The NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi has completed three years in Office. Do you see visible changes reflect in the M&E sector specifically from the policy and ease of doing business perspective?

The industry is extremely pleased with the proactive, consultative approach of the government. It has set the ball rolling on regulations that have been around frozen for way to long.

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LINES OF BUSINESS

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1400+ PEOPLE

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507 M

MONTHLY INDIA REACH

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Q A

What is your idea of real happiness?

That’s an interesting question. My notion of happiness has evolved over the years. To my mind, ‘real happiness’ is an inner state. Simply put, happiness is a choice. Nothing can keep it from you if you choose to be happy. I have also found that acts of generosity and giving – however simple or small – always dial-up happiness.

The government has showcased its commitment to alter the status quo through various industry altering changes. Reform measures such as demonetization and GST augur well for the long-term health of the economy. I have always maintained that as an industry, we have a lot to gain from an economy that is buoyant in the aggregate sense rather than reforms aimed only at our sector. In fact, I must add that the manner and scale at which this government has attempted behavioural change campaigns around Swachch Bharat – we have a lot to learn!

What are the three or four areas that you think M&E needs attention that would further propel growth?

The M&E industry while on a steep growth trajectory can further propel growth by focusing on: Disintermediation as a business reality and the need to prepare ourselves for a direct to consumer offering and one with direct access to talent if we are to succeed ■ The need to view technology and data as a potent currency that can revolutionize our success rates and monetization ■ We need to be able to attract top talent in storytelling, technology and analytics if we are to succeed in the next 4-5 years ■ Finally, we need to experiment more across the board- in the way we tell stories, the kind of stories we tell, the formats we look at, the people we attract... There’s a lot that is happening but more can be done.

The Indian M&E industry has set an ambitious target to reach $100 billion from the current $20 billion over the next five years. You also head Confederation of Indian Industry’s National M&E Committee? Do you see this happening? What are the challenges of achieving this?

The industry is witnessing robust growth and the need of the hour is to look at our industry

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from the perspective of ‘convergence’. This alone will recognize our role as a force multiplier. We will soon see the kind of consolidation being witnessed in the West and the $100 billion target will become an attainable reality.

The regulatory framework must pre-empt this and prepare for it. This means ensuring parity across different forms of media so that there is no regulatory arbitrage. There is also the need for freedom to price services which will unleash the industry further and equip us to compete with the best in the world. A lighter approach towards regulation, where market forces play and even greater role will also help all players in the value chain compete on the basis of efficiency. Given the way Jio has disrupted the telecom market in India, I see the demand for M&E content only going up – making the 100 Bn USD an achievable milestone –as long as we get our monetisation models right.

As you have been the proponent of ‘Make in India, Show the World’ tagline, do you see India emerge as a digital hub for the world?

For me ‘Make in India’ is about encouraging youth in India and opening up avenues to become enablers and entrepreneurs. This program has in fact placed the global spotlight on India’s economic potential. In this regards also the M&E Industry can be a huge accelerator, in 2016 we employed nearly 5mn people.

We would need to double this workforce in the next 5-7 years. Hence we need to plan from today to make those investments in the talent pipeline. This includes talent from the creative, technical and management spheres. The industry needs to collaborate more with educational institutions, the government needs to facilitate these partnerships and parents and teachers need to create awareness and nurture interest in design, technology and creative skills at the level of primary education. At our own level, we have attempted to bring entrepreneurship in the mainstream conversation with our show MTV Dropout.

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Viacom18- Milestones 1997

2011

2014

MTV India launched

24 hour English Entertainment channel, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon’s entertainment channel for teenage kids, SONIC launched Studio18 renamed Viacom18 Motion Pictures

COLORS’ petal general entertainment Free-To-Air channel, Rishtey launched in India MTV India’s co-branded Indie channel, MTV Indies launched

2012

Colors Infinity launches

2005 Viacom reintroduces Nickelodeon to the Indian Market MTV launches VH1 as an English Music Channel

2007 Viacom Inc and Network18 Group ink JV

2008 Colors launched with 83 GRPs within Week 1. Ranked #3 on first ratings post debut Colors ranks #1 within 9 months of launch, beating News Corp’s India channel Star Plus

2009 Ancillary businesses Digital media and Consumer Products gather steam

2010 Films Business Studio18 roped in

2015

Viacom18 forms organic distribution company- IndiaCast Media Distribution Private Ltd Launch of Nickelodeon kids channel for 4-12 year olds, Nick Jr launched Initiated acquisition of regional channels- ETV Gujarati, ETV Marathi, ETV Kannada, ETV Oriya and ETV Bangla

2016

2013

2017

New line of business, Integrated Network Solutions (INS) launched Viacom18 turns profitable- records PAT for the first time as a network Rebranding of regional channels.

Revenue starts kicking in from the regional cluster

Finally, disruptions continue to hit legacy M&E industry. But there are very few entrepreneurial disruptions in the Indian media space. Your comments?

I see your point at one level, but don’t agree with it in entirety at another. On the content side, we have seen significant disruptions with independent creators taking to digital and then entering the mainstream. I see our industry’s role as one which is able to leverage this talent and offer a larger canvas for them to play with.

On the distribution side, we have seen the entry of a new telco fuelled by entrepreneurial passion of a different order. I believe that in the next few years they will be able to spawn an

Launch of VOOT Launch of Rishtey Cineplex Launch of second Kannada GECCOLORS Super Launch of MTV Beats Vh1 Refresh- new logo and programming refresh Announcement of Colors Tamil launch

ecosystem full of innovators working towards both, incremental innovations and those at scale. As the industry becomes even more consumer-focused, the scope for disruption will only increase.

Which one book has influenced you the most?

It’s tough for me to single out any one book. I enjoy reading and several books and authors have influenced me over the years. I will take the liberty of sharing a few books that I think are a must-read for most individuals – Tuesdays with Mory, Tipping Point and The Second Machine Age.

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New York based 3Beep is the place to go for creative script adaptation and top notch voice acting

T

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07-10-2017 PM 09:59:16

3 BEEP ON WRITE LANE

3Beep, Big leap Most producers, especially the ones from Russia and China, admitted storytelling is their Achilles heel. So that got us thinking that there might be an opportunity for 3Beep to provide quality story telling at a fair price, say Charles Darby and Tim Werenko, founders of New Yorkbased 3Beep, who are looking forward for MIPCOM to pitch their ideas and projects So what’s new at 3Beep?

In a word - writing. We have put together a team of award winning writers based in the United States and Canada. These folks are willing to work at the reduced rates most foreign producers require, but the quality is A+. The 3Beep team recently developed a Show Bible, 20 story ideas, and wrote two original scripts for an 11 minute series for a Russian producer. It looks like the show has been greenlit by Russia’s Channel One and will be pitched “internationally” at MIPJr. What makes you think there is an opportunity or need for writing services?

We are impressed with the quality of animation being done around the world. Unfortunately, that quality often doesn’t extend to the storytelling. We’ve also had some intimate conversations with producers, especially ones from Russia and China. Most admitted storytelling is their Achilles heel. So that got us thinking that there might be an opportunity for 3Beep to provide quality story telling at a fair price.

How is original episodic and feature script writing related to your voice work?

Tim Werenko and Charles Darby founders of New York-based 3Beep

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As you know, we are not a localization business per-se. 3Beep is the place to go for creative script adaptation and top notch voice acting. Half of our work occurs at the pre-lay stage - something that most dubbing studios have no experience with. When we

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The 3Beep team recently developed a Show Bible, 20 story ideas, and wrote two original scripts for an 11 minute series for a Russian producer. It looks like the show has been greenlit by Russia’s Channel One and will be pitched “internationally” at MIPJr get a translated script for an existing project, it’s not just adapted for lip-flap. Our writers “punch up” scripts to make them livelier, cohesive and either more funny or dramatic.

We’ve developed a few techniques, for example, adding lines to a character when their back is to the camera. As a result we can improve the pacing and entertainment value of the project. It requires a creative writer to pull this off. Most of 3Beep’s writing team also get work writing original scripts for US distributors like Nickelodeon and Disney. It seemed like a natural extension of our “punch up” work to add this new creative service.

You mentioned you are taking a feature length animated script to MIPCOM? Yes, Tim Werenko and Jeff Hylton (3Beep’s head writer) wrote the script. It’s a wonderful animated kid’s film entitled The Intergalactic Tyrant that we’re pitching at MIPCOM along with the Russian TV series we’re writing and voicing.

What other industry events do you consider important?

3Beep will be at AFM in Los Angeles shortly after MIP, and in December at the Asian TV Forum in Singapore. In 2018, it’s Kidscreen, Annecy, The World Content Market in Russia and Cartoon Forum. We find them all important as the business of TV and film is forever changing and 3Beep needs to evolve with it.

You can’t stay current sitting in the office.

You mentioned earlier that you are not the cheapest facility for English language dubbing. Is that a problem?

We do worry about pricing ourselves out of

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certain markets. As well, we’d like to grow with smaller less established producers as they move up the food chain. To do that we need to be working with them in the early stages of their career. We are developing less expensive alternatives for potential clients that have a lot of shows and just need a decent quality English dub. You know, not up to the quality of shows we voice for airing on Nickelodeon or Amazon here in the States, but still first rate. We have a rising crop of underemployed actors and writers that are talented but don’t have the experience or track record of our current team. All of them are excited to work - even at reduced rates.

We’ve noticed some changes to your website...

Yes, we’ve added three language options: Russian, Chinese and Korean, more links to social media, created a “News” section, expanded our Team profiles to include writing and music composition. We also have put a lot of samples of our work on Vimeo and that can be reached via a link on our website.

What does the future hold for 3Beep?

We hope that by combining original script writing and voicing we can foster partnerships with foreign animation producers and distributors. 3Beep will develop story ideas, do the writing, record voices, write and record music plus sound mixing - essentially everything but the animation. We want to leverage these skills into to becoming producing partners not just service providers. If we stare at the crystal ball - we envision an ownership stake.

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WE

WE MAKE YOUR VIRTUAL REALITY MEET VISUAL EFFECTS

Richard Lewis rlewis@richardlewispr.com

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07-10-2017 PM 09:20:32

Sunita Uchil Chief Business Officer, International Ad Sales, Global Syndication & Production

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At MIPCOM, ZEE will be presenting their first ever English adaptation titled Lala’s Ladiez of the super successful and popular Indian sitcom Hum Paanch. The 20 part series is currently under production in the UK

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07-10-2017 PM 09:20:34

THE WORLD IS THEIR FAMILY

ZEE’S GLOBAL CONTENT HUB TO PRESENT NEW DRAMAS AND FORMATS AT MIPCOM Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd, with 240,000 hours of quality programming, including the largest premium Indian movie catalog in the world, is now focussing on Zee Format Factory and more. Pickle chats with ZEE’s Sunita Uchil Chief Business Officer, International Ad Sales, Global Syndication & Production Zee has completed 25 years in business.

What’s the major transformation on at Zee in the overseas market now?

What started out with one channel way back in 1992, Zee now has 32 channels in India and 40 international channels across the globe with a reach of more than a billion viewers for offering. We produce and distribute over 240,000 hours of quality programming, including the largest premium Indian movie catalog in the world. With this reach, Zee made an immersive inroad into all continents.

People now know, in a strong part due to Zee TV, that Indian programming is high quality, very entertaining and delves into every genre.

We are also focused on Zee Format Factory & our co-production projects with the best in the industry.

Make In India, Show the World is real now with Zee’s home grown reality show Dance India Dance as Dance US Dance, and sitcom Hum Paanch which is being produced in its British version as Lala’s Ladiez and an Anglo-Spanish sitcom Love Thy Neighbour (working title) which is adapted from the ever-popular home grown format Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain. Your views...

Zee is very happy to be a leader in helping to spread Indian programming and Indian creative content around the world. With a presence in over 172 countries, Zee is a significant global content company across genres, languages and platforms. We are increasing this move even more with, for example, our recently announced Zee Studios in Vancou-

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We see more expansion in Latin American and Africas and that is why Zee has recently added more development and investment into those regions. We are also investing in local programming for example, Khwaabon Ke Darmiyaan is a very popular Indian dramatic series that we co-produced with a leading African broadcaster and a leading pay TV platform in the Middle East 22

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ver Canada, expanding co-production with partners around the world. We are excited to introduce new and current programming to even more people.

Zee TV is the only Indian broadcaster to have spread across the world and speak several native languages. Give a perspective of Zee’s reach in global territories.

Zee has long held a strategy to expand globally, which is reflected in our company motto “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” -- “The World is MY Family.” This is a driving plan for the company. In the past two years alone, we have created channels for diverse territories such as Germany, Latin America, South Africa, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia and will continue this path. We have programming in a variety of languages including English, French, Arabic, Swahili and many more. Zee also has its leading Health Entertainment channel in the US, the Z Living Network, with an outstanding library of 1700 hours of health & lifestyle content. All produced in English-language.

Do you see growth focus in any particular region? What are the potential markets for Zee? We see more expansion in Latin American and Africas and that is why Zee has recently added more development and investment into those regions. We are also investing in local programming for example, Khwaabon Ke Darmiyaan is a very popular Indian dramatic series that we co-produced with a leading African broadcaster and a leading pay TV platform in the Middle East that was filmed and broadcast in Dubai to top ratings. We will expand on these type of new co-productions to tap into various regions.

What is your objective at MIPCOM this year? What is Zee’s attraction for buyers at MIPcom?

Our objective is certainly to connect with new & existing buyers and associates. Zee is present at MIPCOM on the exhibitor floor – P1-K51.

Global Content Hub By Zee, the syndication division of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), will showcase its latest drama series Kundali Bhagya, Piya Albela & Woh Apna Sa and fresh mainstream lifestyle entertainment shows, Yoga Girls, Big Fat Truth, Altar’d and Conquered. We will be presenting our first ever English adaptation titled Lala’s Ladiez of the super successful and popular Indian sitcom Hum Paanch. The 20 part series is currently under production in the UK. Besides this, we also have Phantasmagoria, Moksha, Love Thy Neighbour, India’s Asli Champion and other exciting formats and originals from Zee Format Factory. Finally, we are most excited to showcase a peek preview on an upcoming Feature Documentary Special, Life of Earth From Space, which will be a

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With a presence in over 172 countries, Zee is a significant global content company across genres, languages and platforms blue chip quality co-production – a two hour mini-series covering formation of our planet Earth and development of Life.

What’s the impact of syndication business in the digital now world?

The impact has been a positive one. With new digital platforms, Zee is excited about the state of the syndication business and we are able to share our programming to new and younger audiences via advanced technology.

Our continuing partnerships with major digital players have developed into a large segment and is acting as a key avenue to extend the availability of our content to global viewers.

Has protectionists’ sentiment in many countries impacted export of content? Do you see challenges in this space?

We have not really seen any impact to Zee’s programming reach. Zee has many family programs which are acceptable to many country’s censors as well as good working relationships with state broadcasters. Of course, co-development, co-production and format business models help to get over some of the hurdles and we are getting stronger in all these areas every day.

How do we effectively use India’s soft power from content reach perspective globally? In the recent Portland USC report on global soft power rankings of countries, India doesn’t feature in the top 20. Will this trend change in the coming years?

India’s business reputation as a whole has been growing very well and many content industry experts have said that India is the country to watch for emerging developments among the BRIC nations. Also, Indian companies are often easier to work with. So people see big a growth potential.

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PICKLE 2018

M&E HANDBOOK Pickle M&E Handbook 2018 is a treasure guide for everyone engaged in the business of media and entertainment. It has been conceived to help your everyday business activity. It has been designed after taking inputs from industry leaders on what is needed for today’s knowledge driven showbiz. It is one of a kind reference guide that provides much more than just contact details. The book also has a comprehensive coverage of India’s media and entertainment ecosystem. Email to natvid@gmail.com to know more on the guide and how to own a copy of it. It is a limited edition for the decision makers. It can also be downloaded as an App.

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MEDIA TRENDS OTT PLATFORMS POWER 100 FESTIVALS AND MARKETS FILM PRODUCTION REGIONAL CINEMA BROADCAST DIGITAL MEDIA DTH CONTENT PRODUCTION ANIMATION STUDIOS GAMING SERVICE PROVIDERS FINANCIERS & VCs MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT RADIO TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES BUYERS LOCATION SERVICES GLOBAL SHOWBIZ FIRMS START-UPS ADVERTISING & MUCH MORE 01_Pickle_October_2017_inner Pages.indd 25

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Siddharth Kumar Tewary Founder and Creative Director Swastik Productions & One Life Studios

I am very clear that we are making an Indian series and we did not try to ape the west. I believe that every country should depict its own culture and that what appeals to a global audience 26

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e

Porus at MIPCOM Stand: P-1.F19

PORUS IS AN INDIAN STORY TOLD GLOBALLY Siddharth Kumar Tewary founded Swastik Productions in 2007 after a career in the media industry, where he did some fabulous work at SET Max first and then Sony Entertainment Television.

Carving a niche for himself with mythological and historical shows and having produced about 22 successful shows across channels, currently he is writing, producing and directing his epic series PORUS for Sony. In this exclusive interview, he talks about his mega series, for which he has retained 100 per cent IP rights, thus becoming the first producer in India to claim IP rights of a TV show 27

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Tell us about Porus, your 10th anniversary gift to your viewers.

History is written by those who ruled, I like telling stories of inspirational characters. The channel wanted me to make a show that depicts and celebrates the golden age of India. That’s when I thought about Porus, a story set around 350 BC, a time in history when we were the richest nation in the world, we were called the Golden sparrow as sparrows are an easy prey and the invaders started entering our country. Alexander, the biggest conqueror in the world set his eyes on us and it was Porus who stopped Alexander from entering India, with his small army he fought on the banks of river Jhelum, he lost the battle but won the war. This is a story of India’s first defender.

I have been working on it for more than two years now, Writing is the soul of the series, then it’s the characters, costumes, production design of the Golden age of India and the Macedonian world, the biggest challenge was to create the water transport route, which will be the most differentiated aspect of the series.

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ONE LIFE STUDIOS We have a very exciting line up of shows at MIPCOM, apart from Porus and some our other series, we have handpicked 40 best shows from the country which are truly worth traveling the globe

How did you manage to get the research material for this project?

When you do research, it is done specific to the subject as also to the specific era, a lot of data is scattered but when we look at the era we get more material to understand the world that existed once upon a time. His name itself was not Porus. It was Puru and his real name was Purushottam. He was called Porus by the Persians and the Greeks. When we do research on that particular era, we get lot of information. We have taken many visual elements from Ajanta Ellora, as that is something there as a reminiscent of that era. Similarly on Porus, there are a lot of researchers who worked on him.

Alexander spoke a lot about him. For example, we know where Taxila was around that time and we know about the KuruRashtra. A lot of time goes into such research. Finally, we created that world and it was an interesting thing to do.

What is your objective at MIPCOM? It’s the first time that a production house is owning the complete hundred per cent IP rights of a series. It is also the biggest production of the country. Porus is an Indian story told globally and that’s what we intend

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to do. The idea is to show more of our culture to the world. The One Life Studios is basically into distribution. We have taken a stall at MIPCOM to showcase Porus there as well as other people’s work. Its our first step in taking Indian content over a global footprint.

What will make Porus interest global viewers? Is ‘Make in India and Show to the World’ apt for Porus?

I am very clear that we are making an Indian series and we did not try to ape the west. I believe that every country should depict its own culture and that what appeals to a global audience. Our idea is to show the Indian culture – our colours, our world, and how lived and what we believed in. For example, when you see a Chinese historical, they depict their culture. So, the main objective for me is to show the Indian part of the story. We are also showing the Mediterranean world, the Alexander’s world, how he grew up and what made him decide to come all the way to India, what happened with him on the way. But for me, the core of the series is India that we are depicting in Indian way. Our culture should be visible to the world and that’s what Ii believe will generate interest in the series.

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Porus captures the rich, golden era of India that very few of us know. It will be aired in Sony TV in India and said to be the costliest show on Indian television

What made you to have international IP rights of Porus to your production house?

Yes we do own 100 % IPR and I believe it’s the best way to improve the quality of content as it leads to direct accountability, we have heavily invested in the series, Sony is the anchor broadcaster and they have underwritten part of the cost, They will have the first right of television broadcast in India and wherever the footprint of the channel goes, the rest of the rights stay with us. Yes its is a big risk but we are creating a world class series, which can travel to any digital platform in the world and be showcased in any language across the globe.

That’s the way we optimize our business. It’s the first time in India and it’s definitely a great leap for content as it will ensure that the viewer comes first and we don’t make shows for the sake of it, we only create what we believe in and more importantly we put our money where our mouth is. I thank the channel for backing us to take this bold big step.

One Life Studios is also a distribution platform for other production houses. What kind of projects will you be taking to MIPCOM?

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We have a very exciting line up of shows at MIPCOM, apart from Porus and some our other series, we have handpicked 40 best shows from the country which are truly worth traveling the globe. We are representing the entire content line of TVF, one of India’s leading digital content company, content from esteemed production houses from South India like Radaan and Viketan, who have created some of the best content in the country and many more extremely unique shows which depict India the best way.

Why are the audience glued to mythology in India across age groups and regions? What’s the difference between mythology and historical series?

I am blessed, as it not just a great creative challenge to but I also learn though the whole process, every aspect of our Mythology has so much to learn from, there is a reason why they are still relevant today, and to write even a word or create anything, first I need to understand what are they actually trying to say, what’s the subtext of the story, then have my own opinion and make it relevant to the viewers today, its not just plain entertainment its LIKE PICKLE IN FACEBOOK

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got a much deeper message for viewers and that’s what really works for me. It has actually changed me over the years as an individual. I believe our history and Mythology is really cool.

A new area is opening up for creators like you in platforms like Amazon and Netflix. How do you see this medium?

It’s very interesting to see how all these platforms are coming up. These are not limited to the Indian borders. They have content that the whole world can see. I think it’s a great time for content. Language is no more a boundary. It’s great time to create good content.

Have you tried making content for online medium?

We are in talks and when we’ll do it we’ll talk about it.

Do you also plan to release Porus in different languages?

The idea is to make an Indian series and take it to different countries. Many countries should watch what India is all about. People should watch our glorious days and know about our story.

What do you think of Baahubali?

Baahubali is really a mammoth movie and it helps when people have faith in this kind of product. It showed that historical content can also work in Cinema as well, which is a great thing.

What kind of challenges you see in content business?

I believe the viewers’ taste over the years has changed. Now the exposure level people have, it is becoming more challenging and exciting to create content that’s appealing. You should be clear about who are you talking to. Because of the exposure level that people have today, its challenging because your content has to constantly evolve. You have to step up the game at every level and change at a very dynamic speed.

The whole equation of content creation for entertainment is very different. You constantly have to look at who you are talking to and then make content which can meet their requirement at global level, according to the exposure levels they have. Today, rural audiences are exposed to the same media that urban audience are consuming.

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The future clearly is digital and niche is new mass, delivering to a mobile first generation can only be achieved through development that is data and analytics driven

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DRIVING DIGITAL DREAMS

The Power of Indian Content Tracing the journey of Indian content across the world, Dinesh Gupta, Founder & Managing Director of Sacom Mediaworks, underscores the strength of India’s biggest global export, the crucial role played by Indian broadcast majors in popularising it and the market impact quality entertainment content from India has had on global viewers

T

he 2010 Munich International Film Festival screened an Indian movie Ishqiya to much critical and popular acclaim. The song that left everyone humming its tune was named after a famous Morrocan scholastic traveller, Ibn Batuta. While the real Ibn landed in India somewhere around the early 1300s and was made a judge in Muhammad Bin Tughlaq’s court in Delhi, the song celebrates the travails of two vagabonds in modern day hinterland India.

And just as Ibn’s famous treatise The Travels internationalised stories from across the lands he had travelled, including India; so had the road movie of two down and out Indian vagabonds found favour with international audiences across the globe. Readers and listeners alike, welcome to India’s biggest global export: entertainment.

Globalisation of Indian Content The Indian media and entertainment industry may not be the largest but it clearly is among the fastest growing globally. The Confederation of Indian Industry estimates the Indian M&E industry will break the US$ 100 billion barrier in the next 5-7 years. The commercial exploitation of modern Indian content can be traced back to the early 1980s when two iconic Hollywood productions globalised Indian stories – Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi and David Lean’s cinematic adaptation of E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India. Since then India has exported stories, actors, characters and locales to global movie studios. Filmed Entertainment, indeed, has been at the forefront of leading the thrust of globalising Indian content.

The next wave came when the Indian broadcast majors – Star, Zee, Viacom18 and Sony – launched channels in the overseas markets of Europe, the Americas, APAC and MENA. What started with replaying Indian shows to the desi diaspora abroad, now has a fair amount of localisation as well. The advent of Internet and Over the Top video on demand services is the latest avenue that is helping globalise Indian content. While from the consumer’s POV the number of platforms carrying Indian content has multiplied, from a business perspective, television still remains the highest earning platform, followed by films. Digital, the new kid on the block, is helping both democratise Indian content and also expand its reach; it still has a few years to becoming a serious revenue contributor though.

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What started with replaying Indian shows to the desi diaspora abroad, now has a fair amount of localisation as well. The advent of Internet and Over the Top video on demand services is the latest avenue that is helping globalise Indian content.

Subhash Chandra-led Zee Network can clearly be presumed the pioneers of Indian content in international markets. As he realised the market of Indian content grow, ‘glocalising’ content became Zee’s mantra.

Markets like Russia, Romania, Estonia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Poland, China, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mynamar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Israel, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Africa embraced Indian dramas like they were made for them.

OTTs like Viu, Spuul, YuppTV, Zee’s Z5 clearly understand the next big content monetisation will be driven by data and smart devices. Hence these platforms have been constantly working to align with Telecom companies globally to build their monetisation potential.

Dinesh is the Founder & MD of Sacom Mediaworks, a content company that creates, markets and distributes Indian content in international markets.

Over the past eight years, Sacom has distributed over 5,000 hours of premium Indian entertainment content dubbed in 15+ languages. The company owns four music and entertainment IPs that are currently distributed across 82 countries.

Dinesh also co-founded TripFactory.com Dinesh is at MIPCOM and can be reached at dinesh.gupta@sacom.in

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MAJOR PLAYERS ‘GLOCALISING’ INDIAN CONTENT Over the years, revenues from International markets have become more and more serious. This started as early as the 1950s when Raj Kapoor led the wave by breaking into erstwhile USSR with titles like Awaara and Shri 420 by becoming a symbol of optimism in the post-world war II. Subhash Chandra-led Zee Network can clearly be presumed the pioneers of Indian content in international markets. As he realised the market of Indian content grow, ‘glocalising’ content became Zee’s mantra.

Zee launched two dedicated channels in Middle East focused on mainstream Arab audiences showcasing best of Indian film and drama content and established itself as the serious contender in the market. Zee always believed if there was great traction for content syndication in a particular geography, there clearly is a case to launch its own platform there.

Today Zee has ‘glocalised’ channels in Middle East, Far East Asia, Germany, Africa, LatAm and (soon to be launched channel in) Poland. With 4200+ film titles and 240,000 hours of content, Zee is clearly the undisputed leader in the domain.

Studios like Yash Raj Films and Dharma Productions have built the NRI driven foreign audiences and helped break into markets that were predominantly driven by Indian audiences, Indian ambassadors like Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, global success for Dangal and Baahubali really helped break stereotype and facilitate a further push into mainstream theatrical markets globally. Today studios like Red Chillies, Eros, Dharma and YRF lead the film syndication space along with the Top 4 TV Networks. Indian dramas however have clearly been the game changers like nothing else.

BREAKING INTO NEW MARKETS WITH QUALITY CONTENT A fledgling Pay TV and Advertising market in India helped produce better quality dramas in the last decade. Dramas like Balika Vadhu from Colors helped break into markets no one ever thought existed for Indian TV. Markets like Russia, Romania, Estonia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Poland, China, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mynamar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Israel, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Africa embraced Indian dramas like they were made for them.

So, what is it that really helped penetrate these markets? These markets were never able to produce high quality dramas due

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to limitation of budgets, lower literacy rates necessitated that the content was dubbed in local languages for it to find an audience. Between the acquisition and dubbing costs and long running tracks Hindi dramas could connect beautifully and keep bringing audiences back for more.

Backdrop of a conservative India and societal constraints depicted could find relatability that helped build a case for a dedicated band for Hindi dramas. Then there were high quality Mythological and VFX driven series like Mahabharat, Mahadev and Nagin that helped further strengthen leadership of Indian dramas and viewership of these bands to the next level. Surprisingly, Hindi dramas today can break into a lot more markets than what our films are able to reach.

THE FUTURE IS MOBILE FIRST The future clearly is digital and niche is new mass, delivering to a mobile first generation can only be achieved through development that is data and analytics driven. Whether it means delivering linear channels on IPTV (or) SVOD apps that showcase Indian content, or Appin-app models (or) bundling/Pay-per-view with Telcos, content is constantly getting redefined every day. There seems to be a far clearer definition on what belongs on Television, what belongs on SVOD platforms and what can be addressed through YouTube and Facebook. More and more original content is being developed to address each of these platforms.

Uday Shankar-led Star India is taking unprecedented steps with building India’s top OTT in Hotstar and taking it to global markets to showcase its originals and acquired content delivered through SVOD, IPTV and app-in-app formats. Adding cricket-led sports programming on Hotstar is going to be a big game changer for Star Network as this will open it up to sports pay per view and attract audiences from Indian subcontinent in global markets.

OTTs like Viu, Spuul, YuppTV, Zee’s Z5 clearly understand the next big content monetisation will be driven by data and smart devices. Hence these platforms have been constantly working to align with Telecom companies globally to build their monetisation potential. Carrier billing for OTT apps is clearly a latent potential that is waiting to explode in international markets. Today, MENA and North America are the biggest opportunities in the domain and growing.

Mainstream global OTT platforms are now showcasing a lot more Indian con-

tent that can serve their global audiences.

Syndication would continue to remain the best way to address emerging markets like Africa, Far East Asia, South Asia & Eastern Europe with a clear focus on dramas.

Developed markets are already addressed through platforms bouquets offering Indian Pay TV channels. In these markets SVOD apps, VOD & Pay Per view is winner, with markets like America, Canada and the UK being addressed in this pattern.

Companies like Zee have been prudent enough to evaluate monetisation potential in detail before making major investments. On the other hand, there are certain OTT platforms that are mindlessly investing just to be present in the domain or to simply build an asset with a valuation. It’s vital for each platform to have a very clear indicative on what they stand for and how will they break through the international market. Netflix and Amazon clearly know what they’re doing, Hotstar has also built a credible platform that has great potential in international markets. It’s important not to get carried away in the content wave, simply build platforms, IPs and expect them to deliver.

One of the world’s fastest growing economies is also one heck of an exporter of expats around the globe. This large expat community, glorified as the NRI community through our films, forms the first of the four pillars that form the foundation to exporting Indian content overseas.

A more mature market, this comprises of established pay TV markets like the Americas, the UK and Middle East. The second pillar is the dubbed Indian television content that has consistently opened new markets in over 20+ languages so far. These include geographic regions with comparatively weaker economies but with socio-cultural similarities to India – the African, Far East Asia, CIS Countries and LatAm markets. The third pillar is the digital ecosystem in the more developed markets where OTT Video-on-Demand platforms are comparable to traditional content delivery platforms. The fourth pillar is actually a phenomenon – Indian celebrities, like Priyanka Chopra, who are travelling the globe, creating content and popularizing the pull of Indian entertainment. Together these four pillars provide a robust base to grow the global appeal for Indian content.

With all these growing in unison, the Indian Media and Entertainment industry looks well set in its drive to breach the US$ 100 bn barrier in the next half decade with a much bigger global footprint than ever before.

Carrier billing for OTT apps is clearly a latent potential that is waiting to explode in international markets

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CONTENT BUYS FROM INDIA Pickle recommends the best buys from India at MIPCOM for sales and syndication. Check out these original content creation from India -formats, dramas, TV content, animation Also film releases to watch out for in the months ahead

INDIACAST TU AASHIQUI TuAashiqui (You Are My Love) is a poignant love story about Pantki who has been sold by her own mother to be a mistress to a wealthy man Pran. However, every victim has a saviour and for Pankti, it is Ahaan ,Pran’s own nephew, who frees Pankti from the clutches of his uncle. Ahaan’s love for Pankti is so great and pure that he sacrifices his own career as a singer, to push Pankti ahead into establishing herself as a singer. He becomes her manager and revolves his entire life around Pankti.Pankti’s mother for her own selfish reasons convinces Pankti that Ahaan has destroyed his entire career for her. Pankti is filled with guilt and sorrow and decides to go back to Pran to be his mistress again. Will their love withstand destiny? Will they be able to fight the devious intentions of their family?

Production Year: 2017 NEW RELEASE! Genre: Romance | Episodes Commissioned: 260 * X 60’ *Ongoing | Available in HD

ISHQ MEIN MARJAWAN Ishq Mein Marjawan (To Die for Love) is an intriguing and mysterious story about Aleya who has been married into a fake family set up with con artists playing the role of her in-laws.Unaware of the dark secret behind her marriage, Aleya loves her husband Deep to no end.

However, she is soon confronted with the unbelievable truth and then framed for murders she didn’t commit. Jailed, with her identity stolen, and with her family having mysteriously disappeared, she is left helpless, only to realize that she has been betrayed by the very man she loved more than life itself. Watch how she plans the ultimate escape from the prison, to unravel the mystery and to avenge herself from the man who deceived and framed her.

Production Year: 2017NEW RELEASE! Genre: Romance/Thriller | Episodes Commissioned: 260 * X 60’ *Ongoing | Available in HD

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MAHAKAALI The show unfolds the story of the most revered and fiery goddess Kaali. She is known as the great cosmic power of time and the ultimate destroyer of evil, paving the path for the positive and new beginnings. The worship of Kali calls for complete surrender, leading to eradication of limitations and opening the inner self and making one powerful enough to fight evil. Watch the magic and enigma that makes Kaali , the mother of all goddesses Production Year: 2017NEW RELEASE! Genre: Mythology | Episodes Commissioned: 104* X 60’ *Ongoing | Available in HD

DIL SE DIL TAK Dil Se Dil Tak is a story of Parth & Sharvary Bhanushali who are the most perfect couple, madly in love with each other & excited to have a child that will reunite them with the estranged Bhanushali family & bring about everlasting happiness. But destiny had other plans, Sharvary miscarries & cannot conceive again, now the couple are even more desperate for a child as & meet Teni an ex bar dancer, a money minded girl with huge imperfections. She becomes a source of great happiness as she agrees to be a surrogate mother to their child but with great happiness comes a big price when Teni falls in love with Parth. How does this challenge Parth & Sharvary’s perfect marriage?

Production Year: 2017NEW RELEASE! Genre: Family/Romance | Episodes: 195*x30’ *Ongoing | Available in HD

CHANDRAKANTA A tale of power, destruction, love and deceit, this is an epic story about the life of Princess Chandrakanta. After her family loses their kingdom to Queen Irawati, Chandrakanta grows up unaware about her heritage until Prince Veerendra enters her life and from there on begins their larger-than-life saga.

Production Year: 2017NEW RELEASE! Genre: Fantasy | Episodes: 104* X 60’ *Ongoing | Available in HD

NAAGIN (SEASON 2) After a bone chilling first season, the legacy of Naagin continues with Shivanya’s daughter, Shivangi. While Shivanya tries hard to keep her daughter away from her real identity, it will not be long before destiny catches up with Shivangi.In a strange twist of fate, Shivangi falls in love with Rocky, who is the adopted son of Shivanya’s arch nemesis Yamini. The evil icchadharinaaginSesha also returns as Ruchika. Can Shivangi come into her own as an icchadharinaagin and protect the Naagmani? Or will the evil forces win this time?

Production Year: 2016 -2017 Episodes: 75 X 60’ (Ep#59 -2 hrs) Total Hours: 76 / Available in HD

VIACOM18 / INDIACAST MEDIA Stand: P-1.E73 debkumar.dasgupta@indiacast.com

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CHAKRAVARTIN ASHOKA SAMRAT This is the story of Ashoka the Great as it has never been told before.

It speaks of Ashoka - the boy, the son, the brother, the friend, the warrior and the future emperor who created India the nation. It traverses Ashoka’s path towards fighting for the right of his mother and ending her struggles and sufferings. With that vow, starts Ashoka’s epic journey towards becoming the greatest emperor and creating Bharat (Unified India).

Production Year: 2015 - 2016 /Genre: Costume Drama / Historical Episodes: 442 x 30’ | Season 1: 1 – 328 (Ep: 1 – 20 x 60’ + Ep: 21 – 328 x 30’) | Season 2: 329 – 442 | Available in HD

SHAKTI Shakti is a portrayal of the power of a family to dictate the fate of their daughters- Soumya and Surbhi.

Soumya, an innocent girl craves for her father’s love since childhood.

However, her father absolutely detests her and showers all his love and affection on her younger sister Surbhi. Unaware that the father had tried to kill her when she was born, Soumya is perplexed as to why her mother is constantly trying to protect her from her own father.

Protected by her mother and younger sister, Soumya is unaware of the secret behind her birth and of her very own identity.Just what is the secret of Soumya’s birth?

Production Year: 2016-2017/ Genre: Social / Family /Romance Episodes: 376 * X 30’ | Season 1 – 1-275 | Season 2: 276 Onwards *Ongoing | Available in HD

UDANN Udann is a mission to highlight the grave issue of bonded labor in Indian villages. Chakor is the show’s protagonist and she symbolizes the unrealized hopes of countless Indians, suppressed by the barbaric practice of bonded labor. She is sold off as an unborn baby, as collateral for money and grows up like any other child would, untouched by the dreadfulness of the world she is born into. Until one evening when she is sent off to a grand mansion - which is in reality her prison. When she escapes and reaches home, certain of her mother’s love and father’s care, she is heartbroken to learn that they were the ones responsible for her newfound misery.

Production Year: 2014-2017 / Genre: Family /Social Episodes: 905* X 30’ | Season 1: 1-454 | Season 2: 455-839 Season 3: 840 Onwards | *Ongoing | Available in HD

SWARAGINI Swaragini, is set in the milieu of culturally rich city Kolkata in India.

The show narrates the story of two warring neighborhood families – the Bose and Gadodia families with diverse value systems. Swara and Ragini the daughters from these two families have distinctly different personalities shaped by their upbringing. Swaragini is a journey of how Swara and Ragini discover their true identities holding onto their family ties & ideals in a fractured & uncordial environment which is a result of a concealed past. Will they be able to bridge the everwidening divide between their families? Will their love for each other withstand the winds of jealousy and pride?

Production Year: 2015- 2016 / Genre: Family/Romance Episodes: 469 X 30’ | Available in HD

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ZEE ENTERTAINMENT LIFESTYLE

YOGA GIRLS Yoga has found a new “mecca” on the West Side of Los Angeles, where the beautiful and the famous co-exist. Here, the hottest yoga instructors are in constant competition to attract clients and gain the most recognition as they build their respective brands. This docu-soap follows two groups – one driven by self-promotion in the new world of social media, the other the die-hard yoga traditionalists – each one determined to succeed and do whatever it takes.

ALTAR’D THEIR WEDDING day may be approaching fast, but these overweight couples are determined to make one big change – lose weight – before walking down the aisle. Twelve weeks before their nuptials, the future bride and groom are paired with trainers and begin their transformation. But of course, there’s a twist that no one will see coming!

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Global Content Hub) Stand: P-1,K51 sunita.uchil@atl.esselgroup.com

THE BIG FAT TRUTH

FINDING FIDO IN EACH episode of Finding Fido, canine expert Seth Casteel helps an enthusiastic dog owner-to-be find the perfect companion for his or her lifestyle. Whether a sociable dog that can help owners overcome shyness, an active dog that encourages exercise, or even a dog that can help detect the onset of an owner’s epileptic seizure, Seth matches each participant’s specialized needs and criteria to his or her new best friend

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JD Roth, one of the industry’s most experienced producers of transformation programming, will go in front of the camera as host and mentor of a show that helps groups of people change their lives and gain the reward of a healthier lifestyle. Each episode features Roth on location, posing challenges to groups of overweight participants, and providing them with the tools to accomplish their goals. Based on Roth’s recently released book of the same name.

CONQUERED Conquered chronicles unique and uplifting stories about people – from the everyday to the influential – who have broken boundaries and conquered obstacles in order to achieve their goals. Hosted by journalist Laura Ling, the series will inspire and motivate people to live the best life that they can lead.

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DRAMAS

KUNDALI BHAGYA

WOH APNA SA

KundaliBhagya is an intriguing story about two young girls Preeta and Shrishti. They discover the existence of their mother - Sarla and their sister Pragya, after the death of their father. Amidst this journey of mixed emotions the girl’s cross paths with two rich brothers, Rishabh and Karan. The story will then introduce romance, drama and dispute in the lives of Preeta, Shrishti, Rishabh and Karan.

Woh Apna Sa is a show that revolves around the lives of 3 people, Aditya, Nisha &Jhanvi.

The show will redefine the status of ‘Woh’ (extramarital lover), and make people reflect on whether she is the one who breaks the relationships or gives a new hope to relationships. The show will question the fact that does the one who takes the holy 7 pheras& is lawfully and socially the rightful spouse always the right companion or not.

PIYAA ALBELA The story is about a young talented girl, offered an unusual job! A business tycoon needs her help to get his son out of the ascetic life he has been so far living. At first she is hesitant to accept this challenge but she takes it up considering the money offered. In this journey, she discovers the reason for the male protagonist to live an ascetic life; and will eventually develop a connection with him! The story will take audiences through her journey.

FORMATS

ECLIPSE HARVEST

INDIA’S ASLI CHAMPION India’s fitness reality competition program is hosted by the Real Steel of Bollywood Suniel Shetty. This uniquely crafted show aims to find and crown the “fittest Indian.”

After an intensive search across India, 12 contestants, 6 boys & 6 girls coming from different walks of life, have been short-listed for the competition. These 12 contestants fight it out in the ultimate test of physical and mental endurance to win the glorious title of India’s Asli Champion.

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This high-octane crime series focuses on the NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau. The son of a decorated officer from the Narcotics’ Division and the son of a drug lord each set out to eclipse their respective fathers of their glory. The young men’s mothers narrate stories of how their lives are affected by these circumstances and how they are paradoxically connected.

Besides the above, we will be presenting our first ever English adaptation titled “Lala’sLadiez” of the super successful and popular Indian sitcom “Hum Paanch”. A rib tickling show highlights the characteristics of 5 sisters and events relating to their doings resulting in hilarious situations. The 20-part series is currently under production in the UK.

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FILM BUYS FROM INDIA QUEENS, SPIES AND OTHER HEROES PADMAVATI A quasi-historical costume drama directed and coproduced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Devdas, Bajirao Mastani), Padmavati is one of the most-awaited Bollywood films of the year. It stars Deepika Padukone in the role of Queen Padmavati, consort of the Rajput ruler of Mewar.

The drama hinges on a fictionalized account of an attack on the kingdom by Allaudin Khilji of the Deli Sultanate.

Shahid Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Aditi Rao Hydari play the other stellar roles in Padmavati.

TIGER ZINDA HAI Another of 2017’s big releases, Tiger Zinda Hai, from the Yashraj Films stable, is a spy thriller starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif. The two actors reprise the roles they played in the 2012 precursor, Ek Tha Tiger, the story of a top-notch Indian secret agent and a Pakistani undercover operative who fall in love. The first film was helmed by Kabir Khan.

Ali Abbas Zafar is directing the follow-up. Tiger Zinda Hai is scheduled for release on the Christmas weekend.

AIYAARY An action-packed espionage thriller directed by Neeraj Pandey (A Wednesday, Baby), Aiyaary is reportedly based on true events. The film stars Siddharth Malhotra and Manoj Bajpayee. It is scheduled to hit the screens a day ahead on Republic Day – January 26 – next year. The story of the film revolves around a spy agency recruit and his seasoned mentor working in tandem to pull off a difficult mission.

2.0 A sequel to the 2010 Tamil hit Enthiran, 2.0, a hotly anticipated sci-fi thriller directed by S. Shankar, is heading for a box-office clash with Aiyaary. Superstar Rajinikanth is back in the double role of Dr. Vaseegaran and Chitti, with Bollywood star Akshay Kumar playing the principal antagonist. The film’s female lead is Amy Jackson. 2.0, like Enthiran, will be release in both Tamil and Hindi. It is reported to be the most expensive Indian film ever made.

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MERSAL Vijay, one of the A-list actors of Tamil cinema, will be seen in triple roles in Mersal, with Samantha, Nithya Menon and Kajal Aggarwal playing the female-lead roles.

The film is directed by Atlee and co-written by K V Vijayendra Prasad of Baahubali fame. Music is by the Oscar-winning A R Rahman.

Both Vijay and Rahman are marking their 25th year in the film industry with this film, which is Thenandal Studios Limited’s 100th venture.

THAANA SERNDHA KOOTAM Starring Suriya in the lead, Thaana Serndha Kootam is written and directed by Vignesh Shivan and produced by K E Gnanavel Raja.

It is tipped to be a remake of Bollywood hit Special 26. Though the title suggests about politics as main plot in the movie, the director says that this movie is not based on politics and the story is in the backdrops of 1987.

Keerthy Suresh is the heroine, while music is by Anirudh Ravichander.

VELAIKKARAN Sivakarthikeyan, who has fast risen to stardom, wiill have Velaikkaran as his next release. Tipped to be an action thriller, the film is written and directed by Mohan Raja.

Fahadh Faasil, Nayanthara and Prakash Raj will be seen in supporting roles.

The film has music by Anirudh Ravichander.

The story is said to be about the hero’s fight against food adulteration to save their people.

DHRUVA NATCHATHIRAM

SAAHO

It is a spy-thriller film starring Vikram, Aishwarya Rajesh and Ritu Varma in lead roles. The film is written and directed

by Gautham Vasudev Menon with music composed by Harris Jayaraj. The film began production in January 2017 and till date has been shot in seven countries.

After the super hit Baahubali series, Prabhas is doing this flick. Said to be an action thriller, it is written and directed by Sujeeth and produced by UV Creations.

The film stars Shraddha Kapoor as heroine and is being shot simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi. It will be dubbed in Tamil too.

Filming began in June 2017.

THEERAN ADHIGARAM ONDRU

PSPK 25

Starring Karthi in the lead, it is an action thriller film written and directed by Sathuranga Vettai fame Vinoth and produced by S R Prakashbabu and S R Prabhu of Dream Warrior Pictures. The story is said to be based on true events.

Karthi plays a police officer and Rakul Preet Singh plays the female lead role. Music is

by Ghibran. The film will be distributed by Reliance Entertainment.

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The yet untitled movie, fondly called by fans as PSPK 25 (Power Star Pawan Kalyan 25) is directed by Trivikram Srinivas starring Pawan Kalyan in the lead role as a software engineer.

The movie began principal photography at Bangkok on September 9, 2017. With PSPK25, famous Bollywood and television star Parag Tyagi is debuting in Telugu movies as a villain.

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MANIKARNIKA: THE QUEEN OF JHANSI

CHANDA MAMA DOOR KE

An epic about a brave queen who is a part of Indian historical lore, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi stars Kangana Ranaut as the eponymous character. The film is directed by Krish and produced by Zee Studios. It recounts the story of Rani Laxmibai, who took on the might of the British Empire during the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny. Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi is slated for release in April 2018.

Helmed by Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan, whose first film Lahore fetched him a National Award, Chanda Mama Door Ke is a sci-fi movie that, via a fictionalized storyline, traces the course of the Indian space programme. The cast is headed

by Sushant Singh Rajput playing an astronaut. Alongside him is veteran actor R. Madhavan and Bhumi Pednekar. Chanda Mama Door Ke is scheduled for a Republic Day release in 2018.

ABBOTTABAD

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Still in pre-production, Abbottabad is being talked about already for several reasons, not the least of which is the fact that the man at the helm is Vishal Bhardwaj, a director whose reputation rests on his William Shakespeare adaptations. It is slated to be an adaptation of the nonfiction book The Exile: The Stunning Inside Story of Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda in Flight, written by Catherine Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy. Other details, including casting, are under wraps.

Director Kabir Khan (Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Tubelight) and star Ranveer Singh (Bajirao Mastani) team up for this sports film that will bring to the big screen the story of India’s extensively documented stunning victory in the 1983 cricket World Cup. The film will put the exploits of Kapil Dev, the talismanic captain of the team, under the spotlight while highlighting the struggles of the Indian squad as a whole.

RAAZI

PARMANU: THE STORY OF POKHRAN

Based on Calling Sehmat, a novel by Harinder Sikka, Raazi tells the story of a Kashmiri girl who marries a Pakistani officer and becomes a spy for the Indian intelligence agency. Directed by Meghna Gulzar (Filhaal, Talvar), the film stars Vicky Kaushal (Masaan) and Alia Bhatt (Udta Punjab, Dear Zindagi). Raazi, co-produced

by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, is currently being filmed on locations in Kashmir.

Slated for release in the months December, Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran is a drama that travels back to the late 1990s to tell the story of the second nuclear test explosion that India carried out at the Army’s test range in the Rajasthan desert.

Directed by Abhishek Sharma (Tere Bin Laden), the film stars John Abraham and Diana Penty.

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DQ ENTERTAINMENT 5 & IT 5 & IT follows the adventures and escapades of five children after they unearth and befriend a sand fairy by their Uncle’s beachfront mansion. Cyril, Anthea, Jane, Robert and William (Baby) stumble upon the bizarre little sand fairy – the Psammead; who offers to grant them one wish each day. Amazing as it sounds the children however quickly learn that each wish granted by the Psammead will bring unwanted consequences, the effects of which cannot be reversed until the sun sets. An action-packed series with hilarious, spunky and sassy characters, 5 &It is sure to enthrall young audiences with its crazy adventures and unpredictable surprises!

THE QUEST FOR THE NEVER BOOK- 90MIN FEATURE FILM After the resounding global success of our modern take on Peter Pan, and two full fledged seasons running successfully world wide, DQ brings to you a power packed 90 minute feature titled ‘The Quest for the Neverbook’. Neverland is in great danger when the famous Never book falls in the hands of the crooked Captain Hook, who misuses its magical powers to unleash evil monsters so as to destroy Peter Pan and his friends. Will Peter be able to fulfill the fabled prophesy of the Never Book, with the help of Tinker Bell,Wendy, Michael, John and the Never Kids? Will he be able to save Neverland and London? Join Peter in this roller coaster of an adventure to find out!

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PETER PAN The new adventures of Peter Pan is a 3D stereoscopic TV series for ages 5 to 9, featuring Peter Pan, his best friend Tinkerbell, new generation Wendy, her brothers John and Michael and their dog Newfie, in Neverland and beyond. This fantasy-action-adventure series set in the timeless and magical world of Neverland and 21st century London will have Peter and his friends taking on Peter’s longtime foe, Captain Hook and his pirates, in a fantasy adventure 3D HD TV-series.

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS Follow the adventures of racecar driving, skydiving, yodeling, and extreme mini-golfing, hyperactive Toad and his two best friends, Mole and Ratty, in the world of the Wind in the Willows, where every day is a new adventure. Each and every day, the restless Toad finds a new passion, and jumps right into it, dragging his two friends on a wild adventure that shakes up the quiet, remote animal town of Willowsville! Meanwhile, lurking, the jealous Weasels will try everything to steal Toad’s thunder… The Wind in the Willows is a new 52 x 11 minutes CGI comedy series about friendship and adventure, based on the bestselling works of Kenneth Grahame.

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ROBIN HOOD Robin Hood is an animated action, adventure and comedy series for 5 to 9 year olds. Young Robin and his friends stand up to Prince John’s whims, in a fun show where fantastic action, magic and friendship combine to make a happy power-packed punch! At just 10 years old, Robin Hood is already a real hero. Declared an outlaw by Prince John, Robin has settled in an old mill in the middle of the huge Sherwood Forest. Helped by his friends and the sassy Maid Marian, the King’s ward, Robin stands up bravely to Prince John’s silly decisions and the unjust taxes the mini-despot imposes to fund his fads. Most of the characters in ‘Robin Hood’ are children. At the age of ten, they have already lived adventures that make others dream, without ever missing an opportunity to have fun! Robin Hood promises to be a riot of mishaps, action, adventure and a whole lot more!!

JUNGLE BOOK SAFARI Mix the Jungle book 3D animation with real-life documented footage of animals, and you’ve got a format that ideally blends entertainment and information for children aged 5 to 9 years. In every episode, animated Mowgli and his “Jungle Book” friends discuss their absolute favorite topic- animals! They serve as the show’s anchors, and provide the wrap-around elements for the documentary footage of the animals featured in the short, non-fiction parts. Each episode of the show has one main topic. All the short documentary clips refer to this topic, such as a land, region or species; It could also cover overlapping themes like ‘jumpers’- Who jumps higher, a frog or a kangaroo?

The short “Fun Facts” clips featuring surprising information on the animal world bring additional educational and entertainment value to the show. In addition, the format also offers many possibilities of interaction with young audiences. In addition, the format also offers many possibilities for interactions with young audiences.

THE JUNGLE BOOK Rudyard Kipling’s most loved characters come to life in The Jungle Book 156 x 11’ TV Series & 60 minute Television feature, for ages 5 to 9. Now with its brand new 3rd Season, the stories will narrate new escapades of the man cub Mowgli who was raised in an Indian jungle by a pack of wolves. Three time more the drama, excitement, adventure and comedy, dive right into the tales of Mowgli,his beloved mentor, Baloo- the wise bear, Bagheera- his panther buddy and the lazy rock-python Kaa. Together they take on the evil Shere Khan who is out to get Mowgli. His adventures will open out in the lush tropical forest of Seeonee amidst splendid Indian royal forts, temples, waterfalls, the Waigungariver and many other picturesque locales.

Throughout the new season, you will see your beloved old characters, as well as some very new ones that Mowgli befriends - exotic parrots, rhinos, hyenas, the blue bull, cute baby ducklings and many more! Jump right into the brand new episodes with a plethora of new characters, coupled with great storytelling and of course, top notch animation!

JUNGLE BOOK CHRISTMAS SPECIAL It’s Christmas! The snow has set in and Santa is all packed and ready to deliver presents on his sleigh, but Alas! The sleight crashes in the Jungle of Seoneeand the Christmas presents have all been lost! Santa’s reindeer’s meet their cousin Barasingh – the swamp deer who lives in the SeeoneeJungle . Bara is determined to help pull Santa’s sleigh along with his cousins this year! Santa meets Baloo and Mowgli who help Santa fix his sleigh, while Barasingh and Lory search the jungle for the presents and land up confronting the mad monkeys and then... the formidable Sher Khan!

‘Jungle all the way’, with its Magical snow, Santa, and reindeers, is a bright and jolly experience of the Christmas spirit for Mowgli and all his fun jungle friends!

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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

W

e are delighted to present the latest issue of Pickle on the special occasion of MIPCOM at Cannes. Undoubtedly, this is the finest in the global media markets that empowers delegates to network with the best business minds, capture emerging trends, listen to masterminds, create business for products and services and think innovation. It is a must attend for decision makers to grasp the new ecosystems in the media business.

Top Indian M&E companies Eros International, ZEEL, DQE, Toonz, Shemaroo Entertainment, IndiaCast, Ultra, YoBoHo, who are regulars at MIP Markets, have immensely benefited from exporting content and services from MIPCOM. 2017 marks an incredible year for the global entertainment industry as we witness the 25th anniversary of some of the iconic entertainment brands in the world -- Cartoon Network, Discovery Communications, Netflix, ZEE Entertainment. India’s Viacom18 Media is celebrating its tenth anniversary. They are all at MIPCOM and we all admire their milestones and innovations.

Today the buzz-word is digital transformation and that’s what M&E companies are striving for all over the world. The Indian media ecosystem is changing fast. There are few markets in the world where you could see both

traditional and new media flourishing.

There are 900 TV channels, 900,000 hours of TV content output, 500 million Internet users (275 million use mobile phone for Internet access) , 950 million mobile phone usets (600 million are active), 80,000 newspapers published daily, 1,200 feature films annually. And, Indian start-up ecosystem is beginning to mature specially in the digital media and ecommerce space.

Media Partners Asia (MPA) Asia Pacific Pay-TV Distribution 2017 report notes that the Indian pay-TV revenues are expected to rise by 10.6 per cent this year to reach more than $10 billion. OTT platforms are also flourishing.

The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry has emerged as a globally recognised market with a revenue of around $24 billion. The industry is going through a huge transformation, exponential growth and presents an opportunity to excel in almost every M&E vertical.

If you have plans to visit India, schedule it around December and be part of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s The Big Picture Summit (December 5-6, New Delhi). The objective is to grow Indian M&E industry towards US$ 100 billion.

Our forthcoming November issue is focused on the American Film Market.

Do drop in a line to get connected in the Indian M&E business.

n vidyasagar pickle media nvidyasagar@picklemag.in, www.picklemag.com

Pickle Volume XI 2nd edition Published by Pickle Media Private Limited Email: natvid@gmail.com ● Mumbai ● Chennai No.2, Habib Complex Dr Durgabhai Deshmukh Road RA Puram CHENNAI 600 028

Printed by Bon Graphics New #7, Arumugam Nagar, Dayalan Garden, Chinna Porur, Chennai – 600 116 Mobile: +91 9884816263 Email: bon_graphics@yahoo.co.in

Editorial Coordinators : M Sai Email: natvid@gmail.com

For advertising: natvid@gmail.com

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Pickle is an ad supported business guide tracking the filmed entertainment business in India.

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