<p>Mulder and Scully seal the biggest mystery of X-files — the one about their relationship — with a kiss. The elusive Mr Big proposes to Carrie Bradshaw, befittingly with a Manolo. Even Homer Simpson rises to the challenge and saves Springfield from perishing. The sparkling magic of the fabled silver screen has brought to life the many promises TV’s best shows held. By enhancing the familiar with scale, glitz and glamour, studios in the West have for decades managed to get couch potatoes into the theatre with adaptations of their favourite shows. <br /><br />Recently, the imminent release of Khichdi-The Movie was announced, the first ever big screen adaptation of an Indian TV show. “We’ve always wanted to try something new and the success of Khichdi encouraged us to push the envelope,” says Jamnadas Mathejia (JD), Partner at Hats Off Productions, creators of the show. “We experimented with the season-format, a norm in the West, but only adopted by reality shows in India. When the second season ended, the show was at its peak and we went off-air, which is unthinkable in our industry.” <br /><br />The production house decided to return for the third time with Khichdi-The Movie. They even managed to get Fox STAR to distribute the film, doubtless, encouraged by STAR TV which aired the show. Aatish Kapadia, the writer and director of Khichdi is thrilled to see his TV show take off. He has written and directed the movie as well, but is no newbie to the medium, having co-written films like the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer bank heist Aankhen. <br /><br />Kapadia is a legend amongst budding TV writers, having created other popular shows like Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and Baa, Bahu aur Baby. But the admiration is not requited, “The current cohort of TV writers doesn’t work hard enough,” he says, “often blaming the channel or the producers for mediocre work.” But realistically, to improve the quality of content on Indian television a more concerted effort is perhaps needed. As writer Manish Paliwal argues, “Given the current trend of long-running sagas with many characters, we have little choice but to stretch plots and create drama to keep the audience hooked.”<br />As the pen behind epic serials like Kasauti Zindagi Ki (Star Plus), Kahani Hamari Mahabharat Ki (9X) and Tujh Sang Preet Lagai Sajna (Star Plus), Manish would know the pressures of keeping a story going for years. “There are many talented writers in the television industry, we can create better content, but we are shackled in the drama genre with mass appeal,” he says.<br /><br />Vandana Malik, with about two decades of TV experience, has witnessed firsthand the evolution of the medium. “It’s hard to define good content, what maybe interesting to me, maybe boring to you,” she says. As the Executive Director of Network 18, Malik closely supervised the launch of Colors. She says that the mass audience is still most sought-after by the entertainment industry, be it television or film. “There’s so much talk about multiplexes but it is often the single-screen audience that decides the fate of a film,” she says.<br /><br />When it’s not the questionable quality of its shows, Indian television is plagued by another problem — the ‘small screen’ stigma. Despite TV’s explosive growth in the last decade, film is still Goliath. A leading film actor may host a TV show for the big money and minimal commitment the job demands, but will not choose to star as a lead in a TV series as it might dilute his or her brand value. With few exceptions, television actors don’t crossover to films, often seen as the more exciting medium to work for. The trend is unfortunate for the audiences, as the mutual exchange of talent and resources can result in superior quality and wider variety of entertainment. <br /><br />But the perception is set for an overhaul according to Rakesh Jain, Deputy Creative Director-Fiction, Imagine TV. “In five years, television will be as important in the entertainment world and equally aspirational for creative talent and studios. Already, it is a powerful medium with far wider reach. For instance, Prachi Shah got more fame for her role in Kasamh Se (Star Plus) than the multiplex hit Rock on!.” Meanwhile, the industry waits to watch how Khichdi fares. As Vandana Malik opines, “It has humour and great characters, but also too many expectations riding on it.” <br /><br />It is the Indian television industry style to bank on formulas that have clicked, so audiences could expect more TV-show spin-offs if Khichdi – The Movie is a hit. Those involved seem to be at the ready, as Manish Paliwal says, “One of my scriptwriter friends approached a channel with a TV series idea that they loved. He worked out a contract with the producers that will ensure he writes the movie adaptation, if one is made.” <br />Soon, entertainment in India might be a khichdi of film and television.</p>
<p>Mulder and Scully seal the biggest mystery of X-files — the one about their relationship — with a kiss. The elusive Mr Big proposes to Carrie Bradshaw, befittingly with a Manolo. Even Homer Simpson rises to the challenge and saves Springfield from perishing. The sparkling magic of the fabled silver screen has brought to life the many promises TV’s best shows held. By enhancing the familiar with scale, glitz and glamour, studios in the West have for decades managed to get couch potatoes into the theatre with adaptations of their favourite shows. <br /><br />Recently, the imminent release of Khichdi-The Movie was announced, the first ever big screen adaptation of an Indian TV show. “We’ve always wanted to try something new and the success of Khichdi encouraged us to push the envelope,” says Jamnadas Mathejia (JD), Partner at Hats Off Productions, creators of the show. “We experimented with the season-format, a norm in the West, but only adopted by reality shows in India. When the second season ended, the show was at its peak and we went off-air, which is unthinkable in our industry.” <br /><br />The production house decided to return for the third time with Khichdi-The Movie. They even managed to get Fox STAR to distribute the film, doubtless, encouraged by STAR TV which aired the show. Aatish Kapadia, the writer and director of Khichdi is thrilled to see his TV show take off. He has written and directed the movie as well, but is no newbie to the medium, having co-written films like the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer bank heist Aankhen. <br /><br />Kapadia is a legend amongst budding TV writers, having created other popular shows like Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and Baa, Bahu aur Baby. But the admiration is not requited, “The current cohort of TV writers doesn’t work hard enough,” he says, “often blaming the channel or the producers for mediocre work.” But realistically, to improve the quality of content on Indian television a more concerted effort is perhaps needed. As writer Manish Paliwal argues, “Given the current trend of long-running sagas with many characters, we have little choice but to stretch plots and create drama to keep the audience hooked.”<br />As the pen behind epic serials like Kasauti Zindagi Ki (Star Plus), Kahani Hamari Mahabharat Ki (9X) and Tujh Sang Preet Lagai Sajna (Star Plus), Manish would know the pressures of keeping a story going for years. “There are many talented writers in the television industry, we can create better content, but we are shackled in the drama genre with mass appeal,” he says.<br /><br />Vandana Malik, with about two decades of TV experience, has witnessed firsthand the evolution of the medium. “It’s hard to define good content, what maybe interesting to me, maybe boring to you,” she says. As the Executive Director of Network 18, Malik closely supervised the launch of Colors. She says that the mass audience is still most sought-after by the entertainment industry, be it television or film. “There’s so much talk about multiplexes but it is often the single-screen audience that decides the fate of a film,” she says.<br /><br />When it’s not the questionable quality of its shows, Indian television is plagued by another problem — the ‘small screen’ stigma. Despite TV’s explosive growth in the last decade, film is still Goliath. A leading film actor may host a TV show for the big money and minimal commitment the job demands, but will not choose to star as a lead in a TV series as it might dilute his or her brand value. With few exceptions, television actors don’t crossover to films, often seen as the more exciting medium to work for. The trend is unfortunate for the audiences, as the mutual exchange of talent and resources can result in superior quality and wider variety of entertainment. <br /><br />But the perception is set for an overhaul according to Rakesh Jain, Deputy Creative Director-Fiction, Imagine TV. “In five years, television will be as important in the entertainment world and equally aspirational for creative talent and studios. Already, it is a powerful medium with far wider reach. For instance, Prachi Shah got more fame for her role in Kasamh Se (Star Plus) than the multiplex hit Rock on!.” Meanwhile, the industry waits to watch how Khichdi fares. As Vandana Malik opines, “It has humour and great characters, but also too many expectations riding on it.” <br /><br />It is the Indian television industry style to bank on formulas that have clicked, so audiences could expect more TV-show spin-offs if Khichdi – The Movie is a hit. Those involved seem to be at the ready, as Manish Paliwal says, “One of my scriptwriter friends approached a channel with a TV series idea that they loved. He worked out a contract with the producers that will ensure he writes the movie adaptation, if one is made.” <br />Soon, entertainment in India might be a khichdi of film and television.</p>
