Confessions of a TV entertainment channel producer

“We can never [edit/snip] shows made by Balaji Telefilms. Otherwise, the shows will go to other channels”

I joined the television industry five years ago, after working as an assistant producer on a few films. TV shows may not be as saas-bahu dominant as they used to be, but are just as formulaic. There will be large families, a love story at the core, and the treatment, with its jump cuts and snatches of current Hindi music, always remains the same. I am told this is what the audience likes and my bosses insist on these elements.

My job as a producer is to look into the logistics of running shows on the channel. Production houses have to run their scripts and shows through us. We not only make suggestions, we often change the show entirely. Recently, one of the shows I produce—which is the story of how an older man falls in love with a younger girl and eventually proposes marriage—was getting low TRP ratings. So we got the two married. We hope that the new story, about the issues a couple face when there is a large age gap, gets eyeballs.

A half-hour show, which requires content of not more than 22 minutes, is often an hour long when it comes to us. We have to sit with editors and make the stories crisper. Working conditions are thus atrocious. Often, I am in office for over three days, unable to sleep for more than an hour at a stretch.

However, we can never touch shows made by Balaji Telefilms. Their shows are completely produced by them. Since more often than not they get good ratings, we dare not advise them. Otherwise, the shows will go to other channels.

TV actors also think of themselves as stars. They come late to work and have a large number of demands. Recently, though, we replaced a lead actor. He believed he was not getting enough screen time. He wanted script changes, and the wife’s role to be cut short. We had acquiesced earlier, but this time we removed him.

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