Happy Mothers Day to all the wonderful girls here ... hope you have a great day and pamper your moms ... and your kids pamper you!
A cute article on Mothers Day ... interviews with Sanaya and other TV personalities. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/tv/news-interviews/I-bake-a-special-cake-for-my-mom-every-year-on-Mothers-Day-Sanaya-Irani
I wonder how much of the cake she feeds her mom, and how much she eats herself! :)
This is also the weekend post for other shows we're watching ... so chat away!
I'm watching Yeh Hain Mohabbatein ... it's keeping my interest as of now.
Also re-started watching Ek Bood Ishq, now that Nandu is getting a taste of her own medicine and it looks like time for good to win over evil finally.
I started watching Kumkum Bhagya, but it comes at a very awkward time for me ... can watch either the 9 pm show or the 9.30, not both ... and Rangrasiya takes priority! So watching it off and on.
Anyone watching Ek Haseena Thi? It is shaping up as a mix of Revenge and Khoon Bhari Maang ... very strongly. I find very strong similarities with both those shows.
Nothing much to discuss in the shows, they're all fairly standard run of the mill fare, easy to watch and switch off.
In other news, have you girls seen this article? Have I posted it before?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/tv/news-interviews/New-rule-binds-artistes-to-shows-for-3-years
I can see a can of worms opening here ... on the face of it, the agreement is heavily weighted in favour of the producers. I guess in recent years, the movement of TV actors for BW has increased sharply, AND also their popularity has also increased ... probably a cause and effect phenomenon. So while no one blames them for trying to make hay while the sun shines, but for the producers and channels, it's a headache when the actors leave, especially if they are the face of the show, are popular ... and fans these days are vocal enough about it to create a major headache for the channels. Gone are the days when an actor could be replaced overnight, and no questions asked.
Actors on TV must be cursing Barun loud and long ... his leaving IPK, the subsequent fans' hysteria and the show shutting down, is the one which set the ball rolling ... although later exits like Vivian and KSG, must have added to the producers' determination to stop this exodus, since the impact on the show is huge. For IPK, the buck stops with Star Plus though ... they took the decision to shut the show down ... blaming him for leaving midway for greener pastures and spoiling the show is justified, but blaming him for the closure is not. The blame for that goes to his fans and their hysteria. No wonder he has been struggling so much in BW ... this obviously had a huge impact. And really not good timing for him to have this news come out now, when he has finally gotten a decent break ... opens the whole can of worms again. To be branded disloyal to the people who made you famous, is frowned upon in BW ... loyalty is a key requirement.
But to be fair to the actors, three years seems a long tie in period. And what happens if the shows don't last three years?
This agreement is actually more unfair on the women, because the shelf life of heroines is shorter than the men's. On the other hand, most actresses seem more dedicated and loyal to their TV work ... also, TV is a woman's medium even now, while in BW, good female roles are few and far between, and the struggle is much more. More male actors have left for BW than female ones.
What Gunjan Utreja said, makes the most sense ... look after content, have shorter shows, have seasons, so that the TV actors can get a break to do other things ... and they won't leave. Doing the same character for years on end, must get boring, and kills creativity. And who wants shows to last three years anyway?
On the other hand, TV producers say that they starts to recover money only after the first year, so they want the shows to run for a minimum of two years. Tough situation ... no easy answers.
A cute article on Mothers Day ... interviews with Sanaya and other TV personalities. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/tv/news-interviews/I-bake-a-special-cake-for-my-mom-every-year-on-Mothers-Day-Sanaya-Irani
I wonder how much of the cake she feeds her mom, and how much she eats herself! :)
This is also the weekend post for other shows we're watching ... so chat away!
I'm watching Yeh Hain Mohabbatein ... it's keeping my interest as of now.
Also re-started watching Ek Bood Ishq, now that Nandu is getting a taste of her own medicine and it looks like time for good to win over evil finally.
I started watching Kumkum Bhagya, but it comes at a very awkward time for me ... can watch either the 9 pm show or the 9.30, not both ... and Rangrasiya takes priority! So watching it off and on.
Anyone watching Ek Haseena Thi? It is shaping up as a mix of Revenge and Khoon Bhari Maang ... very strongly. I find very strong similarities with both those shows.
Nothing much to discuss in the shows, they're all fairly standard run of the mill fare, easy to watch and switch off.
In other news, have you girls seen this article? Have I posted it before?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/tv/news-interviews/New-rule-binds-artistes-to-shows-for-3-years
I can see a can of worms opening here ... on the face of it, the agreement is heavily weighted in favour of the producers. I guess in recent years, the movement of TV actors for BW has increased sharply, AND also their popularity has also increased ... probably a cause and effect phenomenon. So while no one blames them for trying to make hay while the sun shines, but for the producers and channels, it's a headache when the actors leave, especially if they are the face of the show, are popular ... and fans these days are vocal enough about it to create a major headache for the channels. Gone are the days when an actor could be replaced overnight, and no questions asked.
Actors on TV must be cursing Barun loud and long ... his leaving IPK, the subsequent fans' hysteria and the show shutting down, is the one which set the ball rolling ... although later exits like Vivian and KSG, must have added to the producers' determination to stop this exodus, since the impact on the show is huge. For IPK, the buck stops with Star Plus though ... they took the decision to shut the show down ... blaming him for leaving midway for greener pastures and spoiling the show is justified, but blaming him for the closure is not. The blame for that goes to his fans and their hysteria. No wonder he has been struggling so much in BW ... this obviously had a huge impact. And really not good timing for him to have this news come out now, when he has finally gotten a decent break ... opens the whole can of worms again. To be branded disloyal to the people who made you famous, is frowned upon in BW ... loyalty is a key requirement.
But to be fair to the actors, three years seems a long tie in period. And what happens if the shows don't last three years?
This agreement is actually more unfair on the women, because the shelf life of heroines is shorter than the men's. On the other hand, most actresses seem more dedicated and loyal to their TV work ... also, TV is a woman's medium even now, while in BW, good female roles are few and far between, and the struggle is much more. More male actors have left for BW than female ones.
What Gunjan Utreja said, makes the most sense ... look after content, have shorter shows, have seasons, so that the TV actors can get a break to do other things ... and they won't leave. Doing the same character for years on end, must get boring, and kills creativity. And who wants shows to last three years anyway?
On the other hand, TV producers say that they starts to recover money only after the first year, so they want the shows to run for a minimum of two years. Tough situation ... no easy answers.
I am horrible at retelling a joke although I am fairly decent at cracking one*Yeah Self Trumpet, It is Mother's day, indulge me here*
ReplyDeleteThis is what happened today in my home today which had me ROFLing....Really ROFLing throughout the day everytime I thought about it.
Try imagining the characters and hopefully you will smile at the end of it.
9.30 Am in the morning today.
By that time, For a weekend, I had a pretty productive morning.
Finished my bakbak in the blog, finished cooking and chores.
So I am sitting on the sofa catching up on my mails.
I hear my daughter shout.
"Amma See"
I look up and see both my daughter and son holding each other's hands walking towards me.
*Backstory cum Flashback*
You have to understand, both my kids are pretty much do their own thing.
It is like an unspoken understanding between them, you do your own thing, I will do my own. #World Peace.
So Imagine my utter shock and disbelief when I see the both of them walking towards me, slightly turned towards each other, their hands joined together.
I had my own, Meray Karan Arjun Aa gaye moment, Right then:)
No kidding.
So here I am processing the miracle that is happening right before my eyes, while a voice inside tells me,
"Waaaaaiiiiiiiitttttttttt a Minute, Kuch toh Gadbad Hai!!!"
My husband then walks in and asks me,
"So what happened, Who got it finally?"
THUD!!! Here in this context, I am back to Earth.
My eyes then focus on their hands and it dawns on me.
My Menthos Moment.!!!
**** Choco Lava Cake****
Backstory - My son found one leftover chocolava cake and quietly tried to eat it on his own. My daughter found out and took it from him.
So now both are desperately holding on to that one single chocolava cake.
Each holding it tightly but not too tightly lest it falls apart as it is pretty gooey*yummy*
****Back to the present*****
"Amma Seeee"
I glare at both of them to convey, why are you both behaving as if you have never had that cake in your life and this is the world's last one, grrrr...
Both stop walking.
Both look at each other.
I can sense the unspoken message and understanding conveyed to each other.
My son lets go of the cake.
My daughter takes the cake.
Divides it into two.
Each take one piece.
Go their separate ways to continue what they are doing.
Hubby is on the other side, unsure what happened.
I am ROFLing trying to explain what just happened.
He joins me too.
My kids give us both a look which simply conveys,
"Ek chocolava cake ki keemat tum kya jaano, Baday logon"
I continue laughing.
Faltu Gyaan learnt
Khoon Khoon hota hai
Chocolate Chocolate.
No comparison.
Yup.
NONE!!!
Happy Mother's Day Everyone!!
ROFL ROFL ROFL!!!!!
DeleteChocolate cake is chocolate cake! World wars could be fought over chocolate cake!
This brought back memories ... my brother and I are pretty close in age, so when we were kids there was no question of he is older so he gets to choose. We had a simple rule between us - one divides, the other chooses.
Being the smart alek older brother that he was, bro dear made sure I divided and he chose ... secure in the accurate belief that there is NO WAY a piece of cake, chocolate ( we used to get imported chocolates as gifts those days from visitors, which were worth their weight in gold), or any form of sweet can be divided EXACTLY equally. And you can be sure the one who divided, usually me, tried her darndest best to make sure the two halves were as close to equal as possible, down the the minutest milligram!
Sibling love is all very well in its place.
But ...
Chocolate is chocolate.
Happy Mothers' Day!
Thanks for Sharing Shwetha:)
DeleteHappy Mother's Day to all!!!!
Happy Mother's Day ladkis!
DeleteShwe
That will be an awesome Mother's Day memory:)
Hey Sandy!!!! Good to see you here! How's the baby doing, keeping you busy? Kabhi toh yahan bhi aa jaya karo!
DeleteHappy Mothers Day !
D,
DeleteForgot you are now in the same time zone :)
Baby is fine. Both of them keep me busy. I M back to the occasional freelance assignment too so time is a very rare commodity.
Ya haan ke liye I should at least switch and watch TV. These days news channels have right of way followed by kids channels. Ab main kya bolo on?
Thanks all:)
DeleteROFL. Chocolate is chocolate. Bas.
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day, Ladies!!
Wanted to share a beautiful quote....
"A man who treats his women like a princess is proof that he has been born and raised in the arms of a queen."
That is a lovely quote!
DeleteWow,loved the quote.
DeleteThat's a lovely quote
DeleteAdded another article from TOI ... this opens a can of worms ... so we can discuss it here more frankly than on IF ;)
ReplyDelete3 years is ridiculous.
Delete2 Years is best IMHO.
From producers' s pov, 1 year goes into establishing the brand, second year they can break even or make profits. Third year, renegotiation can take place.
From actors - they can sign for 2 years but with exit clause if the story goes haywire, no leaps, no change from positive or negative if the actor is not convinced about it and ofcourse after one year a raise which is reasonable.
I agree with Gunjan who made the most sensible point - Focus on content and all these contract issues will not arise much.
Have a good script, don't change it for trps, give good working conditions, those are the main things.
In Doordarshan times, once a show was approved, it was for fixed formats and whether it was a hit or a flop, it ran for those episodes.
The story that was meant to be told got told. Invariably they were very good as no last minute shooting or script changes took place.
An actor might be seem to be getting the most benefit from a TV show, but he is the least powerful in the power chain in TV industry, unless you become really really huge in terms of stature.
Look at Samrat, have seen the guy in couple of ads, he seems to be decent enough, what he signed for and what he is doing now is completely different.....What about guys like him.
Or Gunjan who was signed as the positive main lead and suddenly he became all negative.
Best case has to be Sanz with Khushi - the way the butchered her character, Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.........
The rule is biased, and full of loopholes. If a show does not run for three years, would the producers be ready to pay the actor until end of contract duration?
DeleteI agree with Gunjan. The actor got a raw deal when VD was brought back. Producers switch tracks for TRPs. RR producers have been doing it for the past 4 months. Until there is a bound script, there would be dissatisfaction.
Shweta, I agree with you on the DD concept. I think they brought it in after the Hum Log mess up. The show was just never-ending. Not 13 episodes, but they can run shows for a year or two. Would channels agree to this format is the question here?
For actors with Bollywood dreams... the reason why this rule was brought in. Don't blame the producers. Barun received a lot of flak, more due to the fan hysteria. But he was not the first one whose exit effected the show. I was a regular follower of LTL. Mishal quit the show for Bollywood, and the show tanked. They bumped off his character. The new character did not work. They did get Shabbir to play Datta, but by then the damage was done. Mishal too is struggling... he never even had a movie in hand when he quit.
About Barun's exit, can I be frank here? Not bashing the actor, but his professionalism was questionable. He knew the SPA that year was being sold on his name. Turning up unkempt would definitely have rubbed off the channel the wrong way. A friend who 'was' a Barun fan attended the show. She was rather livid when her hubby questioned if this unkempt guy was the one she was crazy about. A lot of people try to vindicate him with 'he agreed to an extension..... he stayed beyond the contract duration'. But what is the point when he was just there for the sake of it?
I cannot believe that the day I come back to make a post this can of worms is again open *eyebrows disappear into hairline and jaw drops to knees*
DeleteI love the comment on nailing the content. Show and story need to be synonymous.
In my opinion, there have to be clauses per scenario at appropriate time periods,
e.g. well doing character, character not given importance or shaped as per original sketch, Ill health, Bollywood opportunity, etc. with a respective exit clause and suitable penalty associated. That protects both sides. These clauses need to be specified for say 3, 6, 9 months, 1 year into the show with appropriate penalty at each points for each scenario.
Else the article implies knee jerk reaction and could prevent good actors from taking up roles. As for restrict to TV ok for dreaming but not happening. TV is a naari shakti medium today and men or women will always look out for that next big thing to grow as an actor. The only way to grow is to do more characters so that means more projects.
More importantly the MoU should define rules of engagement / communication with media during the show as well as what to say under times of duress, exit, etc. Also a plan of action involving channel, PH, actor in the evnt of bombardement by online media feedback and phone calls.
Sandy - great to see you back at Dia's cafe....& your timing is impeccable! :))))
DeleteThe sad part is capitalism has the upper hand and no matter how much a (small and discerning) segment of TV audience howls for content, it simply isn't happening. The audience is defined by TRP drivers and social media fans and we can see what really appeals to them. In the interest of survival and return on investment, the PH and channel toss the story lines into the wind and butcher character sketches. How many shows have gotten off to a grand start and then just petered out to shameful shadow within three months? RR is just one of the latest sad reflection. I wish I could be more optimistic, but sadly TV shows do not display any interest in developing such type of shows. At least in the film world, there is a niche audience for 'good', story driven movies.
Happy Mother's Day All!
Shwetha: that is a wonderful memory to cherish...thanks for sharing with us all.
Happy mother's day...
ReplyDeletei know i am logging in a bit late with comments...have been very busy over the weekend..i intended to write something on the the RR post made by Dia...wrote a part and since i did not complete it...just saved it for later...I will make that comment after completing this ....these days i tend to read R&R on the phone so makes it diffi to write (always bad with typing on phone!!)
Saw the posts on R&R piling up and wondering kya hua...just dipped in to see and what do i see.... some old "faces"....anyways gud to "see" u here, Sandy...I don't know if u know but our dear Shweths has been in full flow...when u get time read up...
Dia..i don't know about the opening of can of worms...IPK closure...well somehow the topic always veers to it...but I can't resist adding to what has been written above....
Contracts are a part of any professional set-up. Ideally, its best to work within that periphery. However, a simple assumption in a professional set-up is the sense of fairness a contractual obligation provides. It should be fair to both parties. If an employee is ready to be bound by a period, he must have the security of the "job" he is doing. If there is a deviation in the "frame of reference" in the "job" undertaken, who steps in to mitigate the damage. It is for this very reason that contracts in creative fields are difficult to enforce without a sense of loss of fairplay.
Merely becos we, as viewers get attached to creative concepts does not mean that people in such situations are not free agents. Don't we walk out of jobs that don't give us any job satisfaction after a point. Do we deserve to be termed unprofessional simply becos we may have walked out of jobs in some situations? We term an offer of employment as one without an expiry until one of the parties chooses to put an expiry date to the contract entered into (by the acceptance of the offer of employment)
As far as I am concerned, the doors are open for both..for the employer to fire and the employee to leave when the relationship is no longer fruitful for either or both. All that matters is the terms of contract initially entered into...and the adherence to it. If one falls foul, legal recourse must be available...
No doubt, the TV industry plays by the "might is right" rule and naturally there are likely to be water-tight contracts but this is no different from a bond a lot of new joinees to corporate houses are expected to sign. Well, are these fair? Maybe not but thats the rule of the game. A newcomer tends to trade off with the experience gained before moving on greener pastures. Both sides gain at times and sometimes one side loses more than the other...Once a newcomer gains experience, he will no longer be ready to sign on the dotted line that binds him without a leeway to escape...
Having said that, I repeat that contracts are not easily enforceable in such industries which is one of the main reasons why most contracts are very loosely arranged where the dynamics just make it impossible for both sides to assess situations realistically.
DIA,MY POST DISAPPEARED AGAIN!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI HAD POSTED IT LAST NIGHT IN FRIDAY'S POST.SO NOBODY SAW IT AND REPLIED TO IT?
SHOULD I POST IT AGAIN???
WILL THIS POST ALSO DISAPPEAR?
ISS BLOG-SHARARAT KO KYA NAAM DOON?????????????
Retrieved it ... Sorry! I had a hectic weekend, have a lot of work to wind up before I go on leave, so I'm erratic on the blog. Also I see the comments in my mail, and forget to check whether they have appeared on the blog or not ... This seems to be happening only with your comments, I don't understand why! Just drop a comment saying that your comment has not appeared, and I'll retrieve it as soon as I can.
DeleteNice discussion, since this post will be up for a while will return to it again:)
Delete