Channel V gears up for Bollywood

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: Live…Camera…Action! That’s how Channel V plans to foray into Bollywood. After producing a variety of music based reality shows and ‘blogumentaries’, the youth oriented music channel prepares to create India’s first live Bollywood film titled Andaz Apna Very Hatke. Channel V vice president and creative director, Sheetal Sudhir talks to Sagorika Dasgupta about how the channel gears up for a new take on Bollywood without the retakes of course.

How was the idea for a live film conceptualised?

Everyone is trying their hands at live TV these days. We received a good response from our reality shows like Popstars, Jammin’ and Get Gorgeous. Even blogumentaries like My India Report and the Big V Concert were well received. We were toying with the idea of a live film for quite some time. We knew that we had to be the first ones to come up with this format or someone else would have done it. It is a 20-minute film which has been scripted by our creative team.

Tell us how and where will this film be shot?

The whole film will be shot in one go without any cuts or retakes. We will have to ensure a systematic flow of events so that the entire process runs smoothly. The actors will have to memorise the script by heart. A lot of rehearsals will be needed as we are required to co-ordinate a crew which will consist of the creative team and the crew members of Channel V with around 50 cameras and 10 stages. The lead pair will comprise Neha Dhupia and an international actor whose name we will announce later. Some of the Channel V VJs will be seen in character roles. We wanted our viewers to be a part of this film as well and are holding auditions for some of the character roles. It will be shot at the MMRDA Grounds at Bandra in Mumbai on March 2.

So will it be like a play?

No, a play is shot on one stage whereas this film will be shot on many stages. We will be asking the audience to switch off their mobile phones because any extra noise would be recorded during filming and that would just ruin the whole film.

What genre would you categorise it into?

It will be a masala potboiler, almost like a mini blockbuster with the element of comedy, melodrama, and romance complete with a petite heroine, handsome hero and a conniving villain.

Are you planning a theatrical release for the film as well? Any tie-ups with multiplexes?