FACE-OFF : SAMEER NAIR

"The reality formats are the easiest to copy"

Posted: Tuesday, Jul 15, 2008 at 2222 hrs IST
Updated: Tuesday, Jul 15, 2008 at 2222 hrs IST

Font Size

Feedback

Discuss

Gold the most preferred investment

: bought some international formats that are yet to go on air. Talks are on with Endemol, Sony Pictures, Columbia, Freemantle to zero in on more such formats.

At STAR you also bought a stake in Balaji Films to ensure that Balaji gave its best content to STAR. Any such plans for Imagine?

Balaji was already giving the best of its content to STAR when the decision was taken. At that time it was a very simple strategic move to secure one’s content supply line. By buying a stake in the production house, one could prevent a potential hostile takeover of the company on which the channel depended heavily. Sometimes it’s also an investment option.

You’ve tied up with Kreeda to launch a game on Nach Le Ve. What’s the gameplan?

The tie-up with Kreeda was finalised before the show went on air. It is a simple arrangement in which you can play a game based on the show. It works both ways, Kreeda got the licence to create the show and we got our share of the promotion.

There are other initiatives—Ramayana got syndicated in Tamil and is shown on Sun TV where it is the No 4 programme. Gemini and Surya are following suit. We are distributing Dharamveer comics as a promotional campaign. We are interested in the home video space. We are also interested in the mobile space.

You were heading a semi bouquet at STAR Entertainment. How has your role changed after you joined NDTV Imagine, a GEC?

NDTV Imagine is not a GEC. The mandate for NDTV Imagine is to build an entertainment business. We have launched our world cinema business, NDTV Lumiere. We have acquired the rights to 300 films, and many of these will be released in theatres. We have entered the home video segment, then pay-per-view, and subsequently launch a TV channel. We are getting into film production, and getting into infrastructure, which means post production, animation facilities etc.

When will NDTV Imagine make its foray into regional channels?

Next year. But we will have to pick and choose in terms of language. Some language markets are oversaturated....

Post Comments

Comments: (Limit 3,000 characters)

Name		Message
Email ID
Subject

TERMS OF USE:
The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s).

I agree to the terms of use.