Amid the whole world of Television entertainment, Zee Marathi is delivering a phenomenal performance over last so many years. With most of the channels busy churning out daily-soaps, victimizing contestants in reality shows and making news out of any trifle event, Zee Marathi has shown a great sense of maturity and professional wisdom. The success of Zee Marathi – Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs is just a tip of iceberg; it is a success of a genuine sweat out, Zee Marathi team has done over past 9-10 years.
Zee Marathi team comprising, Zee Marathi entertainment channel, Zee Talkies and Zee News are putting a synchronized efforts toward the goal of increasing TRP – pathetic but only rating mechanism in world of TV entertainment. The success off all Zee Talkies films is a result of an innovative marketing strategy and tremendous distribution network. Calling the actors and directors of the scheduled film in reality shows, showing their previous films before there next premier and direct interviewing are some intelligent moves to popularize the Heroes – Heroines even before the Premier. The Picture just sells thru on this initial wave, Brilliant. I have seen ‘De Dhaka’ and ‘Sade Made Tin’; I failed to understand any cinematic value in those.
The bolliwood industry is filled with uncertainty. Producer, actors and directors, nobody really knows if the next movie is going to sell. Zee Marathi’s initiative to signup directors for next few years is a great initiative to bring some kind of monetary stability in the life of the people in this sector. This will encourage them to concentrate on the creative aspect of the movie, rather than monetary aspect, Bravo.
Zee Marathi entertainment channel’s scorecard is equally healthy. ’Shriut Gangadhar Tipare’, innovative concept, able direction and a mellifluous acting deserved patronage when K-Series was so popular on all Hindi channels. This is surely a Milestone series, and we got our first super-character ‘Aba Tipre’ (probably ‘Chimanrao’ was first). Watch on, somebody may be copping our hero elsewhere. ‘Nakshtranche Dene’- a tribute to the renowned Marathi Musicians, is another classic. It is very difficult to fit in the life time work of these exponents in a show of 3 hrs but an excellent anchoring, great orchestration combined with live performances make the program divine. Open out these episodes after 10 years, they will be as refreshing as ever.
Lets turn to daily soaps. Abhalmaya, Avantika, Wadalwat, Asambhav are few sequels worth mentioning. Any opinion on daily soaps in liable to unending debates and contradicting opinions, but lets analyze them with reference to their good points. Off bit theme, refreshing star cast and some individualistic acting performances are worth mentioning. Unless the daily-soap is something like Ramayan or Mahabharat there is not going to be any conclusive end to it. The whole format of daily serials is based upon interesting preplot, boredom midplot, controversial pre-end and an abrupt finish. Anyhow “Zee Marathi” has at least given some fantastic title songs. Over the years the channel has nurtured and groomed some phenomenal personalities, Adesh Bandekar, with his ‘Home Minister’. The so-called street-show, making economically viable over such a long duration requires tremendous commitment and perseverance. Shreyas Talpade, Prasad Oak, Siddhart Jadhav are some of the promising talents groomed in Zee’factory.
Hers now, Zee Marathi Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs. The show started with a cute advertise showing an innocent Karate coach and mischievous kids. Kids are marvelous, no doubt, but the combined effort of Fantastic Instrumentalist, innovative judges, creative anchor and professional event managers are making the show awesome. Diwali special episode, intermittent rounds of Hindi songs, tribute to Mumbai attacks and finally Mile Sur Mera Tumhara group song are some of the unique highlights of the show. Careful selection of 50 contestants across Maharashtra, and making them camera savvy must have been a tough task. Those early episodes actually set the tone for rest of the competition. Now when 5 contestants are left, Maharashtra has got at least 20 stars circling around the horizon, all having potential to sparkle tomorrow. I still remember some great performances by Anuja Kamat (asa bebhana ha wara), Anushka Kulkarni (mi radhika), even though both could not even make into top 12. There were many songs which most of us would have heard first time, thanks largely to Kartiki. Probably it is impossible to incarnate next version of Lata Mangeshkar or Bhimsen Joshi, but we can definitely endeavor to make a troupe of singers equivalent to these great maestros. A populous country like India needs many ordinary people than a single extraordinary person.
Let anybody be the winner, larger task lies ahead and that is Branding of these kids as they progress in their life. Judges have already stared this task by associating them as ‘Performer’, ‘Classical Singer’ etc. While listening ‘Mile Sur Mera Tumhara’, I actually thought that Shamika would take Marathi part of it and Arya would sign Lata Mangeshkar part, and that’s what it turned out in the end. This is what the Branding is all about. That day I heard one of my Delhiite friend singing Mana Udhan Waryache, if the music is good, language barrier hardly exists. We want these future stars to sing new songs and popularize them beyond the boundaries of Marathi World. Zee Marathi will have to play a role in casting these kids to lure the audience, 10 years from now.
On negative side the channel should weed out ‘Individualistic Dominance’ in reality shows when it is at its sprouting stage. This series of HasyaSamrat was a bit of farce. The concept needs fine-tuning; can’t expect contestants to be good forever. I am sure Zee team will come up with new experiments like ‘acting competition’ or ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa – Instrumental’ may be next on the card. Lets start guessing.
Opportunities are up to once imagination, but one thing is for sure, Zee Marathi team has shown a way towards Creative Profiteering. Art will only survive if there is employment opportunity, money will always drive the creative instinct. Zee Marathi has balanced both these aspects very well, that is its main distinguishing factor from other profit driven channels.
All the Best Zee Marathi.
The bolliwood industry is filled with uncertainty. Producer, actors and directors, nobody really knows if the next movie is going to sell. Zee Marathi’s initiative to signup directors for next few years is a great initiative to bring some kind of monetary stability in the life of the people in this sector. This will encourage them to concentrate on the creative aspect of the movie, rather than monetary aspect, Bravo.
Zee Marathi entertainment channel’s scorecard is equally healthy. ’Shriut Gangadhar Tipare’, innovative concept, able direction and a mellifluous acting deserved patronage when K-Series was so popular on all Hindi channels. This is surely a Milestone series, and we got our first super-character ‘Aba Tipre’ (probably ‘Chimanrao’ was first). Watch on, somebody may be copping our hero elsewhere. ‘Nakshtranche Dene’- a tribute to the renowned Marathi Musicians, is another classic. It is very difficult to fit in the life time work of these exponents in a show of 3 hrs but an excellent anchoring, great orchestration combined with live performances make the program divine. Open out these episodes after 10 years, they will be as refreshing as ever.
Lets turn to daily soaps. Abhalmaya, Avantika, Wadalwat, Asambhav are few sequels worth mentioning. Any opinion on daily soaps in liable to unending debates and contradicting opinions, but lets analyze them with reference to their good points. Off bit theme, refreshing star cast and some individualistic acting performances are worth mentioning. Unless the daily-soap is something like Ramayan or Mahabharat there is not going to be any conclusive end to it. The whole format of daily serials is based upon interesting preplot, boredom midplot, controversial pre-end and an abrupt finish. Anyhow “Zee Marathi” has at least given some fantastic title songs. Over the years the channel has nurtured and groomed some phenomenal personalities, Adesh Bandekar, with his ‘Home Minister’. The so-called street-show, making economically viable over such a long duration requires tremendous commitment and perseverance. Shreyas Talpade, Prasad Oak, Siddhart Jadhav are some of the promising talents groomed in Zee’factory.
Hers now, Zee Marathi Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs. The show started with a cute advertise showing an innocent Karate coach and mischievous kids. Kids are marvelous, no doubt, but the combined effort of Fantastic Instrumentalist, innovative judges, creative anchor and professional event managers are making the show awesome. Diwali special episode, intermittent rounds of Hindi songs, tribute to Mumbai attacks and finally Mile Sur Mera Tumhara group song are some of the unique highlights of the show. Careful selection of 50 contestants across Maharashtra, and making them camera savvy must have been a tough task. Those early episodes actually set the tone for rest of the competition. Now when 5 contestants are left, Maharashtra has got at least 20 stars circling around the horizon, all having potential to sparkle tomorrow. I still remember some great performances by Anuja Kamat (asa bebhana ha wara), Anushka Kulkarni (mi radhika), even though both could not even make into top 12. There were many songs which most of us would have heard first time, thanks largely to Kartiki. Probably it is impossible to incarnate next version of Lata Mangeshkar or Bhimsen Joshi, but we can definitely endeavor to make a troupe of singers equivalent to these great maestros. A populous country like India needs many ordinary people than a single extraordinary person.
Let anybody be the winner, larger task lies ahead and that is Branding of these kids as they progress in their life. Judges have already stared this task by associating them as ‘Performer’, ‘Classical Singer’ etc. While listening ‘Mile Sur Mera Tumhara’, I actually thought that Shamika would take Marathi part of it and Arya would sign Lata Mangeshkar part, and that’s what it turned out in the end. This is what the Branding is all about. That day I heard one of my Delhiite friend singing Mana Udhan Waryache, if the music is good, language barrier hardly exists. We want these future stars to sing new songs and popularize them beyond the boundaries of Marathi World. Zee Marathi will have to play a role in casting these kids to lure the audience, 10 years from now.
On negative side the channel should weed out ‘Individualistic Dominance’ in reality shows when it is at its sprouting stage. This series of HasyaSamrat was a bit of farce. The concept needs fine-tuning; can’t expect contestants to be good forever. I am sure Zee team will come up with new experiments like ‘acting competition’ or ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa – Instrumental’ may be next on the card. Lets start guessing.
Opportunities are up to once imagination, but one thing is for sure, Zee Marathi team has shown a way towards Creative Profiteering. Art will only survive if there is employment opportunity, money will always drive the creative instinct. Zee Marathi has balanced both these aspects very well, that is its main distinguishing factor from other profit driven channels.
All the Best Zee Marathi.
Mandar Joshi
Credit Suisse 25 Jan 2009
