Monday, October 13, 2014

THE UDAY SHANKAR EFFECT !!!



Uday Shankar;

The Star of Star India , The  Star of Indian Television;

 
After 5 Years;

Uday  is going to change the entire face of Hindi Cinema;

Yes,You have read this correctly;

Hindi Cinema!!!

 

Uday  is going to change the entire face of Indian Politics;

Yes,You have read this also correctly;

Indian Politics!!!

 

Has he ever told us anything like this!!

Never;

Its hypothetical;

Its imaginary;

Nor,We say, that he will do this;

But yes,We say,He can do this;

Anything like this;

Or

Anything else;

Which looks hypothetical today;

Which looks imaginary today;

Any imaginary hypothesis can convert into a real effect!!!

“The Uday Shankar Effect”

 

When we discuss Uday Shankar;

We should allways be ready with the possibilities of the impossibilities;

Such is his life,and its role for the surroundings whereever  it works at that moment;

Out of our 20 years  in Television, 19 years have been spent on watching the journey of this  effect :The Uday Shankar Effect!!!

Today;

For the first time;

Its time to analyse it;

Its time to share it;

But its very difficult;

So many of his inspiring and great lines were said in a personalised space , Is it time to share that!!

So many of his inspiring acts and activities are yet to be told to the world , Is it time to share that!!

So many inspiring  traits of his professional personality are to be taught, Is it time to share that!!

It’s a Book;

We leave it for the near future;

Now;

Better  that we share,what he has created through the effect;

No;

We will not write about his TV shows , Sports Ventures,Business Plans or anything like that;

You read that at so many places;

Let this piece of writing be a  personalised mirror of his journey seen through our eyes;

Yes,We witnessed the journey;

The  Journey  which must be a source of inspiration for the young professionals!!!!

The  Journey which can be studied as an effect  - his effect;

So Dear Young Professionals!!!! 

Lets begin the journey to understand the Uday Shankar Effect!!

 
EFFECT 1 / DARE TO BRING DIFFERENCE !!!



If we have got a nice opening as a Journalist at a big  institution like Times of India;

If we are getting a high profile exposure to the biggest political developments of the nation;

How many of us  would want to do something new at this early stage!!!

Not many of us!!!

Uday Shankar  did that;

Helped to  start a Science and Environment Magazine :Down to Earth

Science and Environment is not , and was not , a favourite issue for any journalist then!!!

He believed that Its needed for the society!!!

Difference has to be provided and tested!!!

 
Years later:

Closing “Kyonki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi” ,The same man started :Kiran  Bedi’s Aapki Kachehri” on the same slot on Star Plus!!!!

He is not a different person only today;

He was , even then;

He cultivated his attitude to experiment with the different , years ago!!!

A lesson for all Young Professionals !!!

 

EFFECT 2 / ACCEPT THE NEW!!!
 
 
Year 1995;

J 27 , South Extention , New Delhi , Zee TV Office;

We met Uday Shankar for the first time at the reception of this  office; (Its converted into a house now!!!! L )

He had arrived in Television;

A totally new medium for him at that time;

Many people from the Print Background joined Television and went back;

Uday Shankar stayed on;

Delivered different programming content and then came the  News Bulletin  on Zee TV;The Zee News @ 10 pm everyday  on Zee TV!!!

He was still there;

Having very different ideas about News Programming and News Bulletins;

Having very different ideas about encouraging the youngsters;

I remember:

One Morning,In the Newsroom; As  I  entered the Newsroom;

Shazi Zaman asked : What could be the biggest News of today from West Asia?

I replied : Assasination of Yasser Arafat;

Uday jumped into it and said, “ Full Marks”

The Prime Minister of Israel Itsak Rabin was assasinated that morning and not Yasser Arafat;

He supported the wrong answer,As it was closest to the right answer,without any clue from anywhere!!

He supported the spirit of the wrong answer;

He was supporting a newcomer;

In the mid of;

Accepting a totally new medium for himself;

 
Years later:

Many Newspersons are appointed by him to deliver Fiction Content at Star India , Many youngsters are encouraged for delivering ideas and things at Star India;

He is not a different person only  today;

He was , even then;

He cultivated his attitude to accept the new mediums and to encourage new people   , years ago!!!

A lesson for all Young Professionals !!!

 
EFFECT 3 / EXPLORE THE UNEXPLORED!!!



Early 90s;

Home TV Office,South Delhi;

Uday Shankar was working on a project which was totally new for Indian viewers!!!

A Sports show in English coming from the US,To be dubbed in Hindi for the Indian Viewers;

Showing Sports which were not well known to Indian viewers then;

He called me;

Convert it in such a Hindi narrative that viewers watch it as their own show,Let them accept a new game!!!

26 Episodes!!!! (Sorry,I have forgotten the name of the show!!! L )

 
Years later :

Star India has launched one of the biggest Television initiative  for encouraging and creating Sports Activities in the country .Various Sports Channels ,Pro Kabaddi , ISL and we are sure..Dozens of newer things yet to come!!!!!

He is not a different person only today;

He was , even then;

He cultivated his attitude to explore the unexplored, years ago!!!

A lesson for all Young Professionals !!!

 
EFFECT 4 / RAISE  VOICE , RAISE YOUR CONVICTION !!!



The launch of Aaj Tak!!!!

SP Singh had created a bulletin on Doordarshan , There was no channel;

So many people to work on the new channel that was to be named as “AAJ TAK”;

So many discussions,So many voices,So much of time and energy wasting  into that;

Uday Shankar watched all this!!!

He did something daring but very positive;

Through this daring but very positive something,He raised  a totally different and distinct voice!!!

 And when things were not moving,His voice was heard;

Why!!!


Because he raised his voice !!!!He raised his conviction !!!

And he became the one who  launched India’s Number 1 News Channel :The AAJ TAK

The Red Colour , The Cartoons , The Animations , The Music , The Dynamics of the Presentation

It all was new for New Delhi;

Breaking the  traditional way of thinking;

He created a non tradsitional way of thinking.

 
Years Later:

Uday Shankar saw the traditionalism of  Fiction Television Content ,

He broke it;

Speaking in a new voice ,

He said - and then said the Star India :Rishta Wahi Soch Nayi!!!!

He is not a different person only today;

He was , even then;

He cultivated his attitude to raise the voice, years ago!!!

A lesson for all Young Professionals !!!

 
EFFECT 5 / DON’T GIVE UP!!!



Aaj Tak Office
New Delhi

Uday Shankar was saying , “ You know,I strongly feel that the stories of News have got more potential than the stories of fiction,But here in our newsrooms,People don’t know how to tell those stories to the News audience!!!”

Star News Office
Mumbai

Sitting in his Mahaluxmi office,Uday Shankar was saying, “You know,We could not do this in Delhi,Do it now.”

 We created a News Show taking elements from the science of story telling in the fiction world;

Going one step ahead;

He said, “Can you take up a half an hour News Slot and produce it!!! I want to see how It will shape up with the approach of entertainment world!!”

The idea was to import the following things into News: Relatibility,Connect,Engagement.

He was still following the same thought!!!!

 
Months  Later :

He is in the mid of the science of story telling at Star India;

He is still following the same thought;

He is not a different person only today;

He was , even then;

He cultivated his attitude of not giving up , years ago!!!

Don’t Give Up!!!!

A lesson for all Young Professionals !!!

 
EFFECT 6 / REALISE THE TRUTH!!!



Gandhi  was jailed in Agha Khan Palace in Pune;

Dr Sushila Nayar used to write his acts,activities and sayings in the daily diary;

One day she forgot to note it down;

Gandhi promptly said; “Don’t forget to write,These diaries will get published one day in the future and the whole world will read them.”

He was knowing it;

This KNOWING does not come to everyone;

 
Uday Shankar was sitting in the same Mahaluxmi office,But in a different room,With a different responsibility;

He had become the head of Star India;

What he said at that moment,I could never forget;

He said, “ Suddenly I have got enormous power in this new role.I can bring in a great change using this power,But I can damage also if I go wrong!!!”

WOW!!!!!

He was knowing that!!!

This KNOWING does not come to everyone;

 
 NOWADAYS :

Uday Shankar is surrounded by hundreds of things;

Uday Shankar is being followed by thousands of people;

He still knows;

“It is , What it is!!!!”

He is not a different person only today;

He was , even then;

He cultivated his attitude of realising the truth , years ago!!!

A lesson for all Young Professionals !!!

 

Thank you Uday Shankar;

For becoming an inspiration for all young professionals!!!

You have done so much for the Indian Television;

Indian Television is still greedy;

We want more from you;

Please create a “Star Idea Lab”;

For innovating and working on your newer ideas;

An institutionalised form of your search for the new , for the more;

It will be a gift to the industry;

 

We are sure;

That the Television Industry will wait for the gift!!!!!

 

Afterall;

Such is the impact of;

The Uday Shankar Effect!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 comments:

  1. अतीत का समंदर
    रजत शर्मा, डॉ सुभाष चन्द्रा और अब उदय शंकर । ग़ज़ब की श्रृंखला बन रही है । क्रिएटीविटी की एक बेहतरीन मिसाल देखने को मिल रही है । शख्सियत या संस्थान के विभिन्न पहलुओं के दौरान इनसे जुड़े अपने संस्मरण सम्माहित करना एक नवीन और रोचक प्रयोग है । जानकारी और रोचकता आनदिंत कर रही है । आश्चर्य होता है स्मरण शक्ति पर । अट्ठारहं बीस साल पुरानी बातों बल्कि संवाद को तो वो भी याद नहीं रख पाते जो दिमागीन या शंखपुष्पी का सेवन करते हैं । उदय जी का चेहरा आज भी मेरी स्मृतियों में है लेकिन कई साल बाद किसी समाचार-पत्र या पत्रिका में उनकी तस्वीर देख कर मुझे लगा था कि ये शायद वो उदय शंकर नहीं हैं जो एक जमाने में ज़ी नेटवर्क से भी जुड़े थे । इतेफाक से एक जैसे नाम के अनेक लोग मीडिया में पाए जाते हैं । वास्तव में नए लोगों का , खासकर मीडिया में. उत्साहवर्धन करने वाले लोगों की संख्या नगण्य ही होती है और जो होते हैं उनका क्या कहना, बेमिसाल होते हैं । बहरहाल, इसी से मुझे याद आया एक और चेहरा नलिन कोहली का जो आजकल भाजपा के एक चर्चित नेता है । इनके बारे में मुझे लगता है कि शायद ये भी जे-27 का हिस्सा बन चुके हैं । जे-27 तो आजकल किसी का निजी आवास की शक्ल अख्तियार कर चुका है । बड़ी तमन्ना थी कि यह इमारत ज़ी के पास ही रहती । कम से कम इससे भावनात्मक जुड़ाव रखने वाले कई लोग इसकी दरो-दीवारों का दीदार कर अतीत के समंदर में गोते तो लगा लेते । खैर, बकौल मेरे एवरटाइम फैवरेट शायर साहिर लुधियानवी, “ वक्त चलता ही रहता है रूकता नहीं …’ । उदय जी के बाद अगर मेरा अनुमान सही है तो आने वाले दिनों में शाज़ी जमां साहब पर भी पढ़ने को मिलेगा । एक लेख कई यादों को ताजा कर देता है । यादों का अपना ही एक मज़ा है । बीता दौर चाहे कितना ही संघर्षपूर्ण रहा हो, उसे वर्तमान के परिपेक्ष्य में रख कर याद करना सुखद लगता है ।

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