Zindagi channel kept the viewers successfully hooked by introducing Pakistani shows into Indian drawing rooms. However, the channel decided to pull these shows off air following the Uri attacks. The channel is now doing its best by undertaking a major revamp with its programming. As many as four brand new shows will be launched from October 3, along with content from Spain and Korea that will be introduced in the coming days. We caught up with Essel group chairman Dr. Subhash Chandra to understand what he has to say on the new set up. Edited excerpts from the interview:
Zindagi Channel’s USP was its Pakistani shows. Your decision to pull the shows off air may affect the channel’s viewership. What are your thoughts on it?
Zindagi’s uniqueness lies in the quality of its content — not just the Pakistani shows it aired. As a media company, if I don’t respect the sentiments of my viewers then, who will? Today almost nine artists from Pakistan are working in Bollywood and six of them were introduced by our channel. After the attacks, we called up each one of them and requested them to condemn the terror attack without naming their country. However, nobody came forward. For the last 24 years we have tried to bridge the gap but a one-way street won’t work. It is an unfortunate decision but we had to take it.
Should the artists be dragged into politics of hate and terror? Isn’t it unfair to bind them by boundaries?
How long will you keep art away from politics? Our Bollywood producers are selfish. Indian films are pirated rampantly in Pakistan. I told them to keep Uri attacks aside. I insisted that if we are giving work to their actors then let them promise their country won’t pirate Indian films, and that they should release our movies the way we do in India. They aren’t even ready to accept that. We are not against any individual or country. We are against the concept of terrorism. We are boycotting continued acts of terrorism.
Is there ever a possibility that Pakistani shows will return to the channel?
I am hoping that our relationship will improve with them. Our doors are not permanently closed on them. We have always lived by our tagline ‘jodey dilon ko’. If they mend their ways, we will be happy to embrace them again.
You are pulling Pakistani shows off air but then you are co-producing a show with Pakistan-based Geo TV titled Teri Meri Jodi. Can you elaborate on this?
We have previously collaborated on a lot of things with Geo. Teri Meri Jodi is a small part of the project. Besides, we worked on this project a long time ago. When I started Zee, we had a half an hour bulletin. We allotted five minutes to Pakistan in the slot. In fact, we had even opened a bureau in Islamabad to get us news from across the border. Then we even gave them a platform like Sa Re Ga Ma where we have had contestants and judges from Pakistan on the show. We have tried reaching out to them in every way, but it’s time that we take the sentiments of our people into consideration.
