Lines between small and big screen blurring...

By Priyanka Khanna, Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, Nov 13 (IANS)

While one is often referred to as an idiot box, the other is called the silver screen, making them unlikely bedfellows.

However, a robust television industry is fast emerging out of the shadows of the more glamorous Hindi filmdom or

Bollywood.

The Indian Film Academy Awards, aired over the weekend, tried to be every bit as grand and predictable as any of the usual

Bollywood award functions.

Unlike previous years, no sprinkling of Bollywood glitterati was used to pep up the show. The small screen's big stars

were enough to carry the show. However, the songs and dance routines were inspired by Bollywood.

In addition, promos of small screen debut of another Bollywood A-list star - Sanjay Dutt - went on air, leaving little

doubt that the line between television people and film people is blurring.

Sanjay, who recently lost his father, the legendary Sunil Dutt, will be seen in SaharaOne Television's upcoming reality

game show "Mission Ek Crore."

"His (Dutt's) charisma and style will be on television for the first time ever. He will influence participants to splurge

and come out as winners in our innovative game show," said Shantonu Aditya, CEO of SaharaOne Television.

"It is a challenging experience to be part of a show which actually instigates the participant to spend more to win rather

than just have intellectual capital," said Dutt.

With fast-advancing technology, convergence has become the key word in the entertainment industry. A movie can be seen in

a tiny iPod, film stars routinely appear in daily TV soaps and a home-theatre system can recreate the entire experience of a

film hall.

Even television production houses and broadcasters are making a beeline for the big screen.

The trickle of some TV production houses moonlighting as film producers and serial makers getting a break to direct films

has become a flood now.

Starting out as TV software production houses, Balaji Telefilms, Cinevistaas, Creative Eye, UTV, Metalight, Pritish Nandy

Communications and Nimbus have become key players in the film world.

Smaller companies like Optymystix, Contiloe Films and Miditech are likely to join the bandwagon. Similarly, broadcasters

are investing in silver screen ventures.

Shri Adhikari Brothers, B4U, Sahara Media Communications and Zee Telefilms have over the years undertaken production and

even distribution of films. Star India, which has inked a deal with UTV for three big budget film projects, is set to be the

latest entrant.

Not everybody is happy with the trend of television production houses foraying into filmmaking. While some say the

production houses are not adept at making films, others criticise them for compromising on aesthetics in order to remain

within budgets and schedules.

Most of the big budget productions supported by television houses have fallen flat at the box-office. Only small-budget

niche films have worked.

An influx of film production houses into the field of television production is also an established trend though none have

scored big yet.

The trends are irreversible but to make it long lasting, TV software companies need to adapt the US entertainment

paradigm, look at both media as equal opponents and bridge the chasm.

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Making the transition from tele-stars to silver screen starlets remains an elusive dream. Many have tried but failed.

They may have all that a dream merchant desires but their own inimitable popularity with the masses that see them as

characters and not actors disqualifies them.

TV channels promote their characters and not actors, making people believe that they are real and thus viewers are unable

to accept the demystified image of TV actors.

The wait is on for another Shah Rukh Khan to emerge out of this parallel world of entertainment.

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With the exception of Amitabh Bachchan and his stupendously successful "Kaun Banega Crorepati" series, Bollywood stars

have not tasted much success on the small screen.

The long list of wannabes include: Govinda, Sharmila Tagore, Hema Malini, Karishma Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Anupam Kher,

Manisha Koirala, Urmila Matondkar, Shabana Azmi, Raveena Tandon and Sridevi.

But the fact remains that film icons have never really been able to gain a foothold in the home-viewing medium. So much so

the queen of soaps Ekta Kapoor has sworn never to work with a big star in her productions.

"Big stars want big money. Also, it's a proven fact that stars don't work on television," says Kapoor.

"That's because they come with larger-than-life images. After watching Shah Rukh Khan play 'Badshah', no one would want to

see him as Mihir in 'Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi."

Filmstar Sanjay Dutt's foray into television with the reality game show "Mission Ek Crore Ka," however, may remove the

jinx and bring the two worlds of television and films closer.