• Led By A Lion - Manmohan Shetty

    Submitted by ITV Production on Mar 19

    For Adlabs Chairman, Manmohan Shetty, that clients and customer satisfaction are topmost priorities underpins some of the experiences from a long span of 30 years that he shares with Nidhi Jain.

    Lessons you learnt
    The main thing that I feel personally is that customer satisfaction is very important for the growth of the industry. One should not compromise on any kind of service provided. In every area of business I worked in these past years, only good work is appreciated. Don't compromise on services. I will not compromise on any service and would not allow my company to do so.

    I have been lucky in some ways. I have been working in the same company since the last 30 years and most of the people are still the same. After Reliance came in 2005 July, new people came in management. It has been a blessing in disguise for the company because with Reliance came a lot of money and Brand value and our visibility became larger.

    It has helped us grow very fast since they came on board in 2005. Our perspective has also changed, all of which has added a lot values in the work of the company. I don't think of any competition as of now. In today's fierce competitive environment, if a job is done really well, then there will be no competition to face. Today, most people are trying to cut corners and make money. For us it is all about providing a good service; be it quality popcorn or quality parking, it's all about giving good service.

    Chaos Theory
    Well I haven't had any kind of chaos yet. We are all in the job of growing bigger and working faster because we all are under pressure.

    People that influenced
    I have seen people telling me that I am the role model but I have never seen myself like that and am not influenced by anyone personally. Because I have had very different kinds of growth in my personal life. I come from a very remote village and success did not happen to me overnight.

    Strategies
    If anyone is just specialized it limits the capacity to do something. We must look around to experiment or try new things. If someone has blinkers for 15 years, suddenly remove it then think there are so many other things one you can do. I think that is how we picked up in Cinema and other productions.

    Even if I had opened a blinker earlier, there was always a restriction on funds. In July when Reliance came we innovated. So the vision was always there, only the right kind of strategy and input was required. But there is a limit as to when, what should be done. So we thought we should have the right people at the right time to implement the vision. We had money but we just required the right management. That's why we took a lot of time.

    Changing rules
    I don't think we have changed. Reform but don't change. Actually we are in a learning process.

    Ensuring that your team delivers
    We have targets. We have 4 - 5 divisions like production, distribution, multiplexes and so on. Each one is given a target based on their performances. How much investment we can do and what numbers they have to give. So we ensure that every quarter they come up with new targets and perform well. That delivers the cause.

    Fun part of your business
    I enjoy when we process a good film and if the results are good. I think I enjoy all my work. I am very happy the way I work and how it's going. A lot of people may not be as lucky as me.

    I, Manmohan Shetty leader of today?
    Leaders are chosen by someone else - my employees, my companies or the shareholders. I can't say that I am the king. How they define leadership is more important, whether I am a good leader, average or poor. As per performances I think we have grown all the time. I would not have grown well today if the market conditions were not good. There is no yardstick. I could have done it 5 years earlier maybe I would have never done it. So is it correct? I don't know?

    indiantelevision.com Team
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  • Bling! Bling! - Roshini Bakshi

    Submitted by ITV Production on Mar 19

    Roshini Bakshi, Director-Consumer Products, Walt Disney India offers a peek into her treasured jewelry collection to Nidhi Jain.

    Whenever I go abroad, I keep at least one evening free to browse around stores. I like checking out things. I pick up pieces which generally you would not see. It's unique to my taste rather than suiting a particular dress since I never look at it in that fashion. If I find it different I just pick it up.

    I have pick up many pieces from Italy, especially from Emrano, because there are lots of glass works there. I love the way they make glass pieces. I collect a lot of trinkets from London as they have jewelry from all over the world; there is a lot more variety there. I have different kinds of jewelry picked up from Hong Kong, since it's a gateway for Korea, Taiwan, and China. Also, when I went to South Africa, I picked up a few. And there is of course India.

    Strangely, I do not do too much of investment in traditional gold with stone work in it because my parents taught me that it doesn't have value. I keep getting the most beautiful pieces from collections of Roopa Vohra and something authentic from Tribhuvandas like gold. I will never buy anything which is in a shape of a pipe (kada) because inside it's hollow. It's supposed to have no value at all.

    My mother buys tons of jewelry in gold and nothing else. She taught me how to choose flawless diamonds, how to look at it in the light etc. I know a lot of designer stores have come up but I still go back to places I feel sure about.

    There is a store in south called Baba Lal which has been around for over 100 years. I picked up all my diamonds from there. I know that any stage I can go back and there's a quality to it. Similarly I never buy pure gold from abroad. When I travel abroad I experiment a lot in stones, while in India I go for 22 K.

    I started picking up lots of silver jewelry when I was in college. I am fairly experimental with jewelry and with clothes. I am willing to experiment as long as it does not look out of my age. As to how I keep up with fashion, I look at magazines, fashion trends. Ultimately it's about our own taste; it has to suit our body type. I hate wearing something just because it's in fashion.

    It's not easy to take care of jewelry Firstly they have to be kept separately from each other. Diamonds should not rub together; I keep all my valuables in a box with cotton.

    I would love to experiment with the work of Notandaas and Popleys, if somebody gives it me but I would not buy it or invest in it. Experimentation is very different from buying and keeping.

    I am very happy with what I have collected since it's about personal satisfaction. I feel very satisfied and happy when I get compliments from my friends on the design and beauty of my jewelry

    Best compliment - 'How have you been able to pick these?' I am just left thrilled.

    Roshni's Tips for when you're on a Shopping Spree:
    @Whenever you travel, look around. There are no destinations.
    @Every place has a unique value.
    @ If you look out for what fashion magazines have to offer, they will take you back to stores. It will never be unique, that you can proudly call your choice.

    indiantelevision.com Team
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  • My Collections, My Personality - Munjal Shroff

    Submitted by ITV Production on Dec 15

    "Collecting is like eating peanuts. You just can't stop". True to the saying, no matter how much top level executives are burdened by work, or meetings, they master the art of time management. Anyhow, they find the time to get back to things they want to pursue.

    Nidhi Jain chatted up director and COO of Graphiti Multimedia Pvt Ltd, Munjal Shroff, a person whose brain is forever floating around fantasies of ideas in animation.

    Our motivation... must always be to please yourself. Follow your intuition and buy what sings to you. The objects you acquire should give you pleasure and fellowship. -Richard Faletti

    As a kid I had a lot of pen friends from all over the world and I was quite fascinated by the different stamps that I used to get from different countries. This is what got me started with my first collection - Stamps.

    But my biggest fascination was comics. It was an addiction. I possessed lots of comics, collections which I preserved as bound volumes. Volumes of Mandrake, Phantom, Tintin, Archies and even Jetsons. Though now I have donated most of them to an orphanage.

    Now I have collectibles from movies such as Matrix. My prized possession is The Matrix - Platinum Limited Edition DVD Collector's Set which includes an actual frame Senitype 35 mm film strip from the movie and 8 original limited edition lobby card prints. I collect limited edition DVDs of animated films as well.
    I also have a lot of 'making-of' books related to my work such as Making of Toy Story, Jurassic park, Bug's Life. I also have many wonderful books called Illusion of life.

    Collectors become obsessive and then addicted. You become addicted to art and you can't live without it. - Eli Broad

    I like to collect paintings from different painters, especially unique folk paintings. I am an impulsive collector. Since now the biggest constraint is space, purchasing has slowed down, and also all collectors items require good care. I travel extensively to the countries that are rich culturally. I like buying favourites from street painters & underground music from street musicians in countries like France.

    Recently I incorporated a collection of music by a streetband from Paris called 'Cenizas'. I have a vast and eclectic collection of music, especially instrumental. The collection ranges from Masai Drums from Africa to Uilleann pipes - from the Celtic region.

    The cornerstone of great art for me is a work that makes one person exclaim "That's fabulous!" and another ask, "How can you have that hanging in your house?" - Gordon Sondland

    I like my collected stuff to have personality and am very choosy and fussy. I always have had a love for art. During one of my visits to Cannes I had a day to myself. Some locals told me about a small town called Antibes and the Picasso museum there. Since the museum was to open after a couple of hours I decided to walk around this picturesque town. I came across an antique shop run by an old British gentleman. He had an amazing collection of antique maps and lithographs from the 18th century. These lithographs had an amazing amount of detail and were painstakingly hand painted using delicate water colors. The 4" x 6" artworks were stunning. I picked a couple and then the gentlemen gifted me one beautiful rendition of Hotel de Ville - Paris.

    "Its not that collecting is more noble than the other pursuits of man, its just a lot more fun". - Norman McClean

    indiantelevision.com Team
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  • Agreeable Friends: Meenakshi Madhvani

    Submitted by ITV Production on Nov 07

    "The purity of a person's heart can be quickly measured by how they regard animals," even if they are not real, believes animal collector Meenakshi Madhvani , Founder & Managing Partner Spatial Access Solutions in conversation with Correspondent Nidhi Jain .

    Love animals --- as a child always had pets. Dogs, cats, chickens, a pig and even a pet snake. Unfortunately a flat is Bombay is not the right environment for animals and I have not had a pet for a long, long time! There was something missing and I decided to fill the gap with a surrogate. It all began by my buying a big bronze pig! He was followed by a papier mache frog, then a pair of marble dogs I found in Chor Bazaar...

    Collecting animals-- for the last 5 years. I am not too concerned about the material they are made off. But they need to appeal to me.

    My husband jokes that I have a meenagerie! My family & friends indulge me by adding to my collection. A stone Hippo was carried back from Africa by a friend. My brother-in-law got back a wonderful Giraffe from South Africa carved out of a single block of wood. Another Brother-in-law gave me a crystal cat & mouse!

    Bit crazy -- when it comes to my animals? I like seeing them every day and move them around the house to new locations (almost like giving them a fresh view of their living quarters every once in a while!

    I know that one of these days I will have a place in the country and will be able to have my animal friends around me once again.

    indiantelevision.com Team
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  • Love my kid, Love my life - Nivedith Alva

    Submitted by ITV Production on Nov 07

    "This is my wish for myself: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss my lips, sunsets to warm my heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for my eyes to see, friendships to brighten my being, faith so that I can believe, confidence for when I doubt, courage to know myself, patience to accept the truth, love to complete my life."
     

    Nivedith Alva, Supervising Producer, Miditech tells correspondent Nidhi Jain how a few small things sets up the entire beautiful world for him.

    Initial days
    Studied in Delhi at St Columbus till my 10th and then went onto DPS RK Puram for my 11th and 12th in Humanities. Did my Honors in History from St Stephens College, Delhi. Started working at Miditech in 2000 straight after college. First shows were as an assistant producer on Musafir Hoon Yaaron for Star Plus and Hospital on BBC World.
    In 2003, went to the UK to do my MA in TV Journalism from Goldsmiths at the University of London and returned to Miditech and have been working non stop since. Have worked out of Miditech Delhi then Mumbai and now Bangalore. Most challenging time at work was directing the first season of MTV Hero Honda Roadies.

    Strongly feels about
    You've got to do what you've got to do. You only live life once so you may as well make the most of it. Feel very strongly about family and family always comes first. Though with the kind of work we do, it gets tough, but one has to make time.
    Am a heart over head kind of person and often make decisions from the heart.

    Crazy about
    My daughter, Manini. Fatherhood is the most awesome feeling in the world, nothing comes close.
    Also, love traveling and have been to almost every state in India and widely traveled across the world.

    What rejuvenates you?
    Nothing does it more than a good family holiday with nothing to do but eat, drink and sleep. Also, spend time watching movies and reading.

    Love food
    Totally love eating out and try all sorts of cuisine. Favourite Food - Greek and Chinese.

    Movies
    Love sitting at home and watching movies on DVD. Also, have almost 10 seasons of MASH, my favourite TV show which my wife, Meera and I watch most nights.

     

    indiantelevision.com Team
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  • "Work Is Truly Workshop" - Ravi Kiran

    Submitted by ITV Production on Oct 09

    We take a peek into the mind of a self proclaimed "restless" man, workaholic, and knowledge seeker who learnt early on to handle ego. Ravi Kiran, CEO, South Asia, Starcom Mediavest Group, took some time out of his hectic schedule to talk to Correspondent Nidhi Jain.

    Who me?
    Highly principled and disciplined, Ravi has high BMR. He just sleeps for 4-5 hours on an average as he thinks that in the time he is sleeping, the best will pass away.

    As a person, he has always been attracted to the underdog, he has been loyal to people and experimentative to things. He doesn't like to use brands but sometimes brands become people. His decisions have often worked against his growth. Can't stand one thing after a certain period. What changed him were a few books by author Robin Cook "Coma", "Fever" as well as Harold Robbins' "the Betsy", to name a few.

    Initial days---
    Books have always carved a way for Ravi for the kind of success he has had. He meant to be a doctor but studied engineering. A management book he picked up was 'Great Ideas in Management' by Northcote, Rustomji and Sapre made him join FMS, Delhi.Joined Lintas? After six years, got thoroughly bored so he chose to pursue media initiative.

    As a person, he thinks he was pretty rough initially, rude and a just do his own work person or was simply called 'ectomorphic'. But now it's more about relating to people.

    Strongly feels about---
    The compound pet dog "Kaalu", who is also a family member.

    Crazy about---
    Books, movies, technology, music and gadgets (he thinks Palm is better engineered than Nokia, and I-river is better than Apple i-pod), he even writes his own blogs.

    Rejuvenates---
    Cycling, rock climbing, river rafting and walking for relaxation. Also, he follows tennis, F1. Given a choice he would like to go to the forest.

    Love---
    His wife Shalini with whom he shares the interest of watching movies on their home theatre system.

    Food---
    Eats vegetarian, can tolerate continental, cooks South Indian and likes north Indian food, which his wife prepares.

    Movies---
    Thrillers, court room dramas and mafia movies.

    indiantelevision.com Team
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