‘Because I am a woman’

She’s the queen bee of Indian television. Her shows are the most watched and awarded. A couple of weeks back, Ekta Kapoor was felicitated by the Indo-American Society with the most outstanding woman entrepreneur award. A t2 chat….

What does winning the award for the most outstanding women entrepreneur mean to you?

Any kind of award that comes from the government is special. To be considered for an award like this is anyway an honour and to actually win it from 30 other nominees makes the achievement even more worthwhile. And an award for the most outstanding woman entrepreneur, wow! That’s very very special.

Less than 10 years in the business and you have won awards galore...

Yes, there have been loads of them (laughs excitedly). In fact, I think I won all the major awards within the first two-three years itself. There has been the Young Global Leader award, I have featured in the top 50 Asian Communicators list…. But I get excited each time I get a new one. Even for this, the moment I got the card telling me that I had won, I rushed to tell my mother (Shobha) the news. I was so excited.

How is it being a woman calling the shots in a largely male dominated industry?

You know even after so many years of being successful in the television business, there are people who come up to me and ask, “how could you do so much being a woman?” And I have just one answer to that: “I have been able to do so much because I am a woman!” As a professional, I have always believed in exploring my strengths, not bemoaning my weaknesses. And I strongly believe that being a woman is a huge strength. I can understand the television medium so much better because I am a woman and I know what women — who comprise the bulk of the TV viewing audience today — want to watch. I have the maximum number of women working under me at Balaji (Telefilms). I think my company is one of the very few in the country where the key positions are held by women. There are girls who came from as far as Kanpur to work with me years ago. They had no knowledge, no training, no experience and today they are doing so well at Balaji.

What gives you a greater high — you being felicitated as an individual or your show being given an award?

It actually depends on what award it is and who is giving it. Also, every show that I produce is my baby and when any kind of appreciation comes our way — for me or my shows — it’s yet another feather in my cap. As I said, every award has me jumping with joy.

What is the way forward for Ekta Kapoor and Balaji Telefilms?

Well, for starters, we are diversifying. I believe that TV is going to be huge in the next few years. Over the next one year, Balaji is getting into education, talent hunt portals and film production in a major way. In education, we will have Balaji examinations and award Balaji scholarships. Making money will obviously be a major objective, but now we feel the need to give back to the society that we have taken so much from. Ten years down the line, I believe that a brand will not only be defined by its products, but the manner in which it supports and affects lives. I want to build Balaji into that brand.
PRIYANKA ROY