Mumbai, Maharashtra: In a recent IANS exclusive interview, Anu Ranjan and Shashi Ranjan reflected on the incredible 25-year journey of the Indian Television Academy Award. They spoke about how the television industry has evolved over the past two and a half decades, highlighting the growth in content quality, talent, and viewership. When asked about the rumors surrounding Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai’s divorce, they responded cautiously. The couple also shared their vision for the television industry five years from now, predicting even more innovation, digital integration, and stronger global reach. Speaking about the recently released biography on the Roshan family on Netflix, they praised its storytelling and emotional depth.
00:04And you would like to start with the start of the ITA Awards.
00:10How did you achieve the ITA Awards?
00:14How did it start the ITA Awards?
00:17It started exactly, I think it was 27 years ago.
00:23And I was with some friends and they were talking to me.
00:27And I thought, let's go to the ITA Awards in India.
00:31The seed was planted.
00:35And I started working at it.
00:38And two years later, next thing we knew, we had launched ITA.
00:42And in the meantime, we needed the support between the ITA Awards.
00:47I remember Sushma Swarajji was the IBA Minister.
00:49I spoke to Shashi.
00:50I said, Shashi knows me.
00:52Can I meet her?
00:53He introduced me to her.
00:54She said, of course, it would be a great idea.
00:56The last time, Neish Moorji was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
00:59Spoke to him.
01:00He said, it will be a wonderful thing, if the ICT started.
01:02And then we formed a government council.
01:0418 July 2001.
01:06Taanch town.
01:08Crystal boardroom with launched ITA.
01:10Sir.
01:11I would like to ask you to ask, what hardship moments have come in your journey?
01:16And who has supported you?
01:20That's what a good day.
01:22It will be a long journey and it will take all the time of a long journey.
01:27It will be a good day.
01:28It will be a good day.
01:29It will be a good day.
01:30In this journey, there are also many cut-in moments and very good moments.
01:37And the happy thing is that the industry and our colleagues, our friends have given us a lot.
01:50It is the only reason that today, in the entertainment industry,
01:56it is the most credible award. It is the most transparent award.
02:01It is also the most respected award.
02:05It is also the most respected award.
02:08This is the most respected award in Hindustan.
02:16I will see that there are a lot of people who voted for more than 1.5 crores.
02:25There are 15,000 people who voted for it.
02:28So our community has been very close to 25 years.
02:31in this situation is very strong.
02:33And...
02:35Sir, do you think,
02:37what kind of memorable moment
02:39has come in your journey?
02:41Every award
02:43has a memorable moment.
02:45There are thousands of seconds
02:47in which, because
02:49every time a new talent comes,
02:51every time a new
02:53opportunity comes,
02:55its energy comes.
02:57So, there are hundreds and hundreds
02:59great moments which people also have
03:01witness on big screen
03:03on television.
03:05In every year's award,
03:07which is special.
03:09For example,
03:11the flood victims,
03:13then 26-11,
03:15all the victims and their families,
03:17and then all the olympians
03:19who won, the Indians who won
03:21olympics at that time.
03:23Every year we have some special,
03:25which is very very important
03:27and we don't call them
03:29but we also have
03:30a financial help.
03:31So, the ITA platform
03:33is not only entertainment
03:35but a social justice
03:37and a social consciousness
03:39platform.
03:41We try to
03:43that whatever
03:45things are happening
03:47at that time,
03:48they will keep them
03:49What are the other awards
03:51different from ITA?
03:53In which term?
03:55What is the idea,
03:57what does it happen?
03:59And what is the idea
04:01of ITA?
04:03That's also very good.
04:05It's not a degree
04:07so many awards?
04:09We have two things
04:11of our credibility.
04:13First, the goal of ourselves
04:15to the decision
04:17that we keep it transparent.
04:19Secondly, our process over the years, judging, is very methodical.
04:25And the way we find judges, the way we find judges, the way we find judges, the way we find judges, the way we find judges, the way we find judges, the way we find judges.
04:33Those very important, respectful, and respectful people. They have their own credibility.
04:42And after that, it goes to an audit, a very reputed audit company.
04:51They all audit masks, so our process of judging is very transparent.
04:57That's why I think we can keep this credibility.
05:02If you talk about TV industry, what has changed so many years?
05:09What changes do you see in the TV industry?
05:12There is a lot of difference between the earth and the earth.
05:15Television has focused on what we have done.
05:18It's a very happy thing for everyone.
05:21Today, OTT is coming.
05:23It's also on television.
05:25And there is a story telling.
05:27Soap of the world has probably not changed so much.
05:32That's what it should be.
05:34But news channels have been a revolution.
05:37In the 25 years, the way there are so many news channels, information, and other channels.
05:43So, within a long time, in the 25 years, there is a lot of effort on television.
05:50What changes do you see?
05:52The changes are the same.
05:54Exactly.
05:55Everything was the same.
05:57In the 25 changes you are seeing.
05:59They are seeing the same.
06:00You are seeing the same changes.
06:02What about young actors and the first actors?
06:06You can see a comparison?
06:09How do you see the actors?
06:11You also have the actors who live with the TV actors.
06:13But the people who live with the stars of the world have a stardom.
06:14But today's TV actors have a stardom?
06:16No, the stardom doesn't matter.
06:18First, they played TV shows in the 5-6-7-8-7-7-7.
06:21Now most of the shows, for example, you can see Rishtha, Nupama, Tarak Maita, Mabidi,
06:28they are not stars.
06:30The other shows, they are not stars.
06:35So it's only because how long the show runs is equal to how popular you are.
06:41Is there something different from the TV industry?
06:47It's different because OTT is giving different programs.
06:51So there is a division in the audience.
06:54The audience is divided.
06:56OTT is a different audience.
06:57But the television is a different audience.
06:59Yes, it is.
07:00It will always be.
07:02The award show has been 25 years,
07:05and you have married for 25 years.
07:07Our marriage has been 40 years.
07:0938 years.
07:1038 years.
07:11So how do you see your personal life?
07:14How do you see your personal life?
07:17Because there are a lot of news about divorce and divorce.
07:20No, it's not going to be going to be going.
07:22I'm not going to be going to be going.
07:24But we are here to stay.
07:27Like the TV industry.
07:30Recently, Avishya and Ashwin have also news about divorce.
07:35But after a party, this is what it's been the most important thing.
07:46But for the party, this is the thing that it's been proven wrong.
07:48They are happy to get.
07:49Recently, because the War has been a lot of times,
07:51I mean, they are back in the house.
07:53So what do you think about it?
07:54What do you think about it?
07:55What do you think about it?
07:56Tell me both of you.
07:57Absolutely.
07:58It's a reaction, Rani is totally waiting to see her back of the screen.
08:05So, good.
08:08Rani is talking about social media, so in social media, there are a lot of people who are looking for trolls.
08:15How do you see trolls?
08:17We don't have to talk about trolls, we don't have to give them anything to anyone.
08:22I don't know about social media.
08:25We don't have to talk about trolls.
08:29But we are not into that at all.
08:32Rani, you have NGOs and the Beatty Foundation.
08:37How much are you doing in the 30s?
08:40Oh, a lot.
08:42Just education.
08:44We have 12-12 kids and we continue from 6 years to 60 years.
08:49So, that has made a lot of difference and we believe in Beatty movement.
08:54Because they are seeing results.
08:56So, the kids who have studied, they are working in sales tax officers,
09:00they are working in hotels,
09:02they are working in doctors, they are working in joint MBA.
09:04So, a lot of students are doing very well.
09:06That has made a very big difference.
09:08Thanks to the support of people.
09:10So, lastly, we have seen TV industry in 5 years.
09:14Because we have been doing such pedo-dramatic shows.
09:18So, what do you think about TV industry?
09:20So, what do you think about TV industry?
09:22No, you need to do so.
09:24I think that we need to grow new stories, new concepts.
09:30It's okay for your nostalgic value.
09:32If you take the program again,
09:34we take the program again.
09:36But it's not good for the industry and creative health.
09:40We need new writers, new ideas.
09:43And we have talent.
09:46But I think we need to change a little bit.
09:50We need to change the channels that the people who have created a lot of easy route.
09:55And he is a hit.
09:56And he is also a hit.
09:58It's a hit.
09:59It's also a hit.
10:00And the other 3 channels are also a hit.
10:03Which is very unfortunate.
10:06So, I see a lot of progress.
10:09And lots of strides for television.
10:13But as India Television is concerned,
10:15I think we need to buckle up from the creative side,
10:19negative side from the industry as well as from the honchos of all the channels and platforms
10:25and especially some of the people who are capable, they must drop this insecurity of repeating
10:32the same thing again and again.
10:49The experience was very good. It's one of the most loved documentaries by the people, by the industry and one of the most watched documentaries on Netflix at the moment.
11:01And after that, many of the film industry have told me not only about it, but they have realized that I will work with them.
11:12So, I am working on some subjects quickly.
11:16Because unfortunately, in our country, as much as we are concerned, there is no audio-visual work available for us, except for the books.
11:34If you want to know about M'habub Khan, then there is nothing about it.
11:39K. Asif, Gurudath, Raj Kapoor, many others.
11:44So, you really don't have no audio-visual work for Dilip Kumar, for Nargesh, for Rata Ji, for Muhammad Rafi.
11:51You can go endless list. There is nothing.
11:54So, I think it is high time. And Roshan has proved one thing, that there is an audience, if you make it well, and if you tell a good story, there is an audience not only in India worldwide.
12:06Because Roshan, as much as people like Hindustan, from America, Australia, Britain, Congo, and I don't know, God knows where my phone calls.
12:19So, it is a good thing.
12:22Shashi, sir.
12:23Shashi, can you tell me, can you take your daughter's name in the future?
12:28I have to ask that my daughter is going to work with me.
12:33In today's life, you understand your mother-in-law.
12:38So, if you ask me, can you consider your daughter's daughter?
12:43I will be sharing you.
12:46Last week, I would like to give you a thank you.
12:48Just keep watching ITA, keep loving us, and we will keep giving you fabulous programs, year on year.
