Author: Vandana Agarwal
Publication: The Times of India
Date: September 14, 2003
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?msid=180640
In 1939, the late Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman
launched the Daily Jang from Delhi. Last month, his son was in town seeking
partners to distribute his one-year-old Geo TV channel, a private news
and entertainment channel that uplinks from Dubai. Mir Shakil-ur- Rahman
is chief executive and editor-in-chief of the Jang Group, Pakistan’s largest
media house.
Q.: You were looking for partners
for your new channel in India. Did you find some?
A.: A great deal of interest was
shown in GEO after it was launched. Some parties from India also showed
an interest, but nothing has been finalised. GEO is already collaborating
with Indian production houses. After Gaayegi Duniya Geet Mere, with Annu
Kapoor, we will soon be on air with Fasley, a serial with Indian and Pakistani
artistes and a sitcom featuring actors from the two countries. This is
just the beginning.
Q.: Why do you want Indian content
for your channel?
A.: We are impressed with the quality
of some of the programming emanating from India and would like to see some
of this reflected on our own channel. Through cooperation we can both learn
a great deal and utilise each other’s relative strengths.
Q.: Do you think it’s possible
to have collaborations bypassing the Pakistan government’s policy which
bans Indian TV and artistes?
A.: There are winds of change blowing
across the sub-continent. Perhaps it is a fallout of globalisation. Countries
cannot live in isolation. GEO does not originate from Pakistan and is not
on the government’s list of Pakistani channels. GEO does not have a license
yet to operate from Pakistan. Therefore, it does not fall under the government’s
code of conduct. The government believes that the local channels are still
in infancy and need some form of protectionism. It also feels that the
boldness and openness of Indian content violates our cultural norms and
values.
Q.: We believe that if we can commission
programming from India according to our own design and taste we can overcome
this problem. Already, we are collaborating in trade and other confidence-building
measures will take place in the future.
A.: Cultural exchanges will follow.
Someone has to take the first step. There have been collaborations in the
past. A Zeba Bakhtiar here, a Shabana Azmi there. Manoj Kumar inviting
Mohammed Ali to act in his film. Kirron Kher acting in an award-winning
Pakistani film. Nusrat Fateh Ali, Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hasan, Sukhbir and,
more recently, Abida Parveen and Amitabh Bachchan together. These are the
signposts of the future.
Q.: Which are the most popular
Indian programmes and artistes in Pakistan?
A.: Star Plus, Sony and Zee are
very popular and their soaps are watched avidly in Pakistan. Most artistes
who appear in the daily soaps are household names.
Q.: Do you believe it’s possible
for India and Pakistan to work together despite political differences?
A.: You can’t change your geographical
neighbours. You have to learn to live together. History is full of examples
of countries who have buried the hatchet and have become allies after years
of enmity and distrust. So long as we respect each other’s point of view
we can always work together.
