Cine-Ma! As the name suggests, my mother became a huge inspiration for me to become a Bollywood fanatic, quite early in life.In the early 90s, I still remember watching the old Bollywood classics of legendary actors Rajesh Khanna, Sanjeev Kumar, Dev Anand, Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, Jeetendra and many more such iconic superstars. Back then, life was simpler, we had more discipline in life, leaving little time for leisure. Hence, whenever there was that much needed break from studies and exams, I made it a point to watch a new film on television with my mother. And that’s how I emerged as a movie buff and started admiring cinematic creativity. Now, fortunately, my wife too loves watching films and we make it a point not to miss our customary Friday dates with new releases and even indulge in some OTT binge watching.
Just like the other late 80’s children, I had been a Radio, print and TV guy, until I watched my first OTT platform show ‘House of Cards’ on Netflix. I was spellbound at how real and original the content felt, most importantly it got me hungry to know more and watch more. I then realized that storytelling never gets outdated, it only needs to evolve with time. And now, I’m a proud binge-watcher!
There are many reasons that I can attribute to my affinity for good engaging content and its creative process. Firstly, filmed entertainment has always inspired me to be more creative by simply following the art of WOAKE – Watch, Observe, Absorb, Knowledge and Explore. Filmed entertainment has an interesting way of story-telling that’s compelling and exciting for me. Not just Cinema, TV shows and regular advertisements, but content on the OTT platforms also has some fascinating story-telling, giving consumers due credit for their monthly subscription fee.
Secondly, visual memories are the best memories. The things you see are what you retain as your strongest memory. And what better than consuming visually entertaining content? For instance, showcasing a hero’s journey forms the basis for a majority of the universally loved TED talks. Another example I can think of is the current era of biopics trending in Bollywood. Films like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, M.S Dhoni, Dangal are a visual delight and also have a great story-telling of the protagonist’s journey. OTT too has a brilliant armory of content to consume from. Ultimately, no matter what the medium is, each one of us has the privilege to pick and choose the kind of story that entertains you, or rather inspires you. And with the availability of global content, you can now watch stories from faraway lands. At the end of the day, these are the visuals that stay with you for a long, long time.
Thirdly, I firmly believe that we are all made up of stories! By that, I mean that we all have something to tell, share and relate to. Whether one speaks about arts and culture, fashion, music or even politics – everyone has a say on either of these subjects and are story-tellers in their own right. The world of entertainment has the power to reach out to the entire universe with so much honesty, creativity and artistic freedom. Every piece of content entails a story and every story has a message that resonates with the audiences at some level subconsciously. Consuming content on a daily basis helps me conceptualize ideas which are extremely important when meeting a client or discussing a client brief. You need to be constantly inspired.
In a nutshell, filmed entertainment has been a source of joy and learning for me. It is a great stress-buster and keeps my creativity alive. If you consume content sensibly and purposefully, it can be an enriching experience, especially if you use it to connect with other individuals.
