Bimal Unnikrishnan showrunner, discussed the essential qualities for success in the creative field with Ritesh Agarwal.
Reflecting on his time working with Amitabh Bachchan on Kaun Banega Crorepati, he pointed out the noteworthy traits that contributed to Bachchan`s success.
In a video posted by the on YouTube, Bimal mentioned, “If you look at the television industry or the media industry as a whole, it’s essentially a freelancer’s gig. If you look at Shark Tank, 99% of the people are freelancers. If you’re already used to a comfort zone, this may not be the stuff for you. This needs hustle, this needs going beyond your call of duty. It needs patience, it needs perseverance. If you don’t have it, it’s probably not for you. It’s a lot of hard work, it doesn’t have regular work hours, no amenities. You don’t get insurance. A lot of stuff is wrong, and you’d want it to be corrected.”
However, he mentioned that there are valuable lessons to be gained from such challenges. He said that aspiring creators can find numerous opportunities for learning and growth amid adversity. “Take Shark Tank, for example. We aren’t business oriented. I haven’t gone to business school. But we learned. We learned on the job.” Ritesh said that he recently met director Vidhu Vinod Chopra at a screening of his recent film 12th Fail, and asked the filmmaker if he’d received help when he was starting out in the industry. “I told him that my life changed when someone in Mumbai gave me Rs 5 lakh. He said, ‘Mera bhi aisa koi tha (I also had someone like that).’ I said, ‘Who was it?’ And he said, ‘Unka naam tha Amitabh bhai (His name was Amitabh).`”
Ritesh discovered that impressed by a short film created by a novice Vinod, offered to collaborate with him. This encouragement meant a lot to the young filmmaker. Ritesh then asked Bimal about his experience working with the legendary actor on KBC. “There’s so much to learn, but my learnings are very simple. Work ethics. I have found his work ethics inspirational to another level. Turning up on time is amazing, but the diligence… You respect the value of time, you respect the value of others’ time, and you respect the audience, and give them the best that’s possible. More importantly, the prep that he puts in, so that the impact on screen is maximised.”
The third season of Shark Tank India is currently on air, featuring the return of sharks Anupam Mittal, Aman Gupta, Namita Thapar, Vineeta Singh, Peyush Bansal, and Amit Jain. Additionally, Ritesh Agarwal is among several others who have joined the panel for this season.
