NO IS GOOD (For Indian Film Business)

PINK (2016) was a path breaking Indian film starring Sire Amitabh Bachchan in one of his most underrated performances. Lazing around on a Sunday morning, I took its theme and mapped it to the Indian Film Industry. Interesting connection.

The pen is mightier than the sword, they say. I have done both, as a soldier and a storyteller. I found the pen of foreign land better than my own land. Their pen is PINK. I mean, they use the beautiful concept of 'No'.

My grandpa was against the lock culture and never said 'No' to anyone. Our ancestral mansion was always open to one and all; from guests to strangers, from beggars to neighbours, from friends to foes (friends and foes are usually categorised in one line, for obvious reasons). This culture certainly made him popular and the go-to-man. The flip side - it resulted in more friction than harmony despite my grand old man's generosity and kindness.?

Why??

Well,?simply because my grand old man couldn't please everyone, everytime, in spite of his socio-economic status. He could never understand the heartburns of his visitors because it was unwarranted. After all, he did whatever he could with all his heart but he forgot the lessons from Shri Shri James Bond - The World Is Not Enough! My grand old man didn't know that despite his goodness, he unknowingly did something which impacted their life. He took away their hope by never saying 'No' and...Hope is Life.

The Film Industry of my land is like my grandfather.?The Film Industry of foreign land is PINK. This classic movie conveyed a clear message to one and all without mincing words - 'No Means No'.

When you don't respond to your visitors at all or without a clear 'Yes or No', you are perceived as high-headed or unprofessional and your image management takes the hit. A businessman can be inaccessible only at his own peril. It's not the inherent nature of any business. Yes, he may be forgetful, big, busy or didn't find the visitor interesting enough for his investment but a 2 second response of a clear 'No' can do you a world of good than harm. This neither kill hopes of your visitors nor their time but makes them respect your transparency, do better and move on with life saving your coordinates forever (read visitors as people pitching projects or exploring business deals).

A lot of guys from Indian Film World, rather Media & Entertainment Sector, are usually under a misconception that being the largest and most glamorous film industry across the world, every Indian is dying to be a part of them . Have they heard of a saying - 'The door swings both ways'? In the time of cheap data, huge visibility, fractured audience, overflow of content and unlimited avenues, the couch of Muhammad Jalaluddin Akbar is no more a bed of roses. You see, if the Mountain doesn't go to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the Mountain but he won't wait if the Mountain is indifferent. That's neither courteous nor good business sense. As an Indian storyteller across all mediums, I am yet to come across a deal with foreigners where they have belittled by ignoring me without a clear 'Yes or No' - you get what you see. That's professional, respectable and the relationship doesn't ruin. The mighty lion doesn't know when he may need the mouse but a sensible businessman knows that every business runs on the policy of Quid Pro Quo - isn't it?

If you think that by ignoring or not clearly responding, you are keeping the door and hopes open - you are silently negotiating a good deal - you are valuing your investments - you are exploring better options - you are smarter and bigger than your visitor then Milord, you are burning bridges with the Muhammads out there. Muhammad won't visit the Mountain anymore and the Mountain would be forgotten rather than being a tourist spot.

NO IS GOOD !

STORY AND IMAGE ? - That Storyteller - Major Akhill Pratap (v)