Name: Sukhdev

Designation: Singer

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Educational Experience
I took up music professionally at the early age of 15. I began playing keyboards and went on to programme entire songs by myself. Having acquired my early musical knowledge in light Indian and Western music through different experienced teachers, I later studied "Music Production & Performance" in East Berkshire College in the UK.

Professional Experience
The major break: Having developed skills in singing, music composition and direction, I first came to India in January 1999. Quick to realise that Bhangra being the flavour of the youth, my core audience, I signed on to T-Series to release my debut Punjabi pop album Solva Saal to break into the Indian market.

This extremely successful 'Platinum' album, was completely written, composed & arranged by me all by myself. MTV chose me as their Ubharta Sitarain July 1999. This was followed by a series of live performances all over India, which showcased my complete personality and I was accepted by audiences all-over as a 100 per cent entertainer.

Spurred by the success of 'Solva Saal', I teamed up with ace music director Jaidev & lyricist Dev Kohli to release another bhangra album Kudi Tu India Di on T-series music label in early 2001. With a video shot by the famous Anubhav Sinha Productions, this album too was well accepted and appreciated by the media and masses alike.

Latest album-New Avataar: Though my 'roots' are in Bhangra-Pop I did not want to limit myself but instead use my skills as a complete musician to the fullest. With this in mind, I decided to completely self-arrange and produce my third album, where I pay homage to some of my favourite evergreen Hindi classics, which I grew up on.

I have reworked on giving them a contemporary flavor and vibrancy that would appeal to the sensibilities of the new generation. Besides, having sung in 10 different languages in the past, I decided to sing these songs in the language of today's youth 'Hinglish', which would also help me connect with Indian youths world-wide and help spread my wings into the international market! The album, released by Crescendo Music in January 2003 titled My Heart Is Beating has already received a great response at music shops across India besides being No 1 on the Channel [V] charts.

The video on the title track has been directed by Anant Mahadevan, the famous TV actor and now film director (Dil Vil Pyar Vyar). The other reworked gems on the album are Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi si, Pucho na yaar kya hua, Mere Saamne Wali Khidki Mein, Sanam Teri Kasam, Jahan Teri Yeh Nazar Hai, Chandni Raatein. This refreshing album promises to be a sure-fire hit which will make everyone listen to it again and again because of its simple emphatic lyrics and new wave of dance rhythms.

My experimentative streak coupled with my ability to reinvent myself and to understand the pulse of the youth will ensure that my new album will appeal to my core audience. Leading music channel B4U Music had chosen me as Singer of the Nation for the month of January 2003.

Live act: I gave my first live performance at the tender age of 19 and since then have performed in several countries including UK, Spain, Portugal, Germany, UAE, Tanzania and Uganda. Once popular as a one-man band (playing three keyboards, two drum machines, two sequencers and of course, my vocal chords simultaneously), I earned the sobriquet of being a stylish, young performer, famous for getting the audiences totally 'involved' in my shows - by occasionally breaking the "security code" and getting into the audience area and dancing with them or even bringing the audiences onstage to dance with me. I have my roots in Jullandhar, also have the widest range of songs for live shows, a glimpse of which is shown below:

Popular new Hindi film songs such as Na, Na, Na Re (Mrityudaata), Sona Sona (Major Saab), Tera Rang Balle Balle (Soldier), Tote Tote (Bichoo) and Kudiyan Sheher Diyan (Arjun Pandit).

At shows, my most popular songs from hit albums include Solva Saal, My Heart Is Beating, Mere Saamne Wali Khidki Mein and Kudi Tu India Di.

Not forgetting my roots, I also sing some traditional Punjabi hits such as Tutak Tutak, Gur Nal Ishq Mitha, Rail Gaddi. I also entertain audiences with Punjabi hits of my contemporaries such as Daler Mehndi's Bolo Tara Rara, Dardi Rab Rab, Ho Jayegi Balle Balle, Harbhajan Maan's Oye Hoye, Hansraj Hans' Dil Chori Sada, Sukhbir's Gal Ban Gayee & Ishq. I also sing non-Punjabi numbers, including Hindi Pop (Lift Kara De), Old Hindi Film hits (Roop Tera Mastana), International hits (Nari Nari & Habibi) & New Hindi film hits (You Are My Sohniya & Le Gayi Le Gayi) depending on the target audience.

Job Profile
Singer/musician who has been proclaimed as "ubartha hua sitara" by MTV, Channel [V] and B4U. (Sukhdev, a teenage prodigy, also has two major achievements to his name, one that of performing in ten different languages (including Spanish, Portuguese, Swahili and Arabic) and the other of having performed at a New Year's eve concert for over eight hours!).

Five years from now
I believe that Indian music will become global and western musicians will imbibe Indian influences. Fusion will play an important role and several Indianised tunes are becoming popular in UK's clubs. I see a lot of Indian artistes using English lyrics to make their mark globally. Ricky Martin used English lyrics despite having won acclaim in his home country. AR Rahman is working with Michael Jackson and Shania Twain will working with Hari Prasad Chaurasia. I myself will be in the thick of intense activity - always experimenting and producing great sounds.

Hobbies
Apart from music, I love watching movies and comedy shows on TV. I love fast cars, enjoy playing pool and snooker. I also love traveling to different places and countries. In India, I remember going to Benares and was fascinated by eight year old boys who have become yogis and sadhus. I am also fascinated by the response of people in interiors such as Kandwa and Ratlam to artistes like me.

Name: Palki Malhotra

Designation: Executive Producer - UTV

Sun Sign: Pisces, 28 February 1978

Educational Experience
BA in English Literature from Mithibai College, Mumbai.

Professional Experience
I was in advertising initially. I worked in an ad agency, called Facts, as a Production Executive. Then I joined UTV as an Assistant Director and worked on fiction shows like Swaraaj (DD), Waaris and Hip Hip Hurray (Zee). Then I became an Assistant Executive Producer and worked on a serial called Sarhadein. At present I am the Executive Producer for UTV and am working on Kehta Hai Dil which airs on Star Plus.

Job Profile
I'm an Executive Producer with UTV. I have to be the master of all trades. My basic job profile includes managing everything on the sets from A to Z. I can't be ignorant about anything. I have to know each and everything about each and every one on the sets.

Television as career choice
I started my career in television in 1997. I was always interested in television. When I got into this industry there were no double standards like there are in the film industry.

Palki with Shagufta Ali and Smita Bhansal

Current Television scenario
The present day television scenario is really improving. The audience today wants to see something beyond the saas-bahu sagas. And there has been a conscious effort by the channels to give them what they want.

Right and wrong about current Television scenario
There is nothing like right and wrong in the industry. If a serial gets a high TRP, the formula is right and if it doesn't, the formula is wrong. The most important thing here is to believe in what you do. One also has to change according to the needs of the audience. So, a lot of things have to be kept in mind for a particular thing to be right in the television industry.

Five years from now
Five years from now I see myself as an individual producer.

Hobbies
I love dancing.

Idea of enjoyment
My idea of enjoyment is dancing. It gives me immense happiness and pleasure.

Name: Abir Goswami

Job Profile: Actor

Sun Sign: Aries, 14th April 1975

Educational Experience
My elementary education was from different places throughout India like Bihar, Nagpur and Rajasthan due to the nature of my father's job requirements.

I've done my MBA (marketing) from Lala Lajpath Rai Institute.

Professional Experience
After I did my MBA I worked for Videocon in the Internal Audit Department for three months. Then I worked for Indian Express Group in the Circulation Department that managed events and promotions. After that I moved on to BPL Mobile and worked there as an Assistant Manager in the Corporate Sales Department.

Being very passionate about acting, I did theater when I got the opportunity. My first play was Basant Ki Raat Mein which was directed by Bhupen Deshmukh. I started my stint in television in the year 2000, but for the first four months there was no work and like any other newcomer I was making the rounds of the offices of the producers and channels.

TV serials: I got my first break from the serial Aahat. I also did a couple of other serials like Daddy Samjha Karo and CID. Presently I'm working in Kittie Party and Miit. I've also played small roles in serials like Kkusum, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kamal, Manthan (Neena Gupta Productions), Parchaiyaan (Sahara TV), Aasha Ki Kiran (ETV). I got a lot of recognition with a negative character I played in Kabhi Sautan Kabhi Saheli.

Feature films: I played the character of Phanindranath Ghosh in Raj Kumar Santoshi's The Legend of Bhagat Singh. Initially I was chosen to play the character of Ajay Ghosh but the makers found a more suitable look alike of the character and hence I was given to play the character of a freedom fighter who turns traitor. I was a little apprehensive to play a negative role in a period film but in the end it all turned out well for me.

I've just completed shooting for Ram Gopal Verma Production's Darna Mana Hai, directed by Praval Pandey. The movie is in its post-production stages and will hit the theaters in April.

Television as career choice
A career in television today is very tough. Those days of stardom have gone and it's not like it was before. Now with more and more channels and production houses coming up there is no dearth of people entering the industry. I am an MBA but I was always interested in acting and it's only because of that passion for acting that I am where I am and not in an office behind a desk.

Current Television scenario
I have been in this industry for the last two years or so and I can't remember any bad experience as such till date with anybody in the industry. At the end of the day I have always got my money. Sometimes it may come late but it comes for sure. Gayatri Telesoft, Neo-Films, Balaji Telefilms are a few good paymasters. Everyone is very cooperative.

Right and wrong about current television scenario
In this industry where there are highly talented people, there are also hordes of short- sighted and egoistic people. And because of them the deserving people don't get their due and recognition. There are many good and talented makers but again they are not getting a break because of the monopoly of some.

The position that I am in today, frankly, there is nothing I can do. At present my primary concern is to carve a niche for myself in this industry and work my way towards establishing myself in this industry. One has to be in a position of power to bring about a change. Right now, I don't think I am in that position.

Five years from now
Five years from now I want to be established as an actor and do more meaningful roles. I want people to remember me as a good actor.

Hobbies
I love playing cricket. I also enjoy singing. In fact, I have learnt classical singing. The thing I love doing the most is going away from Mumbai to a hill station with a few friends and forgetting everything else. I love watching movies and I'm a total movie buff.

Idea of enjoyment
My idea of enjoyment is being in a state where I forget myself and my work and all my problems. I love to sit with my friends and laugh and forget all worries. Also as I mentioned earlier I love to travel. That's my idea of enjoyment.

Name: Jaikishin Chhaproo

Designation: Manager - Group Media - Godrej Consumer Products

Sun Sign: Leo, 13 August 1973

Educational Experience
Bachelor of Engineering (Instrumentation) - 1994. Vivekanand Education Society's Institute of Technology (VESIT), Bombay University.

Post Graduate Program in Management Studies (Marketing) - 1997. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research (SIMSR), Bombay.

Professional Experience
Joined R.K. Engineering in 1994 as Sales Engineer - Designing & Marketing of Control Valves & related accessories.

Joined Plus Channel early 1997 handling media research & acquisitions of serials & movies marketed by Plus.

Joined Wipro Consumer Care in Feb. 1999 as Manager - Media, handling the media requirements for brands like Santoor, Wipro Baby Care, Wipro Corporate Identity (Sunflower logo).

Joined Godrej Consumer Products Ltd in June 2001 as Manager - Group Media.

Job Profile
Handling media for Cinthol, ColourSoft, FairGlow, Godrej No. 1, Godrej Ezee etc. Besides this I coordinate for the media requirements for Group Companies Godrej Sara Lee, Godrej Foods, and Godrej Agrovet (Real Good Chicken).

Marketing as career choice
After doing my engineering, I joined a marketing firm- R.K. Engineering and worked for a year only to realize that I could not do this for the rest of my life. I opted to study further and so decided to do my MBA and joined Somaiya. I was actually planning to specialise in Finance.

Somewhere then I firmed my mind and decided to seriously consider Marketing as the field and make a career in Media. Maybe it was based on the down trend in the finance sector.

Once my mind was made - all roads ahead were towards a career in advertising. Be it my projects or summers. I would actually approach agencies and interact with client servicing heads and media directors to understand the various facets in advertising.

Must surely take this opportunity to thank all those good Samaritans. A very special mention to Ms Sumita Das - who was very helpful. Thank You Sumita.

Current Marketing scenario
Thankfully the market for most categories has revived close to normalcy. Unlike a few years back when all we could hear and see was recession. Every other person was jumping onto the dot com jamboree. As far as the categories I have worked on - the market will take maybe a year to two years to start showing a positive swing.

Right and wrong about the current marketing scenario
The marketers have pampered the consumer and spoiled his/her purchase behavior. I think we have taken "Customer is the King" a bit too literally.

Where is the (loyal) consumer? Have you seen one lately?? The consumers are today loyal to brands offering them gold coins, foreign trips etc?? Till Stocks last.

Five years from now
Buying Media.

Hobbies
Fishes. I have an aquarium at my place. I keep adding more fishes almost each week. Besides this, while traveling I usually prefer to move with a book. I usually enjoy fiction and have read all the books of Sidney Sheldon and Jeffery Archer. Currently I am enjoying the collection of Ken Follet. Besides this I enjoyed Why Men Don?t Listen and Women Can't Read Maps. The Alchemist is my favourite book.

Idea of enjoyment
Usually try to spend weekends with my family and plan weekend outings with my wife.

Name: Richa Nayyar Job

Profile: Actress

Sun Sign: Gemini, 24 May 1978

Educational Experience
Honours in English from Punjab University (Government College for Girls, Chandigarh).

Post Graduation from National School of Drama, Delhi (1998-2001)

Learnt theater from the Academy Theater, Atlanta, Georgia in the United States for two years.

Film Appreciation Course from Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune.

Professional Experience
I've been doing theater for the last 17-18 years. After my course in FTII, I came to Bombay in 2001.

Serials: I've worked in serial like Sach (Doordarshan), Hakeekat (Sahara), Amaanat, Aap Jo Bole Haan To Haan?Aap Jo Bole Na To Na, Kamal and Astitva (Zee), Sssh?Koi Hai and Sanjeevani (Star Plus), Hakeempur.com (ETV Urdu) and Aasha Ki Kiran (ETV Hindi).

Films: I've done this film called Dharini produced by the Films Division which should release within the next two months. I've also worked in an Indo-French film called Hawaa Aane Do which is in its post-production stages and should release by July this year. Then I've acted in a short film made by FTII called Until the Next Dawn. I also have four corporate films to my credit.

Television as career choice
I've always wanted to do theater. My dad (Sewak Nayyar) has his own theater group called 'Yavanika Theater Group' and so I've always been actively involved in theater. Television has been my second priority. But today television is the most popular platform for anyone's claim to fame. I'm not made for films and I don't even think I'm heroine material and I rather do performance oriented roles than dance around trees in movies!!

Current Television scenario
The television scenario today is changing and also revolutionising as new TV programmes with new ideas are coming up. You can't fool the audience anymore by showing them anything. The audience is now fed-up of the saas-bahu sagas. Their viewpoint is broadening and television today provides a better insight to them. And soon the television scenario is going to change even more.

Right and wrong about current Television scenario
It's a very subjective question. Something that I think is right; my mom may think it to be wrong. So one can't really define what is right and wrong about the current television scenario. Personally if you ask me, I don't like the saas-bahu family dramas that are shown on television.

Five years from now
Five years down the line I see myself doing just theater if I don't do anything bigger and better in television or I see myself as a very big star on television.

Hobbies
I love singing, swimming and traveling. It's a different thing that today because of my work commitments I can't travel as much as I did initially.

Idea of enjoyment
I love watching films, not the typical masala films but more on the lines of offbeat cinema and art films. I love the movie made by director Akira Kurosawa called Red Beard. More recently, I've liked Mr. and Mrs. Iyer and Freaky Chakra. I would love to act in movies of this genre.

Name: Pavan Chawla

Designation: Manager, Public Relations - MAX

Sun Sign: Capricorn, 9 January 1960

Educational Experience:
Arts graduate in Economics, Public Administration and English, and enjoyed my college years thanks to excessive extracurricular activities like dramatics, music and volleyball. Which also yielded a second class in the aggregate, but then in MA-I English Literature, I was third in the merit list in Panjab University, Chandigarh.

Professional Experience
Twelve years of print and electronic media experience, which breaks down to: PR & Journalism: six and a half years Electronic Entertainment Media: five and a half years.

Executive Editor, Zee Entertainment Guide (October 1994 to April 1995) - Worked with Rajat Sharma on The Guide. I managed the content, wrote for, edited and designed the entire magazine. Took the guide to the newsstands in Bombay, New Delhi and Ahmedabad. The Zee Entertainment Guide had a print order of 400,000 copies!!

Four Years with The Times of India Group. Magazine Coordinator, E-Times. (February 1994 to September1994) - Managed content, wrote for, edited and designed this entertainment guide. Was involved along with Bharat Kumar Raut and Arun Arora in the conceptualization, dummies and the final launch of E-Times from Bombay, New Delhi, Calcutta and Bangalore.

Senior Feature Writer & Sub Editor, The Metropolis on Saturday (March 1993 to February 1994). The Metropolis was Bombay's up-market weekly news- and features-based 'paper. My specialization was News and Features, particularly Lifestyle, TV & Film Entertainment, Indian and Western film and popular music, and leisure in general. Worked with Bachi Karkaria, Bharatkumar Raut, Ayaz Memon, Shashi Baliga, and Carole Andrade. I handled both, news and features pages such as the Front Page, Cinema, Leisure and Nostalgia, and the City, Nation and World news pages. Was also the in-house music and food critic.

Feature Writer & Sub Editor, The Independent and The Metropolis (July 1992 to February 1993) - Was part of the team that created and shaped The Metropolis on Saturday.

Sub Editor - The Independent (November 1990 to June 1992) - Pritish Nandy's ad had said in 150 points: "Pritish Nandy will train 12 bright young journalists." Well, I was one of them! Slaved at the News desk, which is where you develop a news sense. Handled all news pages, and contributed extensively to the news and features pages. Worked with Anil Dharker, Pritish Nandy and Nitin Padte.

Freelance contributions - Extensively for Saturday Times, The Illustrated Weekly, Sunday Mid-day, Mid-day, The Independent and other publications. Have been music and food critic for Femina, The Illustrated Weekly, The Independent, The Metropolis on Saturday and E-Times.

Concurrent with my job at the Times, I was news reporter for Vinod Dua's Parakh for a while in 1993, and also had the first Top Ten show of English songs in the country on All India Radio FM way back in 1988. Received great help from Shashi Gopal, Suresh Thomas, Bashir Sheikh, Parag Kamani and Atul Churamani of Magnasound, Vijay Lazarus of Music India, V.T. Ravi and Meena Iyer of HMV, and R.V. Pandit of CBS for this. They'd give me rights to air the songs on AIR without a royalty payment!

In 1993, on the day of the launch of Times FM in India (15 August 1993) one of the shows on air was researched, written and presented by me - a rockumentary on Michael Jackson, with Irshwin Balwani. Those were fun days!

My Programming & Production stint with cable & satellite (C&S) TV was with Sony Entertainment Television, from September 1995 to mid-June 2000, during which time I worked my way from Production Executive to Senior Executive Producer and then Head of the Friday PMU. My job was to creatively and strategically manage shows for content and promotional activity.

Through my tenure, some of the shows I handled became the biggest in C&S in India, and included Aahat and CID. I also worked on several other shows including Kanyadaan, Family No. 1, Mahayagya, Take Five, Tujh Pe Dil Qurbaan, Hum Aapke Hain Countdown, C.A.T.S., The Rasoi Show, India Magic and Cover Story.

I've also written several shows like Kanyadaan, CATS, Jagjit Singh's Revival concert, Archana Puran Singh's Celebrating India, and co-written with Rishi Talwar, a feature film starring Sanjay Dutt, Shamita Shetty and Chandrachur Singh, called Mohabbat Ho Gayi Hai Tumse. For five years, I was Sony Entertainment Television's male voice for on-air promos.

My journalism experience helped me in handling the election news specials in the Chunav Chunauti series of 10-minute bulletins in 1998 that ran for three days, and were hosted by Vinod Dua and Mark Tully, and produced for us by TV 18 in New Delhi.

Current Job profile and Designation
I'm Manager, Public Relations for MAX, the premier Movies and Events channel from Sony Entertainment Television India Pvt Ltd. I drive PR for every MAX programming and business initiative including MAX corporate in the media marketplace through print and electronic media, targeting all our valued viewers and business associates.

I drive PR for the biggest acquisition in Indian television history - the C&S rights to all the ICC Limited Overs Cricket tournaments for six years all the way to 2007 and an ICC Trophy. I target print, Internet and electronic media regardless of language and location across India. Equally, I also drive PR across the country for MAX's other mega entertainment genre, Hindi Movies.

Television as career choice
I'd already been with The Times of India group for four years, and if anything seemed bigger and more mass than print journalism, it was Television. I got into Sony Entertainment Television a month before it launched in 1995 the opportunity and the challenge were huge as it was the 37th or 38th channel in India then.

The goal was to break through the clutter, get noticed and established as a channel that provided complete family entertainment, and within a couple of years of our launch, we had arrived at the top spot, with the biggest shows in television history!

It's as dynamic as print or any other kind of journalism - you're only as good as your last episode or byline. And more creative too. That hasn't changed. In fact, today, it's even more dynamic, and constantly challenging. I've been fortunate, but I'm proud of two things: the TOI and the Sony Entertainment Television pedigree.

Current Television scenario
Not as cluttered as it was, thankfully, but far more organized and intensely competitive.

Right and wrong about current television scenario
What's right about present day television - I think style, look and feel is up there? but we've lost out on variety in content. With so many daily soaps, somewhere the vibrancy of variety has lost out.

Earlier, there were so many many different talents and genres, but I guess it's all part of evolution and we'll say some day, "Wow, that was some phase, but thank God it's over!"

Five years from now
Retired, in Hawaii, writing, playing the percussion, composing music on my computer, scouring the net, working on my websites, reading W Somerset Maugham's recommended 100 Best Books of all time and watching all the great movies I missed or want to watch again. Just chilling out.

Hobbies
I just mentioned some above? as for the rest, maybe this isn't the right forum.

Idea of enjoyment
There you go again!