Nivedita Basu: It’s not easy to make it in show business, but I don’t think I’ve ever had any doubts about doing it.
6 min readShow business has its own peaks and downs. It is a fact that there is work often and that there is not always. All does not achieve the same level of performance. Many people become delusional about their decision as a result of all of this. Nivedita Basu, a writer, producer, and director, agrees that this profession is fraught with uncertainty, but she is secure in her decision to pursue it.
“It’s not easy to make a living in this business, but I don’t think I’ve ever had any doubts about going into it. The artistry behind the camera has always piqued my curiosity. Fortunately for me, I don’t believe there has ever been a shortage of jobs. All I had to do now was keep working hard to create good content,” she adds who is going to come up with der first film Tandoor.
Many people have mentioned how, given the complexities in this sector, it’s beneficial to have a backup plan when working here. During the pandemic, some actors have also stopped acting and returned to their other professions. Basu, on the other hand, had never considered a career change. Although this is a wise decision, she believes that with the advent of OTT and the rise in job prospects, it no longer matters.
“From the early 2000s to the early 2010s, we just knew a few actors and there were just a few shows and films, but now there is so much going on in all mediums. Everyone has a lot of work to do. So, I don’t think it matters right now. When it comes to actors leaving the industry, I don’t believe it’s solely because they haven’t been paid their dues; there are other factors at play. Not to mention the fact that surviving in a city like Mumbai is difficult… “Sometimes a lot of people get a reality check that if it didn’t happen in five years, it won’t happen in ten years either,” she explains. “While some take a break to work on their craft in the hopes of making a comeback, others quit the industry, Actors have gone into business for themselves and make a lot of money from endorsements. Do you think celebrity names help a company, whether it’s their own or someone else’s? “ Today, we’re glued to social media. Someone like my mother is just interested in the quality and quantity of a product, not the celebrity who is the brand’s face. When it comes to social media, the brand matters more than the image and the quality of the product. Ordinary people value their money, but they are also influenced by celebrities endorsing it. So, yeah, social media influencers have had a significant impact,” she says.
We also inquire if Basu believes that tying a celebrity’s name to a company raises people’s expectations. “I believe it does. I’ve seen a lot of companies collaborate with well-known people to make their brands work. The majority of people who have gone into alternative businesses have not really spent money; rather, it is their face value that counts. Only go for it if you believe you have the ability to do this successfully and the ability to affect others, because not everybody succeeds here,” she says.