Content provider for all

His career in the media industry began not by choice, but by chance. A summer job, to be precise, at Prime Sports in 1996. Deepak Dhar, Managing Director of Endemol India, says: "That summer hasn't gotten over yet for me." He joined Endemol in 2005 as creative director.

"Till about two years ago, we were known here only for our big reality shows—Fear Factor, Big Boss, Laughter Challenge to name a few. But, then we realised that we must do fiction shows to survive. Today we have two fiction shows on STAR Plus and STAR One and are working on a third," he adds.

The toughest challenge has been to create content in regional languages. "The challenge came when we were creating the big-ticket show called Deal aa no Deal aa in Tamil for Sun TV. "Here was a market that was so different, a culture so different.... It was extremely difficult but I am glad we turned it into a successful show," he adds.

Endemol is looking forward to creating content for every little specific market for India and take it across to different languages. Dhar says: "My aim is to be known as a 360 degree content provider in India."

Deepak Dhar, 35, MD, Endemol India

• EXPERIENCE: With MTV as a senior producer, then with STAR TV as Group Head of Programming from 2001-05. Then Endemol.
• 'AHA' MOMENT: When Big Boss was pitted against soaps and became a Monday-Friday daily show.
• MANAGEMENT STYLE: Go with the gut feel, roll up your sleeves and get work done.