Omkar set to become director!

A big hit on small screen ( Metro Plus Hyderabad, Jan 02, THE HINDU )

‘Work hard, stay focussed and never let people distract you from your goal,' TV host-producer-director Omkar, set for his Telugu film debut, shares his recipe of success with Neeraja Murthy

His signature side long burns and clean shaven look is intact so is his cheerful nature. Try to strike a conversation with Omkar about his successful stint on the small screen and the king of reality shows brushes it off with a smile. “Success comes to those who dare and I have really worked hard for it. If TRPs are the yardstick to gauge a programme's popularity, the figures of my shows are there for all to see,” says the man who has made virtual nobodies into household names. Confident but not arrogant, Omkar enjoys his success but has not forgotten his humble beginnings, and the soft speak belie the authority this man wields.

Rags-to-riches

Omkar's is the rags-to-riches story which lures dreamers to Hyderabad. “I always wanted to be rich and famous, the one who makes news,” he states. And, the quintessential fields he chose to fulfil his dream revolved around the two passions of Indians – cricket and movies. He was an all-rounder bowling googlies and hitting fours but eventually fell for the charm of movies and vowed to be a director/producer one day. His medical degree in physiotherapy landed him an internship at Medwin Hospitals in Hyderabad and a chance to realise his dream. “My father was aware of my passion so he provided me with an opportunity to visit a movie set and spend time there,” he says. It however proved to be 10-days of disappointment and Omkar returned to his medical profession. “I was upset with the way assistant directors were treated on the sets. And, I realised if I became an assistant director, I will remain that way and no one will ever give me a chance to direct a movie,” he says.

His spontaneity and irrepressible spirit found a new lease in the form of an advertisement in a newspaper. “Aditya Music was looking for anchors and I knew I fulfil their requirements,” he says. The small screen appearances kept his visibility going on the small screen and fetching him new offers. Striking a balance between his doctor and anchor jobs was not difficult as he put his time management skills to best use. The trend of reality TV began and Omkar found his life changing for the better. Keenly competitive, he pulled a few tricks of his own and was quick to know what works. His shows were the ones where controversies seem to emerge at the spur-of-the-moment. If the programmes were criticised for being too ‘gimmicky with lots of melodrama', the shows upped the popularity of the participants and the career of Omkar's. “There is nothing which is scripted or stage-managed in my show. It is all real,” he says confidently.

Reality shows have lit up the screen and Omkar states they will continue to shine if there are new variations. “People will lose interest if they have to just watch a dance programme. If some real drama happens in between shots, what is wrong in showing them? Reality TV has lots of emotions and it keeps the viewers hooked,” he says. The lavish sets or the technical finesse in his shows is hard to miss. “Earlier if a producer spent Rs. 2 lakh on a set, it was a big thing and now I spend around Rs. 12 lakh on a set alone and never compromise on anything including cameras,” says the ‘ACPD' (abbreviation for anchor, conceptualiser, producer and director) .

Before Omkar, TV anchors were predominantly women and his success is special as he was up against some big names of television. His reclusiveness and rare public appearances help in building his image. “I guess some people's goal in life is just to be a TV anchor and they end up being one. Some anchors appear everywhere including film shows and audio releases. I want my persona to be special so I do only my shows.”

From an anchor, he has turned a producer and director for the shows and is constantly devising new ways to retain existing viewers. He is at the helm of affairs at his company OK Entertainment and takes care of all the nitty-gritty issues, including selecting his costumes. His physiotherapy degree comes handy while shooting for different episodes. “Once Raju Sundaram (choreographer and one of the judges in his show) had a sprain and I suggested a few exercises and medicines. I felt quite happy and missed my days as a doctor,” he smiles.

The big change in Omkar's life is his new avatar as a Telugu film director in the New Year and is all set to launch his younger brother as the hero. “I am excited as I am about to fulfil my dream in just four years of my small screen stint. From a nobody, I became the most-sought after person. If I had been an assistant director, how many producers would be even interested to read my script?” he asks.

His TV shows have generated maximum amount of interest and Omkar promises his film will be no different. “My debut film will be in top ten movies and my second movie will be in top five,” he says with utmost confidence. The New Year will be the most important one in Omkar's life and career.

“I hope to fulfil my dreams of being a director and getting married in 2010. Three is my lucky number so I don't think anything will go wrong,” he signs off.

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