A fair work environment is not just about equality, but about equity: Anuja Trivedi

Adgully has consistently celebrated and acknowledged the accomplishments of women entrepreneurs and leaders in various sectors. One of our notable initiatives, W-SUITE, focuses on highlighting extraordinary women achievers in the Media & Entertainment, Advertising, Marketing, PR, and Communications industry. In this updated series, we aim to explore how women leaders adeptly manage their teams and overcome challenges in the dynamic landscape of their respective industries.

In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Anuja Trivedi, CMO, Shemaroo Entertainment, speaks about the the key developments, marketing approach to broadcast and OTT platforms, the progress of women in the M&E industry, mantra for successfully achieving work-life balance, how organisations can create an empowering work environment for women, and more.

It’s been almost one and half years since you joined Shemaroo. What have been the key developments that you have led during this period?

Shemaroo is a 61-year-old organization, so we have a legacy in the media industry. However, when it comes to direct-to-consumer (D2C) business, we are like a five-year-old startup. We’ve been a big player in the media industry for decades, but in the D2C space, we are relatively new and small. People knew us back in the video cassette days, then we transitioned to a B2B model, and now we have new dreams in the D2C space.

The reason I joined Shemaroo was to help build that connection with consumers, build the brand, and drive consumer-centricity for Shemaroo and its various sub-brands and products. We’re working to own that consumer relationship and earn consumer love. Even though Shemaroo has a rich history, our D2C journey is only about four or five years old, and there’s still a long road ahead.

Now, coming to your question about what I’ve accomplished since joining: there’s been a lot. Let me start with our broadcast segment. When I joined, we had just launched our fourth channel, a GEC (General Entertainment Channel) focused on the youth segment. Initially, we were primarily airing syndicated content acquired from other channels. But now, we’ve also started producing original content for Shemaroo Umang, catering specifically to our audience’s preferences.

In terms of understanding our consumers better, we’ve also worked on developing detailed pen portraits of our audience to truly grasp their tastes and preferences. This understanding has helped shape our new content slate. We’ve just refreshed our content, and now we have two new shows on ‘Shemaroo Umang’, built around our deeper understanding of what our viewers want. This is just the beginning, and we have a long way to go in this space.

Moving on to ShemarooMe, our core D2C offering. ShemarooMe houses all our legacy IP and content, including over a thousand movies. We are also leaders in Gujarati content. Our goal is to make ShemarooMe the go-to brand for Gujarati audiences. The challenge is not just to create a viable business, but also to build awareness and communicate the value proposition we bring to the table in this market.

However, we face an interesting challenge – while Gujaratis are proud of their culture, they often prefer watching content in Hindi rather than Gujarati. Our task is to rekindle their pride in Gujarati and show them the value of Gujarati content on ShemarooMe.

Earlier this year, we ran a slate campaign, where we shifted from promoting individual content pieces to showcasing everything that would be available in the next three months. This gave consumers a clear picture of what they could expect. We also recently launched a beautiful campaign for ‘Hellaro’. It’s not tied to specific content, but it highlights the importance of Gujarati content in people’s lives. Looking ahead, we have a major brand campaign lined up for the October-December quarter, but I can’t reveal much just yet – you’ll have to wait and see!

What is your marketing approach to your broadcast and OTT platforms?

As I mentioned, we are a very new player when it comes to broadcast. While broadcast has been around for 25 to 30 years, especially in the private broadcasting sector, Shemaroo has only been in this space for about four or five years. We primarily cater to middle and rural India, focusing on regions like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

Our first goal is to understand our audience, giving them the stories they love and providing them with characters that they find aspirational and inspiring. Through this, we aim to build the brand – to make it stand for something meaningful and ensure that it becomes important in our consumers’ lives. That means understanding who they are, what challenges they face, and what kind of protagonists they would love to see. This is our approach when it comes to broadcast.

As for ShemarooMe, our objective is clear: to become the most loved brand among Gujaratis, both in Gujarat and beyond.

When it comes to Shemaroo as an overall brand, the work has just begun. If you ask people today what Shemaroo represents, many will still associate it with video cassettes and DVDs. However, there is so much more to us. We have been home to some of the best Bollywood movies ever made, including Jab We Met, Amar Akbar Anthony, and Welcome.

The challenge is that people don’t yet know that we have broadcast channels, or they aren’t fully aware of ShemarooMe. Our motto is India Khush Hua, and we are striving to bring that to life across all platforms. The journey to make Shemaroo front and center in the lives of consumers has only just begun, and this is in line with the broader strategy of the organization for the next three to five years.

One significant step in this direction is the complete revamp of our website. It is now very D2C-focused and designed with a media-first approach. We launched the new website in June, and I’d love for you to take a look at it.

As a woman leader, what are your observations on the progress of women in the M&E industry?

I believe, and I often hear, that there are many industries where the percentage of women is low. However, I think the media and entertainment industry has been quite fortunate in having a significant number of women in the workforce. For example, at Shemaroo, 25% of our workforce consists of women. In my own marketing team, that number has always been above 30%. If you look at our content and storytelling division, whether when I was at Disney or now at Shemaroo, there are more women in that area than men.

I believe this makes a big difference because, when you’re telling stories, a significant portion of your core consumer base is women. It helps to have women who understand that perspective and can tell those stories more authentically. The media and entertainment industry has a fantastic group of women leaders and many role models, but, of course, there is still much more to be done.

When you look at women in leadership roles, particularly at the helm of organizations, that number starts to shrink rapidly. There are still more men at the very top, and I would love to see that change.

Do you think there still exists some pay disparity in the industry as far as women are concerned?

It’s difficult to say definitively. I mean, if you look at the statistics, then probably yes. I think this disparity also stems from the fact that, fortunately or unfortunately, the way life evolves for women versus men is quite different. Women often need to take breaks for maternity or to care for their children, and sometimes they switch to part-time work. Additionally, women tend to jump between organizations less frequently than men. If they’re comfortable, they often prefer to stay in the same place because they’ve earned credibility there, while also balancing multiple responsibilities outside of work.

This might contribute to the issue of pay disparity. However, I would hope that this is slowly changing, and that individuals are increasingly being compensated for what they bring to the table, rather than for how their career trajectories have unfolded.

Yes, we hear that these disparities exist, but I hope they decrease over time. Ideally, pay and career advancement should be based on what you contribute to the organization, rather than the number of hours you spend in the office.

It should really come down to the value you bring, how collaboratively you work, how well you fit within the overall dynamics of the organization, and how comfortable you are disagreeing with your supervisors. These are the factors that should determine your success and recognition.

Recent incidents of the deaths of an EY executive and an employee of a bank due to overwork have put the focus on toxic work environment. How can the industry address this and take remedying measures?

I can only speak for the organizations I’ve been part of – Shemaroo right now, and Disney previously, as those are the two places I’ve worked in the last ten years. In my experience, there has always been respect for work-life balance. In fact, I think the media industry, in general, has been quite good in this regard, which might explain why there are a lot of women who continue to thrive in this field. Overall, the work hours are more manageable.

Is there pressure? Of course. We’re telling stories every day, engaging with our audience, and selling ad spots. But what Covid taught us is that work can be done from anywhere, anytime. When you give people flexibility, understand their needs, and respect the boundaries they set, it’s possible to maintain a good work-life balance. I believe the media and entertainment industry has, for the most part, figured out how to manage this balance better than industries like consulting or finance.

The pressure exists, but you don’t need to stay late or be in a specific location to handle it. Creativity and problem-solving can happen anywhere, at any time. In my opinion, we’ve never had a situation where one person is doing the work of one-and-a-half people. We don’t believe in understaffing or overloading individuals. Instead, we want a person to take ownership of a show, and we encourage collaboration – having two or three people brainstorming together only makes the content better.

This approach contributes to a better work-life balance, in my opinion. Of course, exceptions exist, as they do in every industry. We’ve all had long nights or all-nighters, but these should remain rare, with a clear and justified reason. Importantly, once the deadline is met, the expectation should not be to return to that intense level of work.

What is your mantra for successfully balancing work and personal life?

I think my mantra for successfully balancing both personal and professional life is to make everyone my champion. I reach out and seek help anywhere and everywhere. I have a twelve-year-old daughter, but I’ve made my spouse my champion, my parents my champions, my bosses my champions, my peers my champions, and my teams my champions. Everyone around me is aware of my situation, of what I bring to the table, and I make them part of my success. As a result, they have no choice but to help me get there.

That’s how I view it – everyone plays a role in my success, including my daughter. I believe that if you reach out, seek help, and make yourself vulnerable and open about your situation, both personally and professionally, people will step up. Whenever I’ve been honest about what I’m going through, whether at work or in my personal life, I’ve found that help has always been forthcoming. Being vulnerable and transparent about my situation has helped me professionally with my colleagues, bosses, peers, and teams, and personally with those who are willing to step in and take on some of the load when I need it. I couldn’t ask for more.

The RG Kar hospital incident also brought under sharp focus the safety of women at the workplace. In your opinion, how can organizations create an empowering work environment for women?

I think there are a couple of key points to address. First, let me quickly talk about basic safety and hygiene. Then, I’ll discuss how to make the workplace even better for women.

When it comes to safety and hygiene, there must be zero tolerance for any form of mistreatment, and I use “Me Too” as a broad term here. Whether it’s physical or mental mistreatment, there has to be absolute zero tolerance. That’s the first thing.

The second point is related to logistics, especially in the creative field. Our team members often need to go to sets for shoots, which are sometimes far away. Basic things like providing a company car should be in place, and this applies to both men and women, but especially for women. If someone is on a company shoot, they should feel safe getting to and from the location.

If they are staying late – whether it’s their choice or the demand of the job – the individual and their family should feel confident that they are in a safe work environment and will return home safely. Families should not have to worry or lose sleep over their loved one’s safety. These basic safety measures and respect toward women should be non-negotiable.

Beyond that, creating a fair work environment that supports women should be standard. It’s not just about equality, but about equity. We should respect equality, but when evaluating merit, it’s important not to excuse or overlook performance because someone is a woman. It should be based on pure merit while also being flexible and understanding of their needs.

For example, if a new mother needs to take two hours off to tend to her child and then pick up work later, that flexibility should be there. Such understanding should extend to the entire team. It shouldn’t be that male team members feel resentment, thinking, “She gets to leave early, and that’s not fair.” Creating fair policies that apply to everyone helps ensure a positive and equitable work environment.

Additionally, continuing to focus on increasing women’s participation in the organization and giving them a voice is crucial. At Shemaroo, for instance, we have an initiative called “Sisters in Shemaroo”, which is like a women’s group, where we meet every two to three months. We discuss various issues, have workshops, and organize activities like movie clubs or book clubs. This provides a space where women can talk to each other and voice any concerns they might have, rather than keeping them bottled up.

All of this contributes to making the workplace safer and better for women.

As a woman leader, how do you nurture the next rung of women leaders within your organisation?

I think the first important step is being a role model. It involves openly sharing my journey, particularly where I’ve failed, rather than only where I’ve succeeded. It’s important to talk about how every day is a struggle for all of us, no matter what level we’re at.

So, being comfortable with the idea that I am a role model and being open to sharing my experiences with those who can benefit from them is the first point. It’s also about being accessible, not just to the women in my team, but across the organization – whether they want to talk, discuss challenges, or seek advice on their career or handling problems at work.

I am also keen on ensuring equitable opportunities when it comes to hiring women, so we maintain a diverse mix of people on the team. Supporting women through different life stages – whether it’s health-related, parent-related, or child-related challenges – is equally important. Being there to support team members at those points, I believe, is crucial.

All these efforts, when combined, will definitely make a difference.

Do you want to share any projects that you are leading, or if Shemaroo has any upcoming new projects, would you like to talk about them?

On ShemarooMe, we’ve done a slate campaign before. Starting from October 3, 2024, we’re gearing up for the biggest festival in Gujarat, which is Navratri. Our objective is to gift our Gujarati consumers something special during Navratri. We’re launching a big campaign for them – 13 fresh titles in 13 weeks, all in Gujarati, for our Gujarati audience. We’re also releasing a fresh brand film, but  you’ll have to watch this space for more!

We’re kicking off the Navratri season with one of my absolute favourite films, Hellaro. I’m very proud to announce that this national award-winning film will be premiering on ShemarooMe.

As for Shemaroo’s broadcast channels, we’re bringing back one of the country’s favourite programs, Ramayan, which will also be airing during Navratri. We are reintroducing the original Ramayan on Shemaroo TV, and we’re very excited about it.

Additionally, we’ve recently launched two new shows – Shemaroo Umang —Shamshaan Champa and Main dil Tum Dhadkan. Both shows offer a lot of drama and engaging storytelling, which will continue to captivate the audiences.

Moreover, as I mentioned earlier, we’ve revamped our website and have been working on our overall three-year strategy. While the full action plan may not roll out in the next month or two, there are certainly very exciting things ahead!