Local productions will be the next phase of growth for factual ent in India: Sai Abishek

Warner Bros Discovery has long been a frontrunner in the Indian entertainment landscape, consistently delivering engaging content that resonates with a diverse audience. With an upcoming content slate that promises to blend adventure, survival, and cultural storytelling, the organization aims to captivate viewers with fresh and innovative programming. This new slate includes a mix of returning hits and exciting new franchises, showcasing everything from culinary adventures to historical explorations.

In conversation with Adgully, Sai Abishek, Head of Factual & Lifestyle Cluster, South Asia at Warner Bros Discovery, speaks about the strategic vision behind the new content slate. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to producing world-class storytelling that reflects local narratives while maintaining high production standards. From unique formats like ‘Reality Ranis of the Jungle’ to the expansion of their history genre with projects inspired by acclaimed authors, Warner Bros Discovery is poised to deliver a rich and varied viewing experience that speaks to the heart of Indian culture and interests.

Could you share some highlights from the upcoming content slate and what viewers can expect from the new India originals?

We have a very robust slate coming up, and as you know, we’ve been consistently delivering a wide range of content over the years. Our upcoming slate is no different – it brings together everything we excel at, from adventure, survival, outdoor, food, celebrity reality, history, mythology, and true crime. We have a mix of returning hits and new franchises. One of the recent launches, a couple of weeks ago, is ‘Reality Ranis of the Jungle’. It’s the first time that a format like this has been introduced in India. We’ve taken 12 former reality stars from shows like ‘Bigg Boss’, ‘Splitsvilla’, ‘Roadies’, and ‘Shark Tank’, and placed them in the jungle to survive. It’s very much in line with our global adventure-survival shows. In the first episode itself, contestants are faced with eating raw brains, eyeballs, and testicles, which they didn’t expect! This format blends reality with our signature adventure-survival elements, making it a perfect fit for the Discovery brand.

We’re also launching ‘Star vs. Food Survival Season 2’, following the success of the first season, which featured Ranveer Brar. This season, we’ve made the adventure more organic and included a wider variety of cuisines. Celebrities like Kartik Aaryan, Shriya Saran, Munawar Faruqui, and Shikhar Dhawan will embark on different adventures while foraging and cooking food. Another major highlight is the expansion of our history genre. We’ve cast Rannvijay Singha in an Indiana Jones-style role, where he’ll travel across India, uncovering the mysteries of India’s past – from dinosaurs to the weapons of Mahabharata. In addition, we are launching ‘Legends of Shiva’, inspired by Amish Tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy, after the success of ‘Legends of Ramayana’ with Amish. This time, the series will delve into the lesser-known stories of Lord Shiva. Our crime category is also expanding, with the launch of the second season of ‘Cult’, which will focus on a new cult. Lastly, we are excited to introduce Warner Bros movies and DC series dubbed in Tamil, which is already showing early signs of success in the Tamil market.

What is the strategic vision behind the new content slate, and how does it align with Warner Bros Discovery’s overall goals in the South Asian market?

Our vision and strategy from the outset have been to bring world-class storytelling to India, whether it’s global or local content. The second part of this strategy is to elevate Indian storytelling to a standard that matches the global programming we offer. This means high-quality talent, in-depth research, excellent camera work, and visual effects, along with original scores and music – all the elements that contribute to top-tier production value. That’s why we collaborate with filmmakers like Neeraj Pandey and actors like Manoj Bajpayee for documentaries like ‘Secrets of Sinauli’ and ‘Kohinoor’, as they bring cinematic richness to documentary storytelling, creating a perfect balance between documentary and drama.

Moving forward, our strategy remains focused on investing in local content, but producing it on a global scale. We are seeing Indian content travel across markets like the US, Southeast Asia, and the UK, and we hope that our upcoming slate will achieve similar success globally. It’s about creating content that resonates locally while being universally appealing, ensuring that Indian stories are told with the same high production standards that are expected in international markets.

An internal study highlighted the importance of a brand’s credibility for viewers. How does Warner Bros Discovery plan to enhance its credibility in the non-fiction space?

Going back to what I was saying earlier, we are synonymous with credibility in the market. Discovery has always been known for being trustworthy; you can rely on what we say without question. So, I don’t think we need to prove ourselves further – perhaps other brands might, but we’ve always had this reputation since day one. We’re building on that strong foundation. In other words, we’re standing on the shoulders of giants who have done this work before us, and we’re continuing to enhance that credibility.

One key area of investment is research, especially for our history and crime shows. We spend a lot of time on development and research, ensuring that no stone is left unturned. We thoroughly address the legal aspects, the access, and the research of every piece of programming we commission or acquire. This ensures the robustness and integrity of the final product that you see on our platforms. Credibility is paramount to what we stand for.

Another important aspect is talent. Credibility doesn’t just come from great research; it needs to translate well on TV. Whether it’s Amish, who has a deep understanding of mythology through his writing, or Manoj Bajpayee, who is not only an incredible actor but also a history student – their presence adds a layer of authenticity to our shows. Similarly, Bear Grylls is credible because of what he has achieved throughout his life, and that adds to Discovery’s credibility. Ranveer Brar, an encyclopedia on food, brings instant credibility to a reality show on food survival because of his expertise. This is how we approach credibility – through both meticulous research and credible talent.

How is regionalization playing a role in the growth of content? Could you provide examples of how you’ve adapted global content for local audiences in India?

Regionalization and localization are huge parts of our strategy. Dubbing and subtitling are key to reaching local audiences. Tamil is just one example, it’s a significant market for us. But we’ve been localizing our content long before others entered the market. We have a strong pipeline of studios across the country and the world that handle this process. Discovery content is available in seven languages: English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Kannada, and Malayalam, the latter two launched about four years ago. This is an important part of our strategy – making sure global content doesn’t just get a literal translation, but is infused with local flavour. We use actors who can convey the meaning in a way that resonates with local audiences, even for scientific or foreign-language-heavy content. Accents, phrases, and local nuances are all considered, even for wildlife shows.

Another aspect of localization is casting. When we create shows like ‘Star vs. Food Survival’ or ‘Reality Ranis of the Jungle’, we ensure there is a pan-India mix of talent. We don’t just cater to one region or a Hindi-speaking audience. For example, we might feature Rajinikanth for Bear Grylls, or Swami Nithyananda, while also including someone like a cop from the Northeast in ‘Reality Queens of the Jungle’. We also have someone like Shriya Saran, who is from the North but very popular in the South. We mix and match the themes, talent, dubbing, and subtitling to ensure our content appeals to a broad spectrum of viewers across India. It’s a complex balancing act, but we take every opportunity to localize effectively.

The rise of reality shows, food and lifestyle content, and history genres has been noted. What factors do you think are driving this trend, and how is Warner Bros Discovery responding to these preferences?

I touched on this a bit earlier, but to elaborate – because we’ve had TLC in the country for almost 20 years now, we see that people don’t just like food as a single category; they enjoy it in many forms. They like baking, food competitions, restaurants, and recipes. We’ve split these interests so deeply that we understand the various sub-categories within food. They also like to see food involving celebrities, food on a table, and many other versions and iterations of food content.

We’ve been reading and analyzing data and viewership patterns for a long time, and that’s why we’ve created shows like ‘Star vs. Food Survival’. History is another genre that we’ve explored, with shows like the ‘Secrets’ franchise, ‘History Hunter with Manish Paul’, and ‘Legends of Ramayana with Amish’. All of these shows have performed well, and we learn a lot from what works and what doesn’t, which helps us iterate for future seasons.

We also have an extensive library of global programming that continues to inspire us. For instance, if an archaeologist from the US is traveling the world to uncover mysteries about America’s past, why not take an Indian celebrity and replicate a similar concept for an Indian audience? This informs what we commission, acquire, and create. In the food space, that’s why we have someone like Ranveer Brar on board, he’s incredibly popular in the general entertainment space, and it just makes sense to get him involved.

Based on your research and insights, what do you see as the future of non-fiction entertainment in India, and how does Warner Bros Discovery plan to stay ahead in this evolving landscape?

I think we’ve been at the forefront of building these categories from the ground up. While there’s a strong ecosystem for fiction content in India, the non-fiction ecosystem is still developing, and very few players are producing high-quality, premium programming. Warner Bros Discovery has always been ahead of the game because we hold a significant share of the viewership in this category.

We do a lot of the heavy lifting, whether it’s developing IPs, casting talent, or creating new formats and genres. This has kept us ahead, and we will continue to do this. Linear channels remain our strength, and we’ll keep focusing on that, but the OTT space is becoming increasingly important. We’re investing more in streaming, partnering with various platforms, and expanding our reach.

We’ll also continue creating fantastic local, original productions, which we believe will be the next phase of growth for factual entertainment in India.

How important are local narratives and cultural references in shaping the content slate, and what steps are you taking to ensure these elements resonate with Indian audiences?

Local narratives and cultural references are crucial. India is a complex market, and we ensure that we cast talent from different regions and choose themes that resonate across the country, whether it’s crime, history, or adventure.

People love to see Indian stories told at a global scale with high production values, so this is a top priority for us. We’re investing in the right talent – both in front of and behind the camera. Whether it’s a well-known director like Neeraj Pandey or first-time directors, we marry them with strong research teams to tell these stories well.

We also focus heavily on elements like original music scores, cinematography, and editing. These are things the audience may not notice explicitly, but they contribute to the overall experience, making the content feel premium.

In what ways does Warner Bros Discovery plan to engage with its audience around the new content slate, and are there any interactive initiatives in the pipeline?

While I’m not sure about interactive initiatives specifically, we do have fun and engaging marketing plans for each of the shows that we launch. We’re also gearing up to celebrate Discovery’s 30th year in India next year, which will be a significant milestone. So, a lot of exciting things are in store for that.

How does Warner Bros Discovery differentiate itself from competitors in the factual and lifestyle content space in India? And how do you plan to get feedback from viewers on the new content slate?

We’ve always differentiated ourselves because we were the first to enter the market with Discovery. For nearly three decades, we’ve been the pioneers in categories like true crime, history, mythology, and outdoor adventure programming. We’re known for bringing high-quality talent and IPs to the table, and we back this up with substantial marketing efforts to ensure our shows reach every corner of India and beyond.

We also have a vast catalog of global content, including shows from BBC, Frozen Planet, Planet Earth, A&E, and other big names like Morgan Freeman and Pierce Brosnan. On top of that, we have our original global programming, so there’s no other platform in the market that offers the kind of non-fiction catalog we do.

In terms of feedback, we rely on various sources, including ratings, viewership data from both linear and OTT platforms, and direct feedback from viewers through our feedback system. We also conduct research, like the one I mentioned with Ormax, and we regularly study viewer behavior to inform our programming decisions. While data plays a significant role, gut instinct also influences many of the decisions we make for the Indian audience.

Also Read: India’s VFX Prowess: From Local Beginnings to Global Acclaim