As a big believer in the concept of “paying it forward”, Bharath, who broke into the cinema with no industry connections, believes that he found the perfect way to do that in the form of Big Pitchure, an upcoming reality show from JioHotstar. “This is the first time I am hosting a reality show, and I took this step because after 23 years in cinema, I wanted to give something back to the industry. I wanted to help and nurture young talents to break into films,” says the actor. Streaming in five languages (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi), Big Pitchure is a weekly show that spans across 15 weeks, with every new 60-minute episode releasing on Sunday. Bharath, who hosts the Tamil version of the show, says, “People might have seen other reality shows similar to this, like Naalaya Iyakkunar, but that was more focused on finding new directors. Big Pitchure helps talents from several other departments as well. In our show, actors, directors, composers, singers, writers, editors, cinematographers, stunt directors, and dance choreographers will also get to show their talents.”
According to the makers, the show will culminate in the nationwide theatrical release of a feature film that showcases the winners of this reality show. Bharath adds, “We have seen reality shows spun around directors, singers, and composers, but I am excited to see the auditions for stunt choreographers.”
Speaking about taking on the role of an anchor, Bharath gets candid about the stigma associated with the small screen and how it has evolved over the years. “A couple of decades ago, film stars appearing in TV shows was considered a step down. Now, that has changed after the advent of streaming platforms. Actors have started experimenting with web series and streaming originals. The major change in attitude came when Kamal (Haasan) sir started hosting Bigg Boss Tamil,” says Bharath. While even an experienced actor like Bharath is facing barriers that need to be broken by his seniors, what does a newcomer have to face? “If you have monetary support, you can start a production company and fund the kind of scripts you want. But if you are a newcomer with no cinema background, you have to build the right kind of network with directors and production banners who can support you. Even at this stage in my career, I am hesitant to start my own production company. Fifteen years ago, as a new actor, you just focused on finishing the shooting, and the rest was taken care of. Now, that is not enough. You have to get yourself involved in every vertical of the film, including marketing and promotions. Back then, getting into the cinema was tough, but once you got in, the momentum would keep you going. Now, getting in is easy, but survival is tough.”
Bharath gets incisive about his observation. “Let’s not confuse social media with the silver screen. There is a huge gap between social media popularity and sustaining in the film industry. A lot of people have a misconception that they can survive in the film industry just because they have a million followers. There are a lot of factors involved, from the technical crew, your knowledge and skill level, the director involved, the performance of your previous film, and marketing, before someone decides to buy a ticket to watch you on the big screen for two hours.” Bharath then turns his analytical lens inwards to look at his own filmography and shares his insight. “My career was nurtured primarily through emotional family dramas. Unfortunately, we don’t see many emotional family dramas in Tamil these days. We used to have directors who specialised in that genre, but I don’t know who to approach now. I would love to do one or two family dramas every year,” he signs off.