The Most Powerful Woman On Indian TV – Ekta Kapoor

Ekta Kapoor is one of the most successful Indian women entrepreneurs. This reigning queen of Indian Television has more than 100 different television programmes across 5 languages to her name. Not only on Indian Television, she has tasted a huge success and fame in Bollywood too with producing as many as 21 films till 2014. How did Ekta Kapoor emerge as one of the most powerful Indian women? Let’s find out.

Ekta Kapoor’s Personal Life And Early Career

Ekta was born to Superstar of Bollywood Jeetendra and his wife Sobha Kapoor in the year 1975. She started her own production house ‘Balaji Telefilms’ in the year 1994 after completing her graduation in Commerce. The idea of establishing the production house was given to her by Jeetendra and he also supported it financially. Balaji Telifilms went through a unsuccessful phase for some initial years. Ekta Kapoor’s first few ventures failed sadly. However, in the year 1995 the production house got a huge success with the comedy series ‘Hum Paanch’. After ‘Hum Paanch’ several other daily-soaps such as Mano Ya Na Mano, Captain House, Dhun Dhamaka ,Padosan and Itihaas were produced by Ekta Kapoor but they all managed to just earn well without leaving any major impact on audiences.

Balaji Telifilms once again came back to really huge success track with the two most famous daily soaps of Indian Telivision ‘Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki’ and ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahi Thi’. Both these serials were telecasted in the year 2000. These two serials brought a revolution on Indian television. For the very first time, Indian daily soaps were woven around women characters rather than men. Ekta had taken a great risk by investing in women oriented plots but the risk was worth taking. The two main characters ‘Tulsi’ and ‘Parvati’ of ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ and ‘Kahani Ghar Ghar ki’ respectively changed the scenario of Indian television. The change was welcomed with open minds by the audiences. These two characters still stand as legends in the history of Indian Television. Not only these two serials showcased a different portrayal of women characters, they also had a different style of connecting with the audience. They were full of drama in the extreme form. The picture quality of the serials was also very good and new for the audiences. These two serials managed to entice the audiences for eight long years.

The K Phase For Ekta Kapoor

After ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ and ‘Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki’, there was no looking-back for Ekta Kapoor. The Indian Television was flooded with the serials from her production house and all of them had one thing in common; the first letter ‘K’. Ekta Kapoor holds a firm belief in astrology and numerology. She can also be seen wearing multiple rings in her fingers so that her success and health is maintained. Since the letter ‘K’ was declared to be auspicious for ‘Ekta Kapoor’ and her production house ‘Balaji Telefilms, by her astrologer, she decided that the names of all soaps produced by ‘Balaji Telifilms’ would start with the letter ‘K’. The ‘K’ factor had emerged as a truth with ‘‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ and ‘Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki’ and in next few years Balaji Telifilms’s success skyrocketed with many other serials all starting with the letter ‘K’. Here’s the list of some such serials

Kasamh Se
Kasautii Zindagii Kay
Kudrat Terrii Merrii
Kaishori
Kasturi
Kayamath
Kesar
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
Street Pali Hill
Kaahin ii Roz
Kaarthika
Kab Kaisey Kahaan
Kabhii Soutan Kabhii Sahelii
Kahani Terrii Merrii
Kahi To Milenge
Kahiin To Hoga
Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai
Kalash
Kammal
Kandy Floss
Kanyadaan
Karam
Karma
Kashti
Kavita
Kavyanjali
Kayaamat
King – Aassman Ka Ek Raja
Kitni Mast Hai Zindagi
Kkehna Hai Kuch Mujhko
Kkusum
Kkoi Dil Mein Hai
Kohi Apna Sa
.. Ek Aashaa
Kosmiic Chat
Kuch Jhuki Palke
Kuch Khona Hai Kuch Pana Hai
Kundali
Kutumb
Kya Hadsaa Kya Haqeeqat
Kyaa Hoga Nimmo Kaa
Kyaa Kahein

Ekta Kapoor decided to keep the ‘K’ factor for her Bollywood films too. However, the magic of ‘K’ did not work much for her in Bollywood. Some of her Bollywood movies that did not do so well in spite of having letter ‘K’ in the beginning are:

Kucch To Hai
Krishna Cottage
Koi Aap Sa

The only Bollywood movie that has been a huge success in the ‘K’ series is ‘Kya Cool Hain Hum’ and ‘Kya Super Cool Hain Hum’. Both these movies have her brother Tusshar Kapoor in one of the lead roles. Finally, the K Phase has ended for Ekta and she is still producing successful hits both on Indian Telivision and Bollywood without the magic of ‘K’.

Ekta Kapoor’s Big Hits From Bollywood Are:

Shootout at Lokhandwala
EMI Liya hai to chukana padega
Mission Istanbul
Love Sex aur Dhokha
Ragini MMS
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
The Dirty Picture
And more..

Ekta Kapoor as a Powerful Woman

Ekta Kapoor started her career at a very early age and despite many failures in the beginning she remained strong. She is estimated to have a net worth of about 1.32 crore rupees. Her annual salary is about sixty-six lakhs thirty thousand. She has bagged the most prestigious awards of Indian Television and also has several Bollywood film awards to her belt. She also holds a place in the list of ‘Asia’s Most Powerful Communicators’ by Asia week Magazine and ranks 3^rd in the list of ‘50 Most Influential Women in the Indian marketing, advertising and media ecosystems’ by IMPACT magazine. She was also awarded Asia’s Social Empowerment Award- Freedom Through Education in the year 2012. Some other prestigious awards won by her are:

Ernst & Young (E&Y) Startup Entrepreneur Of The Year award – 2001
The American Biographical Institute Woman of the Year – 2001
The Economic Times Businesswoman of the Year – 2002
Stardust Awards Film of the Year for ‘Dirty Picture’ – 2011

Ekta Kapoor is the daughter of a very successful film star. She might have easily got a successful launch by her father in the Glitzy world as many other star children are getting but she chose to make it on her own and she succeeded. Her journey, her hard work and perseverance and her achievements are indeed a benchmark for all other Indian women.