Looks like Ekta Kapoor’s biggest fan has been revealed! It is none other than author and soap writer, Kovid Gupta! (Is it ironic that his name starts with a K?) He’s SUCH a BIG fan that he wrote a book about her! Now that’s what we call dedication! In his book he declares, “I have had a third parent in my upbringing, and that parent has been Balaji Telefilms.” Kovid had a chance to work with Ekta, and ran all the way from America to join the TV business after watching her shows. Guess who just finished reading the book? Yup, that’s right.. I did! The soap opera lover in me couldn’t resist! Kovid Gupta’s book, Kingdom of The Soap Queen – The Story of Balaji Telefilms, is probably the most in-depth book on Indian television till date.
The book talks about Balaji’s struggles as it rose to become the numero uno television production house in India. Haven’t YOU always wondered about that? He describes the Balaji House (aka company office) as “a colossal seven story building smiling down at you. Like Cinderella’s fairytale castle in the heart of Walt Disney World, the edifice has something enchanting about it.” How dreamy! Kovid has captured the stories of the people who molded the company, speaking with Shobha Kapoor at length as well. While one chapter discusses Nim Sood’s business savvy in providing hundreds of soap stars costumes every day, another talks about Ekta’s penchant for casting the right women for her serials. My favorite part is how Ekta created her legendary characters. Kovid describes the storytelling patterns of the typical Balaji soap, highlighting the importance of the “rancorous vamp” that foiled the “white as snow heroine.”
The beauty of the book is that it talks about Balaji and the television industry without getting into unnecessarily personal details. It stays clear of friendships and rivalries, and exclusively focuses on the business angle of succeeding in the television world. It focuses on the leadership of Shobha and Ekta Kapoor, revering and venerating them for their contribution in turning Indian television into one of the country’s biggest industries.
The story crowns Ekta as the ultimate tycoon of the Indian television business. After reading this book, we can surely say that Ekta deserves a round of applause from us for being such an inspirational woman! A great story indeed! Way to go on your achievements, Ekta! Hats off to you! Kovid Gupta, you win the prize for being the biggest Ekta Kapoor devotee out there! Can we expect Ekta to become even MORE famous with this reverential book? Tell us what you think in the comments below!
