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Interviews

Interview with Zuhaib Ramzan Bhatti, CEO of Dam TV

Zuhaib Ramzan Bhatti (born on 21st November 1984) is a Pakistani young TV Director and television producer. Born in Nawabshah, he started by writing small stories and poems for different children magazines. His poem was selected for semi final in International Poetry Contest held in France. In 1998 and in 2000 he learned video editing and production from Dawah Academy International Islamic University Islamabad with PTV Islamabad study visits. Saleem Mughal (PTV Producer Karachi) and Azhar Niaz (PTV Producer Islamabad) were the people from whom he learned basics of production and direction. He started his career in electronic media through a solo play “Talash” in 1998

In 2008, after 4 days he completed university education, he was called up by AKS TV (Lahore) and was given responsibility for on-air test transmission. The channel was successfully broadcasted from Thailand within a month after he joined. AKS TV then transformed its brand into Labbaik TV.

In Labbaik TV (Lahore), Zuhaib Ramzan Bhatti was Director Programs and Producer. He started directing programs like morning show, talk shows, solo lectures, mehfils, sitcoms, road shows etc. He also hosted a children’s program “Jugnu Ko Parakhne Ki Zid Karen”.

In 2009, he joined Mehran TV as Transmission Incharge and Director Programs, where he directed live programs, commercial linking, Eid transmission, current affairs, songs etc.

Currently, Zuhaib Ramzan Bhatti is working with FTR Media Service, a media agency focusing on production, advertising & marketing and event management. FTR Media Service has corporate clients in government and private sector of Pakistan and is also dealing with international clients. Dam Television is also a project of FTR Media Service, in which Zuhaib Ramzan Bhatti has assumed the charge of CEO of Dam Television Network.

The following interview was conducted by Saba Nadeem in Islamabad in March 2011:

What was the thinking behind entering this field.

When I was a child, once I was traveling in jeep with my uncle. When the jeep passed in front of building of PTV Karachi, my uncle said that if we stop for some time here, you will watch the celebrities that you watch on TV. I replied “I will be the person to whom the celebrities will visit.” That was not a thinking or a quick answer, but there was a mind settled about this field that I chose because I think I can only do this.

Zuhaib, you are only of 26 years, Don’t you think its very young age to accept the big challenges?

When I was learning the direction, my first lesson was “First of all learn to watch TV” . Now, today I think that viewer who is watching TV, has only concern with a frame (TV) which may be of 14 inches or more and doesn’t know what is going behind. So, I believe that I know how to create atmosphere and how to make this frame rich that viewer’s TV remote only click on where I want. In start, when I was doing Islamic Programs, in the studio there was always an Aalam and Qari, with an open Quran-e-Pak. No doubt the work on my credit is not much, but I am in learning process and I will always be in learning process.

Do you believe that an actor would be a director after some dramas?

I know so many actors in the world of media which are top actors but don’t even know ABC’s of direction. Actually the problem in our country is that our actors and singers think that If they are good actor and good performer, they can good in direction too. It is a totally wrong concept. A director is director, and a performer is performer. Maybe a director who is teaching a performer how to perform could not perform by himself/herself.

What do you think our media is working with command?

Yes sure, but we are strong in two mediums, our TV and our singing. In these two fields, we Pakistanis are expert and we can easily beat Indian media. One thing more about technology we are using for our news channels here in Pakistan, India is too much late to come on this stage. Only our film production is very poor as compared to India. Our singers are doing best and performing there because they are better than them. Our stage dramas are also very popular in India and our actors perform in India.

What do you think that in the list of more then 50 TV channels of Pakistan, Dam TV will be able to attract viewers?

I want to clear one thing that Dam TV is based in USA and only leading team is from Pakistan. Our aim is to achieve the viewership of Urdu from all over the world. We will focus on reality shows and Urdu cultural programs with fusion.

What you suggest to them who are aspiring to become director?

Director is not the person who says I am director. A real director has know-how of lighting, has command on camera work, knows about editing, knows about the post production. Only such a director will be called a perfect director and perfect director is the person who completes project in mind before physically completing it.

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