For a generation that thrives on music, more for survival than for entertainment, MTV has never failed to satisfy us. Whether it was watching chartbusters hours on end in its earlier days or laughing till we cried watching “MTV Bakra”, there's always been something novel the channel has churned up.
With reality TV dominating primetime slots on the myriad entertainment channels, MTV wasn't one to be left behind and shows such as “MTV Roadies” and “Splitsvilla” were super successful. More recently, however, it is the offbeat shows with music at its core that have won the hearts of millions. Bringing to life the enchantment of live recordings and performances, “Coke Studio@MTV” was about providing a musical platform, which bridged barriers, celebrated diversity, and encouraged unity among all those remotely connected by music.
And the mastermind behind these fascinating concepts is Aditya Swamy, Channel Head, MTV who says: “With eight million people connected on social media, TV doesn't have as wide a reach. We believe in allowing music to lend itself as a powerful force across three different screens — TV, the Internet and the phone, and this format has worked wonders for us.”
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He adds: “‘MTV Roots', the 30 minute weekly show was conceptualised to showcase music by bands and artistes with a strong South Asian connection.” Apart from the potpourri of music, it is the trivia on featured artistes that intrigues the audience.
The new show on the channel is what Aditya is most kicked about right now. “It's high time the Indian music lover gets to listen to music in its purest form. We want the audience to just sit back and enjoy the musical experience of unadulterated music and this is what we aim to bring about with ‘Micromax MTV Unplugged', which will premiere on October 1,” says Aditya. “We're dissociating the electronics and going back to the basics. Acoustics is all it's going to be. This platform is for accomplished musicians to connect with their fans and the versatility of the music from filmy to non-filmy.”
All these musicians and singers are so humble that it is a joy to be working with them, he insists. “It's a win-win for both parties. They are given such a huge platform to perform and we're able to produce shows like these thanks to them.”
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Aditya is also excited about “MTV Roadies” going to the USA. Through “F1 Rocks”, the channel is out to find the band that will open for the Metallica concerts next month.