India’s very own, proudly home-grown ambition incubator is now changing lives on the small screen with big ideas. ‘Ideabaaz’, an uplifting reality show being aired on Zee TV and ZEE5 is giving budding entrepreneurs a chance to pitch their business ideas to a panel of investors and to realise their dreams with potential funding and mentorship. The Showrunner and Creative Head catalysing this journey from inspiration to impact is Kailash Gandhi who has spent over 30 years in the technology and media industry.
Having inherited his father, writer and poet Gul Gandhi’s passion for storytelling, Kailash went on to found Bandra Boy Productions, a production house spanning different genres of content including films across multiple platforms along with meticulous development of IP’s. ‘Ideabaaz’ is possibly the most prestigious IP he has developed and he says, “When I met Raj Nayak, Jeet Wagh and Mudit Kumar, the founders of ‘Ideabaaz,’ the scale of their vision convinced me that this was going to be one of the best IPs I have ever worked on. To be a part of the startup ecosystem is really exciting. Creating a platform to boost the startup economy and to be able to help founders get funding, mentorship, legal services and access to VCs is very fulfilling. I am totally invested in this mission to celebrate India’s aspiring changemakers.”
‘Ideabaaz’ has now also tied up with IIT Madras Global and Niti Aayog’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme.
Discussing his lifelong passion for storytelling and content creation, Kailash says, “During this journey of 30+ yrs in the media, I always kept myself updated about the direction in which the world is moving. That’s the only way one can evolve through these changing eras of entertainment. To see something on paper come to life on the screen is magical and that’s what has kept me motivated to create entertaining, aspirational as well as engaging content.’’
‘Ideabaaz’, he says, is a show meant for people from all backgrounds, be they from big cities or small towns. “Even if you have just an idea on a paper, you can come to the show and present it in any language. The talent pool is not limited to only Hindi or English-speaking aspirants. India is so diverse and during the scanning process, we came across so many amazing ideas and stories. Despite so many challenges, whether financial or personal, people want to do something clutter-breaking and potentially life changing. For us, it is very important to approach each story with empathy, compassion. The show’s ethos is all about authenticity and credibility.”
Unlike reality shows that take the route of unnecessary melodrama and shocking moments to get eyeballs, this show, he insists, is about “doing the right thing.” “As a Showrunner and Creative Head, I was very clear that we will not insult anyone and so even if a startup doesn’t get funded, it receives either mentorship or support. Or they can come back in the next season to pitch,” says Kailash.
‘Ideabaaz’ is a platform to showcase India’s entrepreneurs to the world, he reiterates and concludes, “We want to celebrate the ‘India story’. There are so many startups in metros as well as tier 2 and tier 3 cities and they are made 100% in India. Whether it is an FMCG brand or a deep tech innovation, Indian entrepreneurs are making world-class stuff. Every founder that has been empowered by ‘Ideabaaz’ is going to make India proud.”
