ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i FOREWORD ii PREFACE iv COMPANY PROFILE v RADIO IN 21

ST CENTURY 1

DRAMA 2 TYPES OF DRAMA 3 EVOLUTION OF DRAMA 4 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 6 DRAMA TIMELINE – INDIA 7 DRAMA IN RADIO 8 RADIO DRAMA IN INDIA 9 EARLY SHOWS OF AIR (BENGALI) 10 SHOWS OF THIS ERA 12 SUNDAY SUSPENSE 13 YAADON KA IDIOT BOX WITH NEELESH MISRA 14 EKTAR NATOK 16 CONCLUSION 19 BIBLIOGRAPHY 20 ANNEXURE I 21 ANNEXURE II 22 ANNEXURE III 23

I am thrilled to have to work on such a good topic of project such as this. This project

helped me to overcome my fear and guided me to evolve as a person with the fantastic mentors I had

came up front with. I am feeling proud to thank both my institutes for this opportunity viz., Indian

Institute of Social Welfare and Management, and Calcutta Media Institute.

I am very grateful to my professors to have taught me to implement such knowledge

into practical work field. I convey my gratitude to Dr. Sudeepa Banerjee, Mr. Malay Dasgupta, Ms.

Debika Mukherjee, Ms. Pamela Mitra et al.

I would also like to thank Ms. Barkha Rajpal for allowing me to complete my one

month long internship in 92.7 BIG FM starting from 27-01-2015 to 27-02-2015.

I also convey my gratitude to all the members of 92.7 BIG FM with whom I have

learned many small nitty gritties of work performed there.

I was allotted to do my one month long internship in 92.7 BIG FM by my institutes

where I am studying Post Graduate Diploma in Media Management specialization in Television

Management under the guidance of IISWBM and CMI affiliated by University of Calcutta.

I started my internship with an Event. I was posted from the first day in 39th Kolkata

International Book Fair, 2015 at Milan Mela Ground. I was posted in the production department of the

organization. I had to report to RJ Nilanjan at there. During the event I had to perform load many

duties than previously mentioned. I tried to do my job to the fullest expectation of the authority.

I had to maintain cordial relation with the celebrities who were coming to the

makeshift studio for interviews. I, also, had to manage timings of celebrity interviews and was also

made to look after the comforts of the celebrities.

I was happy doing my job whatever comes my way. I happened to take direct orders

from Marketing Head Mr. Ritendra Nath Mitra and perform duties accordingly. I tried to balance all

the work so that no work remains unattended.

I did some mistakes which I tried not to repeat, which taught me to cope with hard

situations keeping a cool head. RJ Nilanjan was the interviewer at Book Fair. I was assigned to help

him in any way he might need. I, also, had to co-ordinate with Ms. Mita Sing for broadcasting of the

interviews on air.

I was also assigned to collect feedback from the celebrities coming for the interview.

Ms. Debika Mukherjee, Programming Head and my professor had bestowed upon me a duty to collect

feedback from the audiences and visitors. She has helped me to prepare a questionnaire on whose

basis the survey is to be conducted. This work was divided among Mr. Tanmoy Patra, my batch-mate

and a fellow intern, and me.

92.7 BIG FM was the official Radio Partner of Kolkata International Book Fair for

the second year. The Kolkata Literary Festival was also partnered by 92.7 BIG FM. The Kolkata

Literary Festival was conducted from 6th February to 8

th February 2015. This festival has seen many

celebrated authors, actors, singers etc.

I continued my work as an intern in 92.7 BIG FM after Book Fair was over. I

performed my duties as and when anything was bestowed upon me. I had to upload all the incoming

shows and check whether it is properly uploaded and the audio running smoothly or not. I uploaded

SUHANA SAFAR WITH ANU KAPOOR, SANGEET KE SITARON KI MEHFIL with Ameen Sayani,

RAATER OTITHI with RJ Neel and YAADON KA IDIOT BOX WITH NEELESH MISRA. I was

supervised by RJ Nilanjan and RJ Mahuya.

I, also, compiled the entries for IRF 2015. RJ Sumanta and Mr. Swagato Banerjee had

provided all the details and I compiled them and made them available to be sent out. I also assisted RJ

Pamela with her outdoor broadcast in Pearless Inn. I also had to collect interview from Swastha

Bhawan and Nil Ratan Sarkar Hospital for Rashtriya Swastha Bima Yojana with Ms. Gargi Dey, my

batch-mate and a fellow intern.

I have tallied all the audio available and compiled the data. The audio list was

provided by RJ Nilanjan and I have returned the compiled one. RJ Pamela had helped me in my

project as she is in charge of the drama in 92.7 BIG FM Kolkata.

Ms. Debika Mukherjee had asked me to research on some current topics which would

be required for the upcoming show C/O KOLKATA with Anindya Bose. I have provided information

on the said topics on time. She had me tally advertisement per hour for the whole day. I, also, took

interview of some celebrities for the promotion of the above mentioned show via telephone.

I had to assist Ms. Mita Sing to upload shows for 92.7 BIG FM Asansol during my

last week of the internship. I had to upload SWARANAGATO by RJ Sumanta, AAJKER NATOK, and

EVENING EXPRESS with RJ Mahuya.

I enjoyed my work during the internship period. I have learnt a lot from the persons I

came in touch with during my work period. I am really grateful towards each and everyone.

Shaswata Mukherjee

Student Id: 20140410021

Date 27-02-2015

Radio Drama is a very popular genre in radio industry. Drama, as the name suggests,

has to create an effect on the mind of its recipient which enables them to decipher the intricate

message a drama holds in its bosom. Creating dramatic effects is an aesthetic art which has been

perfected by radio and spread throughout its reach. Some people like but some don’t prefer to listen

drama. Listening to a full drama in its full glory or story-telling, the submissive cousin of drama,

helps creating a picture as per individual choice. Drama plays a very crucial role in radio’s popularity.

Many youngsters find interest in radio drama because of the adventure it poses in their mind. Matured

folks find it relaxing after their hectic schedule at their respective workplace. Older people could

connect to their roots and also recollect their childhood memories.

BIG FM Kolkata and Asansol has a common daily drama product which airs at

different times in the stations. The content for a particular date remains the same. Yadoon Ka Idiot

Box with Neelesh Misra is a story-telling show which is extremely popular among radio listeners.

Similarly, Sunday Suspense airs in Radio Mirchi is a story telling show which uses dramatic effects.

Reliance Industries was started by Late Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani in Bombay. He

handed over his business to his sons Mukesh and Anil in 1986 following a stroke which he suffered.

Popularly known as Dhirubhai Ambani, he started on his heavenly abode on 6th July 2002, led to

separation of the business among his sons. Mukesh got Reliance Industries and Anil took charge over

Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group.

Anil Ambani got the responsibility of Reliance Infocomm, Reliance Energy, Reliance

Capital and RNRL. This led to a new beginning called Reliance. He ventured into entertainment

industry. 92.7 BIG FM started its journey on 21st Oct 2006 as CHR stations across metros. 92.7 BIG

FM was named as such to mark its maturity in the radio technology market. The main tagline of 92.7

BIG FM is Suno Sunao, Life Banao. The Bengali language counterpart is Sono Sonao, Life Jomao.

Currently 45 stations are broadcasting throughout India under the frequency 92.7.

92.7 BIG FM started its operations from October 2006 and has never since looked

back. It expanded at a phenomenal pace, creating history by launching its 45 station network in record

time of 18 months. Through its tagline of Suno Sunao, Life Banao, BIG FM's endeavour is to use the

power of radio to not only entertain listeners but also positively influence their lives. This is the only

private FM radio station which is being broadcast from Srinagar and Jammu in Jammu &

Kashmir state.

92.7 BIG FM has established leadership in the FM space and firmly laid a foundation

for an exciting future. With 7 of its stations going retro inclusive of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, 92.7

BIG FM took the untrodden path and experienced remarkable success with its Hit Thhe, Hit Rahenge

(Bengali counterpart Sera Chilo, Sera Thakbe) positioning and is amongst the top radio stations in

respective markets. The station also enjoys leadership in cities where the company has brought in the

new wave of private FM which has enabled it to be the most sought after radio network across the

country. The brand has taken FM as a medium of entertainment beyond the metros, to virgin markets,

offering consumers and advertisers a new experience of this medium of entertainment. Its presence

spans 45 cities, 1000 towns, and 50,000 villages, and a weekly reach of over four crore Indians across

the country.

From 2011 to 2014 BIG FM regularly got “Golden Mike Award” for best radio

station. After that Big fm is the only radio that got an American award on 2013 which was the Abbys

Network. Leaving this they got many other award including “Best Programme”, “Best Community”,

“Best Radio Programme” and many other awards also.

Boasting of impactful programming, the radio network hosts some of the most

popular radio shows in the country. Additionally, the radio station also creates locally relevant

programmes and capsules to suit the sensibilities of various markets. Suhaana Safar with Annu

Kapoor is a resounding success especially in Mumbai and Delhi; the show catapulted the station in

these two markets to the No.1 position. Hosted by Annu Kapoor, he takes listeners through an

enjoyable ride back in time through “Filmi Duniya Ki Kahi-Ankahi Kahaniyaan”. Yaadon ka Idiot

Box with Neelesh Misra is a widely successful radio storytelling format. With an endearing story

narrated everyday in the late night slot, Neelesh Misra evokes myriad emotions of the listener in the

theatre of his mind.

Radio is important in the 21st century because it provides an opportunity for people

who cannot access television and cannot read to keep up-to-date on the news and trends. According to

an American Media Services survey, 78 percent of individuals listen to radio in the car, thus it

provides entertainment to many.

The radio is important in both developing and fully developed countries for

information provision. It is able to function when television stations are not and is more easily

accessed than the newspaper is. The information that is given over the radio is able to be broadcast to

a large number of listeners and provides them with instantaneous information.

The radio is important for already developed countries because it not only provides

news information, but it also provides entertainment. Despite the onslaught of digital music, radio

stations still play the top hits in various music genres. Radio stations give listeners new music to listen

to while also offering a variety of music options. The radio also allows people to keep up-to-date with

the latest trends in popular culture.

Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes

from a Greek word meaning action, which is derived from the verb meaning to do or to act. The

enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience,

presupposes collaborative modes of production and a collective form of reception.

The two masks associated with drama represent the traditional generic division

between comedy and tragedy. They are symbols of the ancient Greek Muses, Thalia and Melpomene.

Thalia was the Muse of comedy (the laughing face), while Melpomene was the Muse of tragedy (the

weeping face).

OPERA

Western opera is a dramatic art form, which arose during the Renaissance in an

attempt to revive the classical Greek drama tradition in which both music and theatre were combined.

PANTOMIME

These stories follow in the tradition of fables and folk tales. Usually there is a lesson

learned, and with some help from the audience, the hero/heroine saves the day. This kind of play

uses stock characters seen in masque and again Commedia Dell'arte, these characters include the

villain, the clown/servant, the lovers etc. These plays usually have an emphasis on moral dilemmas,

and good always triumphs over evil, this kind of play is also very entertaining making it a very

effective way of reaching many people.

CREATIVE DRAMA

Creative drama includes dramatic activities and games used primarily in

educational settings with children. Its roots in the United States began in the early 1900s.

CLASSICAL GREEK DRAMA

Western drama originates in classical Greece. The theatrical culture of the city-

state of Athens produced three genres of drama: tragedy, comedy, and the satyr play. Their origins

remain obscure, though by the 5th century BC they were institutionalised in competitions held as part

of festivities celebrating the god Dionysus.

CLASSICAL ROMAN DRAMA

Following the expansion of the Roman Republic (509–27 BC) into several Greek

territories between 270–240 BC, Rome encountered Greek drama. From the later years of the republic

and by means of the Roman Empire (27 BC-476 AD), theatre spread west across Europe, around the

Mediterranean and reached England; Roman theatre was more varied, extensive and sophisticated

than that of any culture before it.

MEDIEVAL

In the Middle Ages, drama in the vernacular languages of Europe may have emerged

from religious enactments of the liturgy. Mystery plays were presented on the porch of the cathedrals

or by strolling players on feast days. Miracle and mystery plays, along with moralities and interludes,

later evolved into more elaborate forms of drama, such as was seen on the Elizabethan stages.

ELIZABETHAN AND JACOBEAN

One of the great flowerings of drama in England occurred in the 16th and 17th

centuries. Many of these plays were written in verse, particularly iambic pentameter. In addition to

Shakespeare, such authors as Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Middleton, and Ben Jonson were

prominent playwrights during this period. As in the medieval period, historical plays celebrated the

lives of past kings, enhancing the image of the Tudor monarchy. Authors of this period drew some of

their storylines from Greek mythology and Roman mythology or from the plays of eminent Roman

playwrights such as Plautus and Terence.

MODERN AND POST-MODERN

The pivotal and innovative contributions of the 19th-century Norwegian

dramatist Henrik Ibsen and the 20th-century German theatre practitioner Bertolt Brecht dominate

modern drama; each inspired a tradition of imitators, which include many of the greatest playwrights

of the modern era. The works of both playwrights are, in their different ways, both

modernist and realist, incorporating formal experimentation, meta-theatricality, and social critique. In

terms of the traditional theoretical discourse of genre, Ibsen's work has been described as the

culmination of "liberal tragedy", while Brecht's has been aligned with a historicised comedy.

William Shakespeare, (26 April 1564 (baptised) – 23 April 1616) was an

English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and

the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of

Avon". His extant works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, 2

long narrative poems, and a few other verses, of which the authorship of some is uncertain. His plays

have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any

other playwright.

CONTRIBUTION TO DRAMA

William Shakespeare's plays have the reputation of being among the greatest in the

English language and in Western literature. Traditionally, the plays are divided into the genres

of tragedy, history, and comedy; they have been translated into every major living language, in

addition to being continually performed all around the world.

SANSKRIT THEATRE

The earliest form of Indian drama was the Sanskrit drama that is said to have its

framework directly given by Lord Shiva who used these techniques to pray to Lord Vishnu.

The earliest-surviving fragments of Sanskrit drama date from the 1st century AD. The

ancient Vedas contain no hint of it (although a small number are composed in a form of dialogue) and

the rituals of the Vedic period do not appear to have developed into

theatre. The Mahābhāṣya by Patañjali contains the earliest reference to what may have been the seeds

of Sanskrit drama. This treatise on grammar from 140 BC provides a feasible date for the beginnings

of theatre in India.

MODERN INDIAN DRAMA

Rabindranath Tagore was a pioneering modern playwright who wrote plays noted for

their exploration and questioning of nationalism, identity, spiritualism and material greed. His plays

are written in Bengali and include Chitra (Chitrangada, 1892), The King of the Dark Chamber (Raja,

1910), The Post Office (Dakghar, 1913), and Red Oleander (Raktakarabi, 1924).

Girish Karnad is a noted playwright, who has written a number of plays that use

history and mythology, to critique and problematize ideas and ideals that are of contemporary

relevance. Karnad's numerous plays such as Tughlaq, Hayavadana, Taledanda and Naga-Mandala are

significant contributions to Indian drama. Vijay Tendulkar and Mahesh Dattani are amongst the major

Indian playwrights of the 20th century.

BENGALI CONTEXT

Bengali theatre primarily refers to theatre performed in the Bengali language. Bengali

theatre is produced mainly in West Bengal, and in Bangladesh. The term may also refer to some Hindi

theatres which are accepted by the Bengali people.

Bengali theatre has its origins in British rule. It began as private entertainment in the

early 19th century. In the pre-independence period, Bengali theatres played a pivotal role in

manifesting dislike of the British Raj. After the independence of India in 1947, leftist movements

in West Bengal used theatre as a tool for social awareness. This added some unique characteristics to

the art form that still have strong effects. These groups differentiate themselves ideologically from

commercial Bengali theatre.

Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or

published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on

dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story: “It is auditory

in the physical dimension but equally powerful as a visual force in the psychological dimension.”

Radio drama achieved widespread popularity within a decade of its initial

development in the 1920s. By the 1940s, it was a leading international popular entertainment. With

the advent of television in the 1950s, however, radio drama lost some of its popularity, and in some

countries has never regained large audiences. However, recordings of OTR (old-time radio) survive

today in the audio archives of collectors and museums, as well as several online sites such as Internet

Archive.

1880–1930: EARLY YEARS

Radio drama traces its roots back to the 1880s: “In 1881 French engineer Clement

Ader had filed a patent for ‘improvements of Telephone Equipment in Theatres’”. English-language

radio drama seems to have started in the United States. A Rural Line on Education, a brief sketch

specifically written for radio, aired on Pittsburgh's KDKA in 1921, according to historian Bill Jaker.

An important turning point in radio drama came when Schenectady, New York's WGY, after a

successful tryout on August 3, 1922, began weekly studio broadcasts of full-length stage plays in

September 1922, using music, sound effects and a regular troupe of actors, The WGY Players.

1930–1960s: WIDESPREAD POPULARITY

Perhaps America's most famous radio drama broadcast is Orson Welles' The War of

the Worlds, a 1938 version of the H. G. Wells novel, which convinced large numbers of listeners that

an actual invasion from Mars was taking place.[25]

By the late 1930s, radio drama was widely popular

in the United States (and also in other parts of the world). There were dozens of programs in many

different genres, from mysteries and thrillers, to soap operas and comedies. Among American

playwrights, screenwriters and novelists who got their start in radio drama are Rod Serling and Irwin

Shaw.

1960–2000: DECLINE IN THE UNITED STATES

After the advent of television, radio drama never recovered its popularity in the

United States. Most remaining CBS and NBC radio dramas were cancelled in 1960. The last network

radio dramas to originate during American radio′s “Golden Age”, Suspense and Yours Truly, Johnny

Dollar, ended on September 30, 1962.

The radio play in India is an exclusively twentieth-century phenomenon. It mainly

exists because of the need of a new medium of communication. Its form and structure were

determined by the constraints of that medium. In the 1940s, dramatic presentations were seriously

considered as important components of radio entertainment programmes, and the proper history of the

radio play in India began. Professional playwrights did not realize its potential, nor was it visualized

by drama critics of that time.

Writers were closely associated with the government-owned All India Radio (AIR). Some of them

highly gifted litterateurs were the first to experiment. Predictably, uncertainties and imperfections

marked the first phase of radio drama. It took time to acquire the necessary techniques to exploit

intelligently the medium of sound and silence, to compensate for the absence of the visual aspect.

Quite often, early producers used existing plays with necessary emendations to meet the requirements,

with considerable success

Radio drama made a significant impact on Indian popular culture. In the 1960s, AIR's

commercial channel Vividh Bharati broadcast a short play in Hindi every day. This acquired a huge

audience. Some scripts also outlived their immediate utility and left a lasting impression. AIR

requires nearly 4000 dramatic scripts annually as its major stations each broadcast about sixteen plays

a month. In 1987, it introduced a national competition to encourage radiogenic scripts. By 1996, the

competition was open to nineteen languages and awards were given in two categories. The categories

were general and humorous.

AIR's Central Drama Unit is responsible for the national broadcast of plays.

Playwrights and producers such as Chiranjeet, Satyendra Sharat, Nirmala Agarwal and Danish Iqbal

has been associated with the department. Plays produced by the CDU are translated and produced by

regional stations. Since its inception in the 1960s the unit has produced more than 1,500 plays, and the

CDU is a repository of old scripts and productions. The National Programme of Plays is broadcast by

the CDU of AIR the fourth Thursday of each month at 9.30 pm. On the National Programme of Plays,

the same play is produced in 22 Indian languages and broadcast at the same time by all regional and

national network stations. The CDU also produces Chain Plays, half-hour dramas broadcast in

succession by a chain of stations.

Mahisasuramardini (The Annihilator of the Buffalo Demon) is a widely popular

early radio programme that has been broadcast since 1931 on All India Radio (AIR). It is a one and

half-hour audio montage of Chandipath (chanting from Chandi) recitation from the scriptural verses

of Sri Sri Chandi. Bengali devotional songs, classical music and a dash of acoustic melodrama. The

program has been translated into Hindi set to similar orchestration and is broadcast at the same time

for a pan-Indian audience. This programme is aired every year at day-break on Mahalaya. The

programme, which started off as a live-performance, has been broadcast in its pre-recorded format

since 1958. However, its great popularity remains undiminished even today over 80 years later.

Birendra Krishna Bhadra

Birendra Krishna Bhadra, who will always be remembered for making Mahalaya

memorable to one and all, is the magical voice behind the “Mahisasura Mardini.” The legendary

narrator recites the holy verses and tells the story of the descent of Durga to earth. It was on the day of

Mahalaya, the beginning of "devipaksha” that the Gods and Goddesses woke up to prepare

themselves for Durga Puja. In 1931, Mahalaya was first broadcast over the radio in Akashvani,

Calcutta. The programme was organised by Premankur Aatorthi, Birendra Krishna Bhadra, Nripendra

Krishna Mukhopadhya and Raichand Boral.

Musical Composition

Though the theme is mythological and the mantras Vedic, this program is a landmark

composition. It is scripted by Bani Kumar, and narrated by Birendra Krishna Bhadra while Dwijen

Mukhopadhyay (Jago Durga Jago Doshoprohoronodharini), Manabendra Mukhopadhyay (Tabo

Achinta), Sandhya Mukhopadhyay, Arati Mukhopadhya, Utpala Sen, Shyamal Mitra and Supriti

Ghosh (Bajlo tomar alor benu) sang in their melodious voices. The enchanting music is composed

by Pankaj Mullick, and the songs are rendered by famous singer Arati Mukherji. As the recital begins,

the serene morning air resonates with the long drawn sound of the sacred conch shell, immediately

followed by a chorus of invocation, melodiously setting the stage for the recitation of the Chandipath.

SUNDAY SUSPENSE

Sunday Suspense started in June, 2009 with the intention to read-out Bengali

Suspense stories to the listeners with various audio-effects so as to make the recitation more

attractive. It started with the stories written by Satyajit Ray, but gradually stories by other eminent

Bengali authors were also aired. Bengali versions of a few English stories were occasionally

broadcast. The show soon gained popularity among the listeners and it's still running.

YAADON KA IDIOT BOX WITH NEELESH MISRA

Radio's best innovation in recent times, Yaadon Ka Idiot Box is a unique

amalgamation of storytelling and music which aims to reignite the joy of storytelling to the current

generation. The show has won multiple accolades including the Indian Radio Forum 2012 award for

best Hindi Show broadcast after 11 AM & Radio Mikes 2011's - most unique programming idea.

EKTAR NATOK (AJKER NATOK)

Ektak Natok (Ajker Natok) is a Bengali full on drama on radio airs in Kolkata (and

Asansol). Both stations play the same content on a given date but airs at different time band. this show

mainly aims to provide good quality drama in radio. Eternal stories of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay,

Rabindranath Tagore etc. are taken and dramatised by expert dramatists of this time and made into a

beautiful drama.

Sunday Suspense is a radio show, aired on Radio Mirchi (Kolkata). It is performed

by Mir Afsar Ali, Deep (RJ), Indrani, Richard (DJ) and various others artists. This show is basically a

storytelling show. Proper sound effects are given to it to make it more realistic. As the name suggests,

suspense is the recurrent theme of the show.

Several stories by several writers are performed in this show. Such as Professor

Shonku, Feluda, Tarini Khuro, Byomkesh Bakshi, Sherlock Holmes have been aired.

Many Horror, Fantasy, Sci-Fi stories by Satyajit Ray, Saradindu Bandopadhyay,

Arthur Conan Doyle and many more writers.

Generally it airs on Sundays 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, with repeats on Saturday at 4 pm

and on latter Sundays at 11 pm.

92.7 BIG FM India's No 1 Radio Network and winner of Broadcaster of the year

award at the Golden Mikes, airs the award-winning, much talked about story telling show Yaadon Ka

Idiot Box with Neelesh Misra, in which the storyteller narrates stories related to an imaginary city he

has created, called Yaad Sheher.

After garnering phenomenal and unprecedented success in its first season, the show

came back offering more entertainment for all its listeners across the major 35 Hindi Speaking

Markets of the network. On popular demand the show was a two hour show on air every Monday to

Friday. Currently, the show is running its fourth season.

In Kolkata, this show is very popular among youth even the station being RETRO.

The Asansol counterpart is CHR but has equally high proportion of YKIB audience. Kolkata station

aired the show from midnight 12 to 2am, and in Asansol it aired 9pm to 11pm. Recently, the time

band have been shortened to one hour.

Sunday special YKIB airs regularly. The stories told during the week are repeated in a

special packaged format on Sundays.

NEELESH MISRA

Neelesh Misra is an award winning journalist, Bollywood lyrics and script writer,

author, radio storyteller and photographer.

As a journalist, he has covered some of the biggest stories out of South Asia. He has

written four best-selling books.

He also writes Bollywood scripts and is the creative director and lyricist of Band

Called Nine, India’s first writer-led band.

Ektar Natok is running for nearly three years now and is quite hugely popular. RJ

Pamela has been intertwined with this show since inception. During its starting phase the stories of

famous writers were being used as the plot and script was developed to suit the plot. The performers’

opinion is also taken into consideration to better the script and screenplay.

Previously, drama based on a story was aired in a date. Now, series format have been

introduced which gained equal popularity as the suspense element lingers on which tends to bind

audience wanting for more. RJs Pamela, Mahuya and Sumanta are active performers of this show. RJ

Nilanjan, sometimes, takes part in drama.

92.7 BIG FM Kolkata got overwhelming response from this show. Owing to this

popularity, repeats on Sundays have been arranged for on audience request. This marathon Ektar

Natok runs from 2pm to 5pm for the last three months.

December 2014 was celebrated as Celebrity month. Drama was also performed by

many celebrities of Bengali Television and Film Industry. The popularity was also seen to be more

than what it used to be on any normal occasion.

The scripts are developed by Akashvani empanelled scriptwriters. They also perform

as artists on some occasion. To name them these two names are worth mentioning Mr. Nirup Mitra

and Ms. Chokita Chattapadhyay. Ms. Chokita has developed the script of Devdas and also performed

the character of Parboti. Mr. Nirup developed the script of Chhuti Nei and performed as Baliram.

Regular performances are being given by RJs Pamela, Sumanta, Mahuya, Nilanjan,

Kaushik and Sougato. Mr. Swagato packages the drama and provides for its air. Some performers

outside the purview of 92.7 BIG FM are Saurav Sen, Abhijit Mondal, Krishnanjana Mitra, Debanjana

Mukherjee, Koyel Saha etc. Some mentionable child artistes are Abir Das, Srijita Mondal and Apurba

Mukherjee.

This show has bent the rules of traditional drama to make one of kind episodes. The

Robi Ghosh starrer classic Golpo Holeo Shotti have made into a radio drama and aired through 92.7

BIG FM only on Ektar Natok. This is first where a mainstream film has been made into a radio drama.

Owing to the popularity of the show, 92.7 BIG FM organised an audio drama with

RJs Sumanta, Nilanjan and Mahuya at 39th Kolkata International Book Fair 2015, where BIG FM was

official radio partner. This outdoor performance was also a feather in the cap of Ektar Natok.

Indian population had used radio as a medium of entertainment even before television

came into operation. TV made radio look small but could not subdue radio with all the grandeur. This

makes radio even more strong. Before TV came into being radio only meant Akashvani but now many

private operators have came up in the business which makes the gloomy radio look lucrative and

vibrant.

Among the national players 92.7 BIG FM played an important role in radio industry.

BIG FM maintained a balance among young and the old school people. They provided a perfect

harmony in these two areas of operation. They created shows for all age groups. Some of their stations

are retro which also pin-points target audience of 35+ peoples.

Drama in radio was the most avid form of entertainment of Akashvani. Drama had

three parts mainly story, sound effects and actors. As time moved on, drama included storytelling in

its purview. Sunday Suspense and Yaadon ka Idiot Box with Neelesh Misra are both story-telling

shows. Here, sound effects are used to the fullest and a impactful story is also present but no actors

perform. Only, the story-teller reads out the story and helps build a word picture of the story. Ektar

Natok a full fledged drama in radio has all the elements of drama needed in a radio program.

FM is useful in entertainment industry. TV makes stagnant as one has to sit and

watch programs. But FM is available on the go. Anybody can tune into radio anywhere as he pleases.

New talents are recognised more often than in television industry. Radio being free to all makes

people from all walks of life use radio and get entertained. Some remote villages of India still does not

get TV signal; radio is a boon to them. Radio is an interactive medium where both way interactions

are possible and quite normal.

WEBSITES:

www.92.7bigfm.com

www.allindiaradio.gov.in

www.reliancebroadcast.com/ourbusiness/big_92.7fm

www.google.co.in (Images)

A survey was conducted at the book fair ground to estimate the listenership of 92.7

BIG FM on 35+ people, who are the target group of BIG FM. The results show that a large no. of

people like to listen story on radio. However, the age group which likes storytelling varies from 30 to

45. The overall drama listenership came out to be low but the age group of drama listener varies from

50 to 65.

0

20

40

60

80

100

120 STORY TELLING

DRAMA

BOTH

NONE

DRAMA/STORY LISTENERSHIP

NO. OF PEOPLE

The listenership at different time of a day is represented by a random 100 people of

the survey at book fair.

This chart shows listening pattern of the 100 people in percentage form of the shows

of 92.7 BIG FM.

0

100

86

47 56 33 92

69

LISTENERS

69

25

17

5

8

38

60

80

23

37

23

15

35-45 YRS

45-55 YRS

55-60 YRS

60-65 YRS

Chart Title

YKIB EKTAR NATOK OTHERS

List of drama aired from 26-01-2015 to 28-02-2015:

DATE DRAMA SCREENPLAY 26.01.15 Debdas Chokita Chattopadhyay

27.01.15 Debdas Chokita Chattopadhyay

28.01.15 Debdas Chokita Chattopadhyay

29.01.15 Debdas Chokita Chattopadhyay

30.01.15 Debdas Chokita Chattopadhyay

31.01.15 Debdas Chokita Chattopadhyay

02.02.15 Ratri Shesher Sakhhatkar Abhishek DebRoy

03.02.15 Ratri Shesher Sakhhatkar Abhishek DebRoy

04.02.15 Chhuti Nei Nirup Mitra

05.02.15 Chhuti Nei Nirup Mitra

06.02.15 Aranya Srijon Baidyonath mukherjee

07.02.15 Aranya Srijon Baidyonath mukherjee

09.02.15 Durgo Rohsyo Swapan Banerjee

10.02.15 Durgo Rohsyo Swapan Banerjee

11.02.15 Durgo Rohsyo Swapan Banerjee

12.02.15 Golpo Holeo Sotti Tapan Sinha

13.02.15 Golpo Holeo Sotti Tapan Sinha

14.02.15 Golpo Holeo Sotti Tapan Sinha

16.02.15 Kolpotaru Sri Ramkrishna Chokita Chattopadhyay

17.02.15 Kolpotaru Sri Ramkrishna Chokita Chattopadhyay

18.02.15 Kolpotaru Sri Ramkrishna Chokita Chattopadhyay

19.02.15 Kolpotaru Sri Ramkrishna Chokita Chattopadhyay

20.02.15 Kolpotaru Sri Ramkrishna Chokita Chattopadhyay

21.02.15 Kolpotaru Sri Ramkrishna Chokita Chattopadhyay

23.02.15 Kolpotaru Sri Ramkrishna Chokita Chattopadhyay

24.02.15 Kolpotaru Sri Ramkrishna Chokita Chattopadhyay

25.02.15 Kolpotaru Sri Ramkrishna Chokita Chattopadhyay

26.02.15 Kolpotaru Sri Ramkrishna Chokita Chattopadhyay

27.02.15 Kolpotaru Sri Ramkrishna Chokita Chattopadhyay

28.02.15 Kolpotaru Sri Ramkrishna Chokita Chattopadhyay

List of story aired from 26-01-2015 to 28-02-2015:

DATE STORY

26.01.15 Ek Mutthi Mitti

27.01.15 Mann Bhar Roothna

28.01.15 Room Partner

29.01.15 Ek Naya Sooraj

30.01.15 Chupke Chupke

02.02.15 Taal Mill

03.02.15 Dhan Putliyaan

04.02.15 Iman Ka Licence

05.02.15 Sheh Ki Maat

06.02.15 Pehli Mulakat

09.02.15 Ek Lamha Khushi

10.02.15 Mukti

11.02.15 Zindagi Ka Retirement

12.02.15 Sahab Ki Wapsi Part I

13.02.15 Sahab Ki Wapsi Part II

16.02.15 Pankh Tum Parwaaz Main

17.02.15 Jashn-e-Maidan

18.02.15 Life is Beautiful

19.02.15 Rishi Ka School Bag

20.02.15 Who Adhoora Pyaar

23.02.15 Vaidehi

24.02.15 Sarayemeer

25.02.15 Live-in Relationship

26.02.15 Retirement Ka Din

27.02.15 Handsfree