"A character is not something you get or grow only when its convenient." Kaushik's words to me over a year and a half back as he apologised in classic Kaushik style for not accepting his increment letter. Saying he's sorry, as he'd not been able to give his 100% due to his failing health and he couldn't justify it to himself!
Praks, his supe, was flabbergasted. I remember I had to force it down Kaushik's throat telling him how even his 50% was worth 500% from several others put together. That it was never about physical time spent in office but the idea, the quality of thinking and execution/ story telling you brought on to the table. And my God, he delivered way more than 100% there. After he did take the letter - me & Praks just sat in my office quiet for a bit and pretty much wept like women.
I can think of several people who right now don't justify their existing salaries, forget an increment and still express their disappointment at the quantum of a hike received. But I cannot think of a single person who would think, forget do/ say what Kaushik did.
And that theme extends to all he did. Kaushik helped redefine how we did Bollywood. And the classic MTV Big Pictures, Director's Cuts, Biographies, Specials. Not just at MTV. But in the category to a large extent. We went beyond the usual 5 star poolside/ coffee shop and the "what was it like working with ramuji?" type of interviews. He introduced something basic back to even our most basic shows. An idea. And story telling.
His simplicity, this 'basic-ness' manifested itself in his actions. The long hand notes in the old school handbound notebooks. Beautiful. The effort on nailing the right text for the promos. I remember I used to call him 'Superman' cause all his promos would always be 'super-based', a signature Kaushik style, be really, well, super and just, make you feel, wanna watch that content. With a range that stretched from humor, thrill, romantic, mad, emotional to more. Kaushik's ability to pull back, observe, analyse - films, series, actors - and he did a lot of that - and then apply that to his craft was unreal. A single conversation with him even about a particular episode of a serial would be a learning and a whole new perspective. On entertainment, on life. His specials were legendary. The effort/ planning/ research/ writing that went into each, awesome. See the stuff he did with shahrukh, amitabh, karan johar... Over the years. It set the benchmark for bollywood programming. Kamalhassan (Kaushik's idol) was, in fact, so impressed by him that he pulled him on board at his expense as script doctor, bouncing board for some screenplays, scripts he was working on. Kaushik's joy at this was childlike.
He was the one guy I knew, who actively sought out ways to constantly upgrade his skills. References, and more. Wish more people in general and more specifically in our creative team had that attitude, hunger. I still remember reading the draft of the last project he worked on at MTV. A phenomenal screenplay/ plot. If we ever manage to get that made... It's up there for an Emmy!
And he kept at it all through battling his illness and all kinds of medication, treatment, alternative healing and everything he and family tried. Enduring even serious physical pain to get into office, handle the a/c wearing some serious woolens, etc. "Cause work is what is keeping me occupied, excited, distracted from the pain. And I need the money. And if I'm getting paid, I want to work."
I guess, as Kaushik said, "A character is not something you get or grow only when its convenient."
He often asked me through the MTV repositioning if there was still space on the channel for the kind of content that he made/ could make. Frankly, even if he were physically out of action for a year plus, that one idea, input or just knowing him was enough...
Kaushik passed away last night at 8:30pm.
Respect & peace, brother. I know you are now still at it, up there on the Ultimate MTV Big Picture/ Director's Cut, but with the best director/ star to do the biography with. I know it will turn out, super.
Irrespective, I know me & Praks are quiet right now and are gonna weep like women tonight as well. And I know lots of others who will too.
Praks, his supe, was flabbergasted. I remember I had to force it down Kaushik's throat telling him how even his 50% was worth 500% from several others put together. That it was never about physical time spent in office but the idea, the quality of thinking and execution/ story telling you brought on to the table. And my God, he delivered way more than 100% there. After he did take the letter - me & Praks just sat in my office quiet for a bit and pretty much wept like women.
I can think of several people who right now don't justify their existing salaries, forget an increment and still express their disappointment at the quantum of a hike received. But I cannot think of a single person who would think, forget do/ say what Kaushik did.
And that theme extends to all he did. Kaushik helped redefine how we did Bollywood. And the classic MTV Big Pictures, Director's Cuts, Biographies, Specials. Not just at MTV. But in the category to a large extent. We went beyond the usual 5 star poolside/ coffee shop and the "what was it like working with ramuji?" type of interviews. He introduced something basic back to even our most basic shows. An idea. And story telling.
His simplicity, this 'basic-ness' manifested itself in his actions. The long hand notes in the old school handbound notebooks. Beautiful. The effort on nailing the right text for the promos. I remember I used to call him 'Superman' cause all his promos would always be 'super-based', a signature Kaushik style, be really, well, super and just, make you feel, wanna watch that content. With a range that stretched from humor, thrill, romantic, mad, emotional to more. Kaushik's ability to pull back, observe, analyse - films, series, actors - and he did a lot of that - and then apply that to his craft was unreal. A single conversation with him even about a particular episode of a serial would be a learning and a whole new perspective. On entertainment, on life. His specials were legendary. The effort/ planning/ research/ writing that went into each, awesome. See the stuff he did with shahrukh, amitabh, karan johar... Over the years. It set the benchmark for bollywood programming. Kamalhassan (Kaushik's idol) was, in fact, so impressed by him that he pulled him on board at his expense as script doctor, bouncing board for some screenplays, scripts he was working on. Kaushik's joy at this was childlike.
He was the one guy I knew, who actively sought out ways to constantly upgrade his skills. References, and more. Wish more people in general and more specifically in our creative team had that attitude, hunger. I still remember reading the draft of the last project he worked on at MTV. A phenomenal screenplay/ plot. If we ever manage to get that made... It's up there for an Emmy!
And he kept at it all through battling his illness and all kinds of medication, treatment, alternative healing and everything he and family tried. Enduring even serious physical pain to get into office, handle the a/c wearing some serious woolens, etc. "Cause work is what is keeping me occupied, excited, distracted from the pain. And I need the money. And if I'm getting paid, I want to work."
I guess, as Kaushik said, "A character is not something you get or grow only when its convenient."
He often asked me through the MTV repositioning if there was still space on the channel for the kind of content that he made/ could make. Frankly, even if he were physically out of action for a year plus, that one idea, input or just knowing him was enough...
Kaushik passed away last night at 8:30pm.
Respect & peace, brother. I know you are now still at it, up there on the Ultimate MTV Big Picture/ Director's Cut, but with the best director/ star to do the biography with. I know it will turn out, super.
Irrespective, I know me & Praks are quiet right now and are gonna weep like women tonight as well. And I know lots of others who will too.
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