Why do new writers struggle to break into Bollywood despite the industry’s constant search for original stories? Viraf Patell joins Vanita Kohli-Khandekar to examine the barriers separating aspiring screenwriters from Bollywood producers and decision-makers.

In this episode of The Media Room, Viraf explains how limited access, an oversupply of writing talent and a shortage of serious buyers make breaking into Bollywood difficult. He also reveals how Frame Your Idea, the pitching platform created at FICCI Frames, is making Bollywood’s talent market more accessible.

What began with 115 writers and 650 meetings has grown into a curated marketplace involving more than 450 writers, around 75 producers and over 3,300 structured pitch meetings.

But how often does a pitch lead to another opportunity?

Viraf says only 5 to 7 percent of meetings result in producers asking to meet a writer again. Yet that conversion rate is comparable to what studios achieve through months of conventional talent scouting. Frame Your Idea compresses the process into two days while giving screenwriters from across India direct access to producers, studios and industry executives.

The conversation explores why new writers struggle to enter Bollywood, what producers look for in a script and why even promising stories can take years to reach the screen. Viraf also shares success stories connected to Netflix’s Choked, Disney, Colour Yellow Productions and Dharma Productions.

Viraf reflects on his own journey from the Merchant Navy and Mr India to YRF television, screenwriting, Gujarati cinema and acting in Pathaan. He discusses learning screenwriting from Boman Irani through Spiral Bound and working on the National Award-winning Kutch Express.

He also recalls Shah Rukh Khan’s generosity on the Pathaan set and speaks about his role in Hansal Mehta’s Gandhi, starring Pratik Gandhi with music by A.R. Rahman.

Watch the full conversation to learn:

•⁠ ⁠Why new writers struggle to break into Bollywood

•⁠ ⁠How to pitch a script to Bollywood producers

•⁠ ⁠How Frame Your Idea works at FICCI Frames

•⁠ ⁠Why most film pitches do not progress

•⁠ ⁠How producers discover new writing talent

•⁠ ⁠What makes stories work across languages

•⁠ ⁠What Viraf Patell learned from Boman Irani

•⁠ ⁠What Shah Rukh Khan was like on the Pathaan set

This episode offers screenwriters, filmmakers and media professionals a candid look at Bollywood’s closed networks, its demand-and-supply imbalance and the difficult journey from a promising script to a finished film.

Subscribe to The Core for informed conversations on Indian business, media, technology, financial markets and the forces reshaping the economy.

Chapters

(00:00) – Viraf Patell’s Journey from Merchant Navy to Acting

(05:55) – From Acting to Storytelling: Why Viraf Looks Beyond One Discipline

(09:31 – How Frame Your Idea Was Born

(13:58) – Frame Your Idea: 650 Meetings and 115 Writers in Three Days

(17:43) – How Do You Measure Success in Finding New Writers?

(23:05) – The Business of Frame Your Idea and the Cost for Writers

(27:05) – From Frame Your Idea to Films: Success Stories

(32:19) – How Learning Screenwriting Changed Viraf as an Actor

(37:45) – Boman Irani’s Spiralbound and Viraf’s Screenwriting Education

(40:50) – Why Good Stories Are Universal

(43:20) – Frame Your Idea Returns: A New Door for Writers

(44:13) – Viraf Patell on Shah Rukh Khan’s Generosity on Pathaan

(49:31) – What’s Next for Viraf Patell

Sony India is betting on television, SonyLIV, KBC, streaming and sports to drive its next phase of growth. Gaurav Banerjee, Managing Director and CEO of Sony Pictures Networks India, explains why he believes Indian TV is far from dead and how Sony plans to compete for audiences across screens.

In this episode of The Media Room, Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks with Gaurav Banerjee about Sony India’s television and streaming strategy, the growth of SonyLIV, the future of Indian television and the changing economics of the media and entertainment business.

Banerjee explains how Sony is reinventing some of its biggest entertainment properties. KBC is being reworked for the age of AI, Indian Idol has been adapted for a new generation of musicians, and established franchises such as Crime Patrol are being refreshed for changing audiences.

The conversation also looks at what really works on streaming in India. Banerjee argues that mass entertainment, live sports and strong intellectual property can travel across television, SonyLIV, YouTube and connected TVs rather than existing as separate viewing worlds.

SonyLIV sits at the centre of that strategy. From live cricket and interactive viewing to originals such as Scam, Maharani and Gullak, Sony is looking to expand SonyLIV while retaining its premium positioning and building stronger engagement across digital screens.

Sports is another important part of Sony’s growth strategy. Banerjee discusses the economics of sports broadcasting, cricket rights, the Asia Cup and why sports must generate reach, revenue and profit rather than simply attract large audiences.

The episode also tackles a larger question facing India’s media industry.

Is television really dying?

Banerjee argues that the problem is not television itself but whether broadcasters are creating programmes audiences still want to watch. Sony is consequently increasing investment in Hindi television, regional entertainment and new channels across Tamil, Marathi, Bangla and other Indian markets.

He also discusses Sony’s focus on watch time, viewership growth, advertising, connected TV adoption and why strong content remains the company’s most important growth driver.

Also discussed in this episode

* Sony India’s television and streaming strategy

* SonyLIV growth and the future of OTT in India

* The future of Indian television

* KBC in the age of AI

* Amitabh Bachchan and Kaun Banega Crorepati

* Indian Idol and the changing music industry

* Madhuri Dixit and Marathi KBC

* Ajay Devgn and the reinvention of Crime Patrol

* A R Rahman and Tamil Idol

* Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Celebrity MasterChef

* Sony’s sports broadcasting strategy

* Cricket rights and sports streaming economics

* Connected TV growth in India

* Advertising, viewership and watch time

* Scam, Maharani, Gullak and SonyLIV originals

* Sony’s regional television expansion

* The future of India’s media and entertainment industry

Watch the full conversation with Gaurav Banerjee on The Media Room with Vanita Kohli-Khandekar from The Core.

Chapters

(00:00) – Gaurav Banerjee on Sony’s Next Phase in India

(02:40 – How KBC Is Being Reinvented for the Age of AI

(05:08) – Reimagining Sony’s Fiction and Non-Fiction IP

(10:59) – Why Streaming and Television Are Converging

(15:48) – Sony’s Growth Strategy: Content, Sports and Watch Time

(18:05) – Sony’s Viewership Has Grown 38% in Two Years

(24:24) – SonyLIV’s Strategy: Live Sports, IP and Interactivity

(32:25) – Why Sports Must Drive Reach, Revenue and Profits

(36:35) – Can Television Beat the ‘Sunset Medium’ Narrative?

Victoria Oakley explains how technology, AI copyright and streaming fraud are reshaping the business of music and changing how artists create, distribute and earn.Streaming has transformed the global music industry. Listeners can discover songs from almost anywhere, artists can reach fans across borders and record labels can build new revenue streams through subscriptions, digital distribution, online concerts and direct fan engagement.But the same technology is also creating new risks.What happens when generative AI companies train music models on copyrighted songs without permission? Who gets paid when bots create millions of fake streams? And are Spotify, YouTube and other streaming platforms doing enough to protect artists and their royalties?In this episode of The Media Room, Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks with Victoria Oakley, Chief Executive Officer of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, or IFPI. It represents more than 8,000 record labels globally, from independent companies to Universal Music, Sony Music and Warner Music.Oakley explains how technology is changing the music business through subscription streaming, global distribution, digital fan experiences and new ways for artists to monetise their work. She also argues that record labels remain central because every platform still depends on original music and human creativity.The conversation examines one of the biggest debates in music today. Should AI companies be allowed to train their models on copyrighted music without consent or payment?Oakley argues that companies using songs to train generative AI systems should seek permission, enter licensing agreements and pay the artists and rights holders whose work makes those models possible. She also explains why fully AI-generated music without meaningful human creativity or properly licensed training data should not receive the same copyright protection as music created by people.Streaming fraud is another major concern.Fake streams, bots, click farms and streaming farms can artificially increase the number of plays a track receives. Fraudsters can then claim a larger share of the royalty pool even when no real audience has listened to the music. This diverts money away from genuine artists.Oakley discusses why streaming fraud is difficult to detect and why Spotify, YouTube, music distributors and other digital streaming platforms need stronger safeguards, better verification and greater cooperation.The episode also looks at the future of India’s music industry. India has a vast audience, a growing creator economy and globally recognised musicians, but much of its music consumption still happens through free, advertising-supported streaming rather than paid subscriptions.Can India become one of the world’s largest paid music markets? Can technology help Indian artists reach global audiences? And can the music industry embrace AI and innovation without weakening copyright, creativity and artist income?Watch the full conversation to understand how technology is shaping the business of music and how AI copyright, streaming fraud, music licensing, artist royalties and paid streaming could define its next phase.Subscribe to The Core for conversations on business, media, markets, technology and the global economy.#MusicBusiness #AICopyright #StreamingFraudChapters(00:00) Introduction: Inside the Global Music Business(00:46) What IFPI Does & How Record Labels Shape Music(01:47) Is the Music Industry Bigger Than Record Labels?(06:24) Have Streaming Platforms Overtaken Record Labels?(11:15) India's Music Market & The Subscription Opportunity(14:42) AI in Music: Opportunity or Threat?(21:08) Can AI-Generated Music Be Copyrighted?(26:39) Streaming Fraud: The Billion-Dollar Threat(31:09) How Spotify & YouTube Are Fighting Fake Streams(32:08) How Big Is the Streaming Fraud Problem?(36:22) How Streaming Created a Global Music Market(39:04) Final Thoughts