The reason for avoiding the show had nothing to do with the subject, story or actors. It was the OTT platform: Amazon MX Player. The last time I started watching a show on the platform, I had to quit midway because of the number and frequency of ad breaks. Hence, I was apprehensive and felt that the platform would kill the excitement of watching a story that I truly wanted to watch.
The choice of OTT platform was also strange. High-profile shows are usually placed on Amazon Prime Video. My understanding, which could very well be flawed, is that shows that are unlikely to generate significant interest and traffic are 'demoted' to MX Player so that they can also be monetized through commercials.
But I wanted to watch the story. Titan is my favourite watch brand and, over the years, I have bought and worn several of its watches. I still have a couple of them in my collection, but unfortunately, these days I am required to wear smartwatches in order to monitor my SpO₂ levels, especially the sleep oxygen levels. I have always loved the elegance of Titan watches. I also appreciate the breadth of the range. There is truly something for everyone.
There was another reason why I wanted to watch the Titan story. A brother-in-law of mine has been associated with the brand for over 20 years and is part of its leadership team. Though I have had limited interactions with him on the subject, I have always been impressed by his knowledge of the watch industry and his genuine interest in understanding customers' perspectives regarding what is working and what is not with Titan watches.
So, my own interest in the brand and this personal connection compelled me to overcome the issue I had with MX Player. We started watching the six-episode series on Saturday evening... and we finished it in one go!
Before saying anything about the show, since I have shat on MX Player, let me clarify that there were no frequent ad breaks during the show. Thankfully, there were only ad banners that emerged from the bottom of the screen and then vanished. They were not irritating at all and we barely noticed them.
Now, to the show.
It's a masterpiece, and you must do yourself a favour and watch it.
The story is inspiring and full of great lessons on leadership, perseverance, overcoming setbacks, putting skin in the game, managing individuals and teams, subordinating emotions and making the right calls, stepping back or aside at the right moment for junior colleagues to demonstrate their capabilities and to let them shine, guiding the team but letting them be independent and take ownership. And achieving the goals. The story has all that but not in a preachy, textbook-lesson kind of way.
It is not that the show is only about business learnings and devoid of emotions or sensitivity. There are conflicts and complexities due to the differing approaches, preferences, and emotions of the characters. The story is fast-paced and never feels like a drag. There is hardly any extra fat, and every scene serves a purpose.
The cast and acting are brilliant.
Jim Sarbh is outstanding. His character 'demonstrates' passion while remaining composed and in control. He makes decisions that are sometimes questionable, but more often than not, he gets them right. He is willing to take calculated risks. Personally, I am more like Akash Bansal, the character played by Vaibhav Tatwawadi, as I tend to be more conservative in my approach. However, I do understand and appreciate that businesses need people who are willing to take calculated risks and constantly push the envelope. Hence, I particularly liked the character of Xerxes Desai, played by Jim Sarbh.
I have always been impressed by Jim Sarbh's acting and he is indeed 'one of the brightest Titans' of the Indian entertainment industry.
Strangely, some people are saying that Naseeruddin Shah has played a role in the series. I did not notice him. I only saw JRD Tata, who happened to look a bit like Naseeruddin Shah.
The other actors, including Paresh Ganatra, Joy Sengupta, Kaveri Seth, Lakshvir Saran, and Viraf Patel, have also done a commendable job and look believable.
Another aspect that I really liked about the show is that it is suitable to watch with family. These days, when most shows are full of obscenities (honestly, I do watch them too, but I do look for shows that I can watch with my daughter and elders), this is a clean show. In fact, I think there is only one scene in which foul language is used.
One confession: I was overwhelmed and in tears when the legendary and iconic Titan music played in the show. Pure nostalgia!
And I loved the background music. Old Hindi film songs have been used brilliantly to create the atmosphere of the 1970s and 1980s. Bombay looks beautiful in the show, presenting a stark contrast to the maddening pace, traffic, concrete structures, and crowds that define the city today.
Some people, especially those who are inclined to look for hidden motives behind everything, may argue that the show is, in a discreet manner, a branding campaign for the Tata Group and Titan. They may point to how the show hints that the focus was more 'nationalistic' than profit-driven. I personally did not watch the show through that lens at all.
A business has no business focusing on the greater good while ignoring returns on investment and profits. But if there is one business group in India that I can imagine will even try to strike the right balance between profits and India's image and interests, it is the Tata Group.
I have that reputation of the Tata Group in my mind because of how the group responded after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. At a time when many businesses would have been focused on the extent of losses, Tata's response appeared to be driven first by people and principles. The group stood firmly behind the families of employees who lost their lives, extended support beyond its own workforce, and restored the Taj not merely as a hotel, but as a symbol of India's resilience. Even during the attack, several employees could have run away as they knew the exits, but they chose to stay back to guide and save the guests. Many of them sacrificed themselves to save the guests. Actions such as these are what have earned the group a level of goodwill and trust that very few corporate houses in India enjoy.
Not putting them on a pedestal at all. Every individual and every organization has its flaws and contradictions.
It is a bit like the case of legendary Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist. He earned immense respect because he would walk when he knew he was out, without waiting for the umpire's decision. However, at the same time, he did appeal for a catch even when he knew that a batsman had not nicked the ball. So, nobody is perfectly virtuous all the time. Yet, on balance, Gilchrist is probably regarded as more honest than most cricketers. The Tata Group enjoys a somewhat similar reputation. It has its set of controversies but is generally respected.
Whether the series consciously attempts to suggest that the ambition to create a world-class watch brand out of India was inspired by a larger sense of national purpose, rather than purely commercial objectives, is something each viewer can judge for themselves. I watched it simply as the story of a brand, the people behind it, and the challenges they overcame while building it.
I strongly recommend that you watch the show for the entertainment and for the inspiring story of one of India's biggest and most successful consumer brands. You will not be disappointed!
Give it a 'watch'. A story that keeps 'ticking'. Worth your 'time'.😜
1 comment:
हम भी दो तीन दिन पहले देखे, कमाल की फिल्म है। पुराने गीतों ने इसे और खास बना दिया - अपनी कहानी छोड़ जा, कुछ तो निशानी छोड़ जा..."
एक महत्वाकांक्षी व्यक्ति किस तरह जीवन के हर पहलू में कुछ देख लेता है, किस तरह मैं" की गिरफ्त में आता है, फिर कितनी सरलता से अपनी गलती स्वीकार करता है - सबकुछ बहुत ही बढ़िया है ।
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