Of late, the term talent management has become a part of many TV viewers’ vocabulary after it has been used repeatedly by news organisations in connection to the drugs investigation being conducted by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). With that, many questions have emerged about what exactly does the term mean, what do talent management agencies do and what their scope of work is.
Along with management of ‘talent’, that is performers including actors, models, singers, dancers and comedians, becoming more organised and corporatised, agencies now provide a plethora of services. The scope of work varies vastly and is often at the discretion of the celebrity, insiders say.
In the past, in India, actors used to employ separate managers for different functions, for example to handle publicity or to act as a liaison with producers. Now, much like in the West, agencies offer to take complete responsibility for the brand equity of the celebrity, which could even border on some aspects, services or decisions regarding their personal life.
Sources in the film industry tell TNM that many ‘events’ for Bollywood actors are suggested or curated by their talent management agencies. A source in one of the leading agencies told TNM that Sara Ali Khan professing her ‘liking’ for actor Kartik Aaryan on a talk show, appearances of star kids like Taimur Ali Khan and AbRam Khan in between interviews of their actor parents, and even Salman Khan’s Being Human Foundation are all handiworks of their agencies and managers to shape opinion.
Sources in Kwan, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told TNM that the managers assigned to celebrities travel with them and spend a lot of time together because of which they sometimes become friendly. While the agency in no way endorses nor encourages any illegal activities, if any of the managers have indulged in them it is purely in their personal capacity, the source said.
In the professional sphere, public appearances to social media posts, logistics, endorsements and negotiations with production houses are all managed by talent management agencies. The decision on how much the managers handle often lies with the star and the agencies tend to be flexible with that, say industry experts. But not all talent management agencies offer 360-degree management, some just act as liaison between actors and brands for specific events.
One such company, Black Hat Talent Solutions & Consulting, has steered clear of the controversies that have sprung up. Managing Director Raj Bhanushali told TNM, “We don’t market celebrities exclusively nor do we handle their career. We are like an aggregator in the talent/ entertainment space and our business model has similarities to how a Booking.com or a Makemytrip operates in the hotel/hospitality space. Be it a Bollywood actor or a singer, stand-up comedian or a motivational speaker, we make suggestions to the client based on the event profile or the brand endorsement brief and give them suitable options with costs, and negotiate on behalf of them. We have the responsibility of the celebrity only for the specific event or endorsement that we have booked them for. It doesn’t extend beyond that.”
There are the other agencies that become the official representatives of the celebrities. Talent agencies either have a tie-up with PR agencies or even in-house publicists to take care of the image of their client. Many companies also offer image and career management to celebrities. While most agencies have a retainership, they also work on a commission basis.