When it comes to the south Indian film industries, it’s individuals who manage the schedules of actors. However, the fairly new system of talent management has emerged in the southern industries, too.
Talent management agency KWAN, which already has an established ecosystem to manage talent in Bollywood, is now exploring similar possibilities in the southern film industries. In 2018, KWAN started a joint venture with Suresh Productions, a noted production house in Hyderabad, to form KWAN South, with Baahubali actor Rana Daggubati as business partner.
Since then, from curating and packaging scripts for talent to digital marketing and brand endorsements, KWAN South says that it has become a ‘one-stop-shop’ for their clients. In this context, TNM spoke to KWAN South’s Head of Operations, Himank Duvvuru.
What is talent management, can you elaborate on the term and tell us what all it covers?
Talent management is about managing various kinds of talent – understanding the client's goals, charting out the most sustainable path to achieve them and ensure the clients can focus on their craft-be it actors, Director of Photography (DoP), writers and others in the entertainment industry – and their portfolios. It is about how best we can exploit each and every aspect of their skill and talent. The role of a talent management agency has become very critical, it’s far different from what it was earlier and what we think it can be. It’s not just about managing dates, there’s a lot more to it while ensuring the client's career is in safe hands. The role of a talent management agency has become multi-faceted and holistic which needs to accommodate the goals and aspirations of highly motivated and talented individuals.We have specific teams of highly skilled personnel, who manage actor's projects, brand associations, PR, profiling, packaging, social media and others.
Apart from Tollywood, do you have clients from other southern film industries?
We manage various artists across the south. The ecosystem is still very nascent, the education around talent management is very less. We think it’s a massive opportunity for us to bring and lead that change. Across the south, we manage actors like Shruti Haasan, Trisha Krishnan, Ritu Varma, Nivetha Thomas, Manjima Mohan, Pranitha Subhash and others. We also manage several technicians in the south. We also manage several technicians in the south.
Do you pick up new talent in the film industry or only help existing talent?
Our expertise lies in managing existing talent and new talent. Our approach is very different for each and we’re geared up for both. We have accomplished DoPs like Niketh Bommi, Richard Prasad, experienced actors and others who are comparatively new and have a long way to go. We have fresh writers whom we have helped get producers. We want to show stories of success. We want to show newcomers reaching different heights and also accomplished actors reaching the next level.
How do you ensure that your clients get opportunities across industries?
We have a very robust coverage system. We talk to producers, directors, writers, filmmakers, and we know what’s happening. Apart from that, we package our own stuff. We’re constantly in touch with the stakeholders of different projects and we follow their work. We ensure that our clients are in relevant spaces to ensure that they get the right opportunities.
There is a very strong established managerial system in the south film industries. How did you manage to secure a place in spite of this? Were there any challenges in the process?
Yes, there’s an existing managerial system in the south, however, we've managed to make an impact in such a short span of time due to our philosophy of what talent management entails. It is a more holistic approach to ensure that our clients don't feel limited in anyway and are provided with avenues to explore their full potential. We see each talent as an entity and see what we can do as a whole, that’s where the difference lies. In this process, there are definitely challenges. However, with mutual trust and the way we work, we’re able to bring in the difference. We’re not helping as individuals, but as a team, with a more professional approach and robust support mechanism, that covers the backend requirements of our clients completely.
How do you facilitate the exchange of actors between the north and south film industries? How do you see the southern film industries faring in the next 10 years?
We have offices across the country, we exchange ideas and talent across industries. We helped south Indian stars make their debut in Bollywood. Because of the established ecosystem that we already have in place, it was easier to do this. Now more than ever, content is important, irrespective of language. That’s what is going to be the focus in the coming 10 years.
What’s your plan to bring background talent like writers and cinematographers to the forefront?
The people behind the scenes are often underrated. Our biggest success stories have been how we have brought them to the forefront, how we have got them their due credit and recognition in the industry. We also ensure they get the right pay and we structure deals in such a way that they are beneficial to them. We have a whole bunch of writers, technicians and others who trust us to help them with their careers.
How do you deal with situations where your clients land up in controversies? How do you ensure that their privacy is not compromised?
The best thing that we do for our talent is to really be by their side at all times, good or bad… we want to support them when they need it. With regard to privacy, it is critical for any artist and we don’t compromise on it. Information is key, there are many things that you can’t share, there are many things that have to be closely guarded. I feel before any big announcement is made, it’s not good to talk about it in advance. Trust is a critical value to our clients, which has to be built over time. In difficult situations, we try to help them and ensure that everything is taken care of. We trust them and they also trust us, we want to nurture this trust and honesty, that is what counts, those are the values that we live by.