An opportunity to leave behind a Brave New World of Entertainment

Authored by Himank Duvuru, Head, KWAN South.

Strange times, these! Without a doubt, this must be the most unique global event that the majority of us alive today have ever experienced, are experiencing or will experience. The initial days were actually exciting - WFH, more time with the family, try cooking, do your own chores, learn a skill, read more and relax with a drink at the end of the day. Slowly, it became less exciting and burdensome almost and most of the things I thought I had time for never happened. Then the realisation that - 'This is the Way', in true Mandalorian style.

My biggest strength, of the few I have is being disciplined and structured. So, I decided a change in the global scenario doesn't change those basic things. I went about structuring the day a lot better and I realised that I was more effective than before. On another note, with respect to work, a conversation across the table became a mail, a mail became a call, a call became a Zoom call and before you know you are in front of the screen for every minute of your work day compared to the time you could walk and take calls and get some breaks away from the screen.

Let's put all the cynicism aside for a short while. What this time has taught us and I don't think there is time for us to wait and think 'This too shall pass'. I hope everyone has realised that this is way different.

So, I think it's time to look at this situation as a new challenging opportunity and make the most of it. Once that realisation hits, you and your teams will hopefully be flying towards seizing this moment before anyone else does.

In our industry, entertainment, which has been particularly hit hard, new content via new channels became that opportunity. We still don't know when we will be allowed to shoot and when theatres will open. Apparently, a leading theatre chain has reported that all their furniture became meals for rats.

So what do we do. We improvise, we innovate, we make work rewarding literally. You are literally working because you like to do this because in today's world money isn't a big motivation. The guy with the private jet is sitting at home and so am I, who commutes by bicycle.

What are we doing then. We are looking at short form content, concepts that can be self shot or shot at home, animation, engaging brands digitally, collaborations, skill development and many other crazy ideas which hopefully will make us early adopters in today's bizarre entertainment industry where

Having been working close to 14-16 hrs a day and definitely more than what I usually do when offices were open, having let go of dreams of learning a new skills and reading more books while I WFH, having made my family understand that I am still working and I will probably work even more now(which is by far the most difficult thing to do for most for not for me with an understanding wife and a mature 5 year old), I can safely say that our organisation and I are gearing up to a new world - A world full of unexplored opportunities, untouched pastures and avenues, implement new age working styles, keep young people motivated by making WFH more relevant and accountable at the same time, save more, spend less, give more, pollute less and in all continue this 2 month exercise where we have made the world a better place even better.

We were always accused of leaving a worse version of earth behind us when we left, this is our opportunity to leave a Better, Brave New World when we leave.

Himank Duvvuru has been in the space of leadership development, sports & education management for the past 14 years. Prior to Worldview, Himank was Vice President of AIESEC in India handling Finance for the entire country. After that he was working with Globosport where he managed sports & celebrity marketing working with top brands & MNCs in India. He has led and been a part of Global teams working with people from over 15 nationalities, having extensively travelled most of them.

Coming to Kwan has been a full circle having been associated them loosely from the time it was established.  Himank joined the Kwan South team to head the business in South India in 2018 and has been instrumental in building the team and the business across verticals. Like Films, Music, Sports, Television and Digital.