I don’t want to be a ‘chai’ boy

With the credit of many firsts to his name, it is not that difficult to place Luke Kenny. The first male VJ on Channel V to the first director to shoot an entire film in an elevator, Luke is now on his way to make a mark on his first ‘talent hunt’.
“Money is the crucial factor in film-making,” says the current programming head at Channel V. “It’s a business and one has to prove their commercial viability to keep a stand in the industry. I made my first film on a digital camera to save money. I could have taken up the job of an assistant to a famous director or producer. But, I did not want to be a chai boy.”
Instead, Luke continued his struggle to realise his dreams at his own terms. “I don’t call it a struggle. I feel it is more of a journey. Like any other, this journey also led me to many exciting stops and many interesting people.”
With reality television shows being the order of the day in Indian entertainment, Luke is making his foray into a television show, Channel V Launchpad. “The programme tries to provide an international recognition to the Indian underground rock music. We have finalised 16 bands from across the country and the winner will be going to New York for a live performance,” says Luke.
Reliving his school days, Luke recalls, “When I was part of a band in school, my bandmates and I decided only to perform original compositions but we got booed off the stage by our schoolmates. At that time, cover versions of Floyd and Mettalica were the norm. 15 years down the line, a lot has changed. Now, young people want to listen to original compositions. Infact, cover versions are not as well received as original compositions.”
While being excited about the changes happening in the Indian rock circuit, Luke says that Indianisation does hamper the spirit of rock music. “The global language for rock continues to be English. When you sing in Hindi before an international audience, it gets Indianised and the rock element goes out of it.”
So, the Hindi and Bengali rockers among others will have to wait for some more time for global acceptance. With time, we’re sure there will be global platform for music without linguistic barriers.