Collective Artists Network’s Vijay Subramaniam: The whole industry needs to come together to standardise costs

Talent management in India has moved beyond the nebulous craft of brokering deals and roles in the smoky backrooms of Bollywood. Technological advancements and the rise of the creator economy have leveled the playing field, feels Bengaluru-born entrepreneur Vijay Subramaniam. As founder and group CEO of Collective Artists Network, Mumbai’s leading celebrity management and influencer marketing firm, Vijay has expanded his company’s portfolio into a diversity of spaces, from indie music to flash fiction. His company — formerly KWAN — services an enviable roster of film stars (Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Hrithik Roshan, Kartik Aaryan, Yash, Rashmika Mandanna), sportspersons (Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Yuvraj Singh), musicians and authors, in addition to over a hundred top creators from India’s influencer space. Their aim, as Vijay has stated, is to create a ‘pop culture marketspace’ unifying the creative landscape and providing branding and monetizing opportunities.

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“Talent agencies in the West, such as William Morris and CAA, have evolved from simply managing actors and entertainers to becoming full-fledged entertainment companies that handle everything from content to enterprise creation to brand partnerships,” Vijay tells The Hindu. “They have embraced technology and diversified their portfolios to stay relevant. However, I feel on the creator side of things, no market in the world is as large and untapped as India.”

Recently, Collective Artists Network acquired galleri5, an AI-powered influencer marketing solutions platform that will help creators collaborate better with brands. It offers a suite of software for in-depth analytics, customer relationship management and sales.

“AI integration is set to revolutionize the new media ecosystem in India by providing advanced tools for trendspotting, content creation and consumer engagement,” says Vijay. “This will not only enhance the creativity and reach of our creators but also offer brands and platforms deeper insights into audience preferences, ultimately driving more targeted and effective marketing strategies.”

Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan, co-stars in ‘Fighter’, the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2024, are both represented by Collective Artists Network

The rise of short-form content and micro-influencers on YouTube and Instagram have democratised content creation, says Vijay. Today, anyone with a smartphone is a creator. “This space is fundamentally different from professionally created and data-driven content,” observes Vijay, who launched the BigBang.Social app last year to build a community of creators and help them monetize their work. “The traditional model relied heavily on a few big names, whereas the creator economy thrives on a multitude of voices and niches.”

Mainline entertainment, nevertheless, continues to be the lifeblood of the Collective. Following a string of non-starters, Bollywood films witnessed a 2% drop in box office revenue in the first half of 2024, according to a July Ormax Media report. We ask Vijay about the recent revelations about bloated production costs and exorbitant star fees affecting the revenue of Hindi films. Talent agents and agencies are crucial arbitrators in how projects are shaped up.

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“There has been some talk of this lately and it just highlights the need for more sustainable and efficient production practices,” Vijay says. “I think what is needed is for the whole industry to come together to set some standard practices toward standardising these costs and a more transparent production ecosystem.”

He adds that it is convenient to peg costs on stars as they become ‘the easiest targets’. “But I do believe standardisation and transparency on the production side will lead to equal and more efficiencies in the business.”