JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many things in life. The big impact was immediately felt by the entertainment industry when filming was stopped, cinemas were also closed. Four months of struggling with health and safety protocols, entertainment companies lost without exception, including Manoj Punjabi's MD Pictures.
"Obviously, at the beginning of the pandemic it was very, very difficult. It was difficult for me to see the wisdom. Sometimes if we didn't have a disaster we wouldn't learn. The disaster made me even smarter," said Manoj while talking to the VOI Team at MD Place , Kuningan, South Jakarta, Monday, October 4.
Some things that should be done to make MD Pictures healthy have been postponed because they feel they are still safe. The pandemic gave Manoj a way to recompose the company to be more effective.
"Because I feel it's still safe, I don't do it. Because of this disaster I'm more agile, I have to do it now. Even though that's what I wanted to do ahead of time. It's more practical, more effective, employees don't get unemployed. Everyone has a responsibility, has the opportunity "The more I take care of it, the healthier the company will be. The employees at MD Pictures are happier because they have a brighter future," he explained.
Manoj frankly had to let go of employees at the beginning of the pandemic to make his company healthy. This heavy step became a strategy in order to survive and make a profit again.
"So at the beginning of the crisis I had to let go some employees. But this year we have added more. But adding them because we need them, not because we have to keep a number of employees because they are not comfortable," he explained.
Not only was the human resources department 'cleaned up', Manoj also changed the direction of company policy to save MD Pictures from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The changes are as extreme as possible, really 180 degrees. The changes are very drastic, the strategy, the mindset, the sense of belonging to the employees, the responsibilities of the employees are very different. Honestly, this crisis has made us even better. And I may lose in 2020, but already return the profits in 2021. The changes are fast and I am sure that in 2022 the profits will rise again," he said.
Manoj Punjabi is one example of a successful figure in the business. Starting a business with difficulty, the pandemic was not able to 'kill' it. Just a year of loss, MD Pictures has been able to share this year's profits.
The company codenamed FILM distributed dividends for the financial year 2020 of Rp100 billion after not distributing dividends in the previous year. The decision was agreed at the Annual and Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders (AGMS & RUSLB) which was held on 19 August 2021.
The dividend distribution is also inseparable from the performance of this production house which is growing positively. MD Pictures' revenue doubled from IDR 56.8 billion in the first semester of 2020 to IDR 126.4 billion in the same period in 2021, or grew by 123 percent on an annual basis.
The main contributor to this sales figure was the film category, which contributed 89.3 percent of total sales, which this semester was recorded at Rp112.8 billion or grew 165.4 percent compared to Rp42.5 billion in the previous year.
"I always believe that what we make must have positive thinking. I believe that the entertainment world will not die. This is a matter of change, change. We can accept that change or not. Because we know that in early March 2020 the cinema was closed. After one month I what should we do," he said.
The film category consists of revenues from digital, cinema films, and television. Other sales contributors are building rentals and shooting equipment rentals.
"Before the true pandemic, we were ready to make the My Lecturer My Husband series. That was without an order from OTT, I have an instinct we have to turn digital. That change happened because OTT is growing so big now, yes the trigger point is COVID-19," he said. .
The President Director of MD Pictures admitted that he had prepared digital shows before COVID-19 came. Right when change is needed, MD Pictures is the carriage of change for the Indonesian entertainment industry during the pandemic.
"We have prepared this series 3-4 years ago. We are waiting for the right moment when it airs. This time of COVID-19 has become superior and very useful. And MD Pictures quickly changed the strategy to make a series, My Lectures My Husband, Stories for Geri and others for WeTV to be big. The entry of Disney+ is even bigger," he explained.
FOCUS ON DIGITAL
Manoj Punjabi predicts OTT will continue to grow in the future. The reason is, the Covid-19 pandemic itself is still unpredictable.
"If I see it, OTT will definitely develop. The business model will develop into digital. Cinema will still exist, but cinema will be a profitable business. Cinema is more about exposure, image, and others," he explained.
Visionary and ready to change, but Manoj always sees his abilities as he walks. The development of OTT did not make it difficult for him to want to expand into digital entertainment service providers rashly.
"OTT requires very large funds. We also have an investment in MOX in the group. But OTT is not our expertise, not a priority. Our expertise is software, we create content for the big screen, for the digital OTT platform. We can't We run away from our strengths, our expertise, and that becomes our strength. Even if later we go to OTT, it will be a different boat," he said.
Confident in his steps, Manoj is not half-hearted when he invests in MD Pictures. The man who was born on December 7, 1972, is diligent in buying MD Pictures shares.
"I feel I have the money, I'd rather invest in something that is in my hands. Unless MD Pictures is no longer productive, there's no way I want to add money. If I still buy MD Pictures shares, I feel the price is cheap, the value is still under value and has potential to the top. Why should I invest elsewhere when I know it has great potential?" he insisted.
Honestly, Manoj admits that he is still buying MD Pictures shares to this day. "That's my savings too. There are words 'Don't put all eggs in one basket' but in my opinion if we perform, we must dare to invest in ourselves first. Because we decide, we are the hosts, so we are the owners. the ball. The potential is there, even in a crisis, the growth will be even more digital, "he said.
Focusing on digital, the husband of Shania Lakhaiani sees the Covid-19 pandemic itself is still unpredictable. MD Pictures has taken steps to postpone all theatrical releases of its films.
"My love for the big screen is certain, even if I don't have the money, I will still be on the big screen. It's a passion. On the big screen, I have to wait for time. I'm still producing, but for the release schedule I want to wait first."
MD Pictures chose to postpone the release of its flagship film in theaters after seeing the unsatisfactory results of Asih 2. "Asih 2 is a new product, you know. I have tried to sacrifice the film Asih 2 from Danur Universe, which has the best result from 1.5 this year, 350,000 viewers. I expected to get one million viewers but only got that much. The highest in Indonesia during the pandemic, but I was not satisfied," he recalls.
That's why Manoj Punjabi chose to be patient and wait before releasing his new films, including KKN di Desa Penari. "I'll just wait, if a top film gets that much, the image will be bad. I don't want to burn my film, I'm waiting to let the others enter first," said Manoj Punjabi.
Manoj Punjabi sees the country's entertainment industry continues to develop positively. The number of young shoots of YouTubers who make entertainment companies is one proof that their success can strengthen the position of the Indonesian entertainment industry.
"Any young people, YouTubers who can succeed and penetrate the entertainment market are good for us. We grow together. In my opinion, the needs of domestic viewers are the main thing. Quality increases, budget increases, content is better, will automatically travel. Can be liked on abroad is a bonus," he explained.
Antares, one of the MD Pictures series, has proven that the road to success in Indonesia can extend to Malaysia. "Antares was accepted in Malaysia. This Cinta Fitri series I believe can be accepted in Malaysia, Singapore. Because previously the soap operas were already popular there. To be able to travel to China and other countries it was just a matter of time. My target is not there, Indonesia first. Bonus just out of the country," he said optimistically.
Want to be successful too? Follow the three keys to successful entertainment for Indonesia from Manoj Punjabi below.
"When we talk about entertainment, there must be three combinations, namely reality, hope, dream. Don't let people not dream, there is no vision. If reality is grounded, our culture is raised. If you dream of foreign products, you can give it, but reality must be with your own culture so that it is related to audience," concluded Maoj Punjabi.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
