Anita Kaul Basu , director, Synergy Communications and producer of Mastermind India and Crorepati has shown how hard work and the gutfeel helps her create television block busters that enthrall participants, audience and viewers alike.

Anita Kaul married Siddhartha Basu in 1983 and gave up her job as journalist with India Today. She then waited in the wings for her children to grow up before taking the plunge to shape her professional persona. She returned to the spotlight as producer of Kaun Banega Crorepati and Mastermind India.

Charming, forthright, attractive and livewire, Anita, shares some of her innermost thoughts with Poonam Singh Jamwal,that make her Absolutely Anita.

Anita Basu on Parenting and Life

Hard wired to do the Durga act forever. Women are empowered with an incredible energy, multiprocessing ability, a sound emotional base and a nurturing disposition. Often we undervalue our natural strengths. I am a woman who taps into each and every

strong point. I am hugely happy to see that more and more women are liberating themselves from cultural, economic and social bondages. It is truly the dawn of a new era for women of today.

I revel in being a woman in today’s world. Yet, I am also aware that role definitions are not going to change overnight. A woman is expected to fulfill multi roles – that of the daughter, mother, wife, daughter-in law, friend and most importantly an intelligent, educated working, woman. It’s balancing all those roles and yet being comfortable in your skin that adds to the allure of women.

It’s often tough to meet all the expectations and be on top. My life is full of those dilemmas – should I be the beast of all burdens – well whether I like it or not, I do end up being one at all times. There is joy too and pretty late in life I have realized that only you can bring a smile to your face, only you are the force that creates the happiness and the joy.

Role of Parents in shaping you

My god I could write a thesis on this one – we are what we are because of our parents! All character traits have a direct bearing from our parent’s attitude to the world around them. Unfortunately we can never shrug them off. As children our role models are not celluloid stars, characters in a book or even some flamboyant relation or teacher – it’s always the parents. Often even parents are unaware of the impact their actions and attitudes have on their kids. Its often humbling and at the same time intimidating to come to terms with the potency of this effect. Being a chip of the old block speaks volumes of this relationship. It does put an enormous onus on parents to be responsible human beings and appear to their children as the ultimate upholders of all things that are right and good in the world. We inherit the value bases from our parents and those are the badges that we carry through life, irrespective of circumstances and changes.

On Parenting

I have been a strict but loving mother. Children are not playthings that you bring into this life for your pleasure – neither are they clumps of inanimate dough – to be squashed, pinched and moulded the way you want them. We have to invest love, caring and strong values in our children. My endeavour has always been to have a balanced outlook towards my kids – neither too strict nor too overindulgent. It’s not easy to achieve that balance, but believe me the power is in our hands. I have never made my children believe that money grows on trees – hard work is the key to success. I have instilled strong values like being respectful to elders, humility, humaneness and self-help. It’s a tough act for kids to walk the straight and narrow path. There are far too many pulls and pressures and the marketplace is forever designed to attract young sticky eyeballs. Parents have a very strong and key role to play and give kids direction.

On Friendships

I have had enduring friendships – from school, college and during work almost all women. We all have hectic lifestyles, yet we keep in touch. Even when we are not in touch on a daily basis, we pick up where we had left – that’s the beauty of such relationships – no wild expectations, a level of understanding and incredible support. We all share an incredible bond with our women friends. We cry together, laugh together and go wild together! Something that we would not do with men – no egos and no attitudes! Its wonderful to just be - drop all masks, play out all our emotions and not be judged all the time.

On Relationships

The premise for any and all relationships is the give and take. We grow and evolve. The bonds we have also change with this continuous ebb and flow. It’s understanding that we are not static but fluid in our responses, our emotions and in spirit that makes for solid relationships. I tend to be very loyal – no matter what, to all my relationships. I never give up on a friendships or relationships. There is no sell by date for such connections.

Success

In the world we live in today success translates into money power!

We lay very little stock on merit, experience, badges of honour and values. For me it stands for respect, intelligence and humility. I guess those are not measures of success. So we go back to power and pelf. Sad but true.

Worries

I am a terminal worrier. I worry about the slightest thing to the most gargantuan one. Sometimes I wish I had a less restless mind, but I think most women have too much to process at any given time and fall into the trap of worrying.

Joys

My children! And the smiles of thousands of children in schools, on the road and the bastis and gallis of our country. I will do anything to bring smiles to the disadvantages children in our world.

Dreams

To many to sum up here – but I hope to realize some of them in this lifetime – like working with kids, studying further, traveling to the remotest parts of the world…

My Utopia

Sitting cross-legged next to the Ganges! That is total bliss!