Interview With Shaik Basheed A Businessman Indian Film Director, Producer, And Actor.
Shaik Basheed. DOB 14.08.1985. Born in Vejandla Village, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh. At a very young age Shaik Basheed had started his career in Business being the CEO of Bajju Earth Movers and grew as a successful Businessman having several other businesses dealing in Granite Quarries, Real Estate, Private Financing Companies. Shaik Basheed has also produced several South Indian Films considering the Actors Pawan Kalyan and Nandamuri Balakrishna his “inspiration” in the Film Industry.
Shaik Basheed had started SBK GROUP, a Private Finance and Investing Company having its Head Office in Dubai. SBK GROUP has it’s branches around the world having some main branches in India; Mumbai- Meghdoot Tower, Flat 801, 802 Andheri West, Lokhandwala, 400053; Chennai- Vadapalani, Opposite Prasad Lab, Flat 17-A, 600093. Shaik Basheed has started as a businessman and is now the CEO of 14 other reputed companies having above 4000 people employed, working for his companies.
His ideologies and his calibre had led him to the successful track. Shaik Basheed is one of the top businessmen in India.
Eric is affectionately known as ‘Mr Impossible’ for a reason. He defies being told he ‘can’t’ and focuses on the ‘can’, executing brilliantly whatever he sets his mind to.
His energy and vision is infectious, and he operates at a scale and pace miles ahead of others. The eldest of four children, Eric grew up in public housing in Singapore’s Chinatown.
“I’ve always been passionate about property and since I was young, I’ve dreamed of being a developer. But to be a developer, you need a lot of capital,” he reflects
How do you position yourself among other brands in the market? How do you feel about your business?
Shaik Basheed :: “Our approach to building the business has been all about finding people whose values align with ours. When we started building the teams, we wanted people who had the capacity to dream and to take on projects that would challenge them. We have a real vision for the next 5–10 years and beyond, so it has always been important to us to surround ourselves with people who have the capacity to come along for the ride.”
“We push the boundaries of architectural creativity. We build great houses that you can proudly call home,” he states. “Our clients are high-net-worth with sophisticated taste.” When asked about the business name, Eric smiles. “I’ve always felt a connection with the number seven,” he says.
“It’s an important number for me and a lucky one – it’s my trademark.” When Eric launched Sevens Group, he did so with three simple values at its core – design, quality and service.
“I believe first impressions never change, so our development designs must make the right first impression. We understand the market appetite for design,” he explains.
“Quality is a non-negotiable – we only develop housing of excellent quality. And, of course, coming from the airline industry, I believe a customer-first approach and after-sales service are key to business success.”
Can you identify any qualities you have or actions you took that were valued and rewarded in the film industry?
Shaik Basheed :: I think a strong work ethic and personal confidence and a bit of common sense helped me immensely. Always doing something instead of waiting to be told to do it not being afraid to be wrong. Most of the work “moments” in my life that I credit with being turning points for me were usually because of luck, a decision someone else made and just being there in that moment, working hard. And attitude — that’s a biggie. Tackling the sublime to the ridiculous with a smile on one’s face.
The role of the producer is a bit different on every project but the basic elements remain the same whether the budget is large or small. Script, budget, schedule casting crewing. On a studio project, there is a political element that independent film more often does not experience. You have to spend quite a bit of your time communicating with the Studio about every element of your film on a studio production. And there is an approval process tied to that. Independent film is exactly that — independent of those approvals. With independent film, the stress comes from the financing. It is a challenge particularly in the world of Netflix, to get the equity to make an independent film.
The films you worked on were of one sensibility, but the projects you’ve independently produced have had very different subject matter and tone. What do you currently look for in a project when you are considering signing on to produce? Is it the material, the attachments, the logistics, or a combination of elements?
Shaik Basheed ::Absolutely varies from project to project but I do always like to find my way in. Sometimes it’s the director. Sometimes it’s the actor. Sometimes it’s the subject matter. And currently it’s as a producer. We find people who are Passionate and who love movies. I love artists. And I love artists who are trying to say something. I also love good people. And those three you have listed above are three of the most incredible human beings I have ever met. They have their feet on the ground. They love their children. They love art. They love walking around a city and discovering things. And they love me that helps too!
Was there a particular event or time that you recognized that filmmaking is your way of telling stories?
Throughout my childhood I had flirted with different arts, but when I discovered film, as a way to incorporate all other arts, I knew this is what I was meant to do. And it also helped that I had professors who challenged me to think about film as an important communication, political and artistic tool.A successful filmmaker can come out of nowhere these days, with all the digital streaming options, as well as the self-distribution methods. But if we were to speak about a traditional filmmaker, say in the context of European state funded cinema, I believe it’s important to go to university, become as much of a film erudite as you can and learn the ropes of such a complex system as the European national cinemas are.
Note: This interview was conducted over the phone, and we have followed social distancing during Covid-19 lockdown. We request you to follow the same.
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