ITV

Category: GECs

  • Star Plus brings the Indian adaptation of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’

    Star Plus brings the Indian adaptation of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’

    MUMBAI: The leader in the Hindi general entertainment space, Star Plus is set to bring Hollywood one step closer to Indian screens. The channel has acquired the rights to the official adaptation of globally popular sitcom – Everybody Loves Raymond. The Indian adaptation, in Hindi, will be titled Sumit Sambhal Lega.

     

    However, the Hindi adaptation will be very close to Everybody Loves Raymond just fine tuned to suit Indian sensibilities.

     

    The story showcases Sumit as the Indian Raymond whose predicament is one that men face universally, of getting stuck in family situations post marriage that gives rise to a comical extravaganza.

     

    To ensure that the nature and DNA of the original series remains intact, the channel has roped in the writer of the original series, Steve Skrovan to oversee the creative process on the show.

     

    This is the first time that any writer from the original show has been involved in the adaptation. Skrovan has been a part of the Everybody Loves Raymond team right from the beginning in the capacity of a writer and co-producer and was with the show till its finale. His role in the Indian version includes providing creative direction to the writers working on the show.

     

    Skrovan said, “It was such a privilege to be a part of this from the beginning. Star Plus is the largest brand and most appropriate to get this show to people in India and even though Sumit Sambhal Lega will revolve around the man, the relationship between his wife and the family seems to fit perfectly in Indian culture.”

     

    The channel has also adopted some of the best practices from Hollywood, including the adoption of Writer’s Room – a platform where all the writers come together and brainstorm to create a masterpiece.

     

    There is a team of dedicated writers for the show instead of one writer working on multiple shows at a time which is a standard practice.  Extremely popular in the west, writer’s room puts more focus on the writing aspect of the show, thus promising entertainment of highest quality.

  • After Madhuri Dixit, Shahid Kapoor debuts as judge on ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’

    After Madhuri Dixit, Shahid Kapoor debuts as judge on ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’

    MUMBAI: Colors popular dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa has always given popular stars a platform to debut on TV as a judge. Madhuri Dixit being the biggest example, who was a part of the Jhalak panel for three years.

     

    To focus on other projects, Dixit has decided to take a break from the show this year. Replacing her will be critically acclaimed actor and dancer, Shahid Kapoor as a judge on the show.

     

    Kapoor will take viewers on a whirlwind journey of his dance roots that have been instrumental in catapulting his acting career as well.

     

    Colors CEO Raj Nayak believes that television has become the primary choice of engagement for the film industry with its reach and direct audience connect making it centre stage for mainstream popular entertainment. 

     

    He said, “At Colors, we have a legacy of providing the perfect platform to the biggest names from the film industry like Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor , Akshay Kumar, Rohit Shetty , Anupam Kher  Priyanka Chopra , Madhuri Dixit-Nene etc among others, to move one step closer to their viewers through interactive and engaging formats. We are excited to welcome Kapoor to the Colors family through his TV debut as judge on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa; on the back of the box-office success of his latest films, with the most recent feather on his cap by bagging the top honours at IIFA.”

     

    Kapoor added, “When I first took up dancing, I had the privilege to work closely with some great mentors who not only honed my dance skills, but also helped me to shape my personality. As I join the Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa family as its judge, I am looking forward to share my learnings and experience with the contestants. Being a dancer brought discipline to my life and changed it completely; I’m now hoping to transfer some of the knowledge towards shaping the young and talented choreographers in our country.”

     

    “Kapoor’s appeal is enormous across age groups, especially amongst youth who take inspiration from his career graph from being a dancer to becoming one of today’s most sought after actors. His understanding of dance is unparalleled and his contribution to Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa will enable us to raise the bar of entertainment that the show brings to viewers year-after-year. Having said that, we would also like to thank Madhuri Dixit-Nene for being the ultimate connoisseur of Jhalak; this journey would not have been possible without her.”

     

    As per sources close to the development, the show is going on floors from 29 June and will go on-air in July. 

  • International Yoga Day, Father’s Day, World Music Day keeps TV channels busy

    International Yoga Day, Father’s Day, World Music Day keeps TV channels busy

    MUMBAI: If you think, you’re going to spend this Sunday, 21 June, watching show repeats or movies on entertainment channels… think again!

     
    It’s a busy Sunday for TV channels as we celebrate World Music Day, Father’s Day and International Yoga Day on 21 June. To keep viewers glued to their TV sets, channels will be showcasing relevant content pertaining to the three occasions.

     

    International Yoga Day

     
    Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being.

    With International Yoga Day around the corner, Zee Group’s media & entertainment companies are gearing up to actively participate in the same. The companies, which are lending support to this initiative are Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel), Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL), Z Living, Zee Learn Limited and Zee Digital Convergence. The network plans to make this a major national and global event.

     
    Among Zee Entertainment’s bouquet of channels, Zee TV will feature Yoga-based content integration in its popular shows, Satrangi Sasural and Neeli Chhatri Waale while &TV will be integrating the essence of International Yoga Day through its shows – Dilli Wali Thakur Gurls, Bhaghyalakshmi and Gangaa.

     
    Zindagi, the premium Hindi GEC, will espouse the effectiveness of practicing Yoga through its afternoon show Simply Beautiful, which is based on healthy living. The network’s free-to-air (FTA) channel, Zee Anmol will run fillers, each of which will focus on one Chakra of the body and how a particular type of Yoga cleanses that chakra, infusing energy into the body and bringing about a positive change.

     
    Zeel’s Hindi movie cluster will integrate Yoga and Bollywood to commemorate International Yoga Day. The channels will urge audiences to adopt Yoga as a lifestyle choice by showcasing advice from Yoga instructors as well as trivia and quotes from stars practicing Yoga.

     
    Truly living up to the name ‘International’ Yoga Day, Zeel’s international territories will also be supporting and celebrating this ancient Indian tradition in Zee Americas, ZLiving, Zee UK & Europe, Zee TV Russia and Zee TV Africa.

     
    The various channels of ZMCL like Zee News, Zee Business, Zee 24 Taas, Zee Sangam etc are also participating in the International Yoga Day celebrations.

    Speaking on the importance of International Yoga Day, Zee & Essel Group chairman Dr. Subhash Chandra said, ”The ancient Indian practice of Yoga nurtures the mind, working through the medium of the body. Yoga enhances the body and soul with additional strength, zeal and beauty. It is a beautiful act of nurturing the divinity within you. I strongly believe that it is a gift to all of us, and it is essential that we work towards making it a mass movement globally. I am confident that the International Yoga Day which our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has initiated will have a strong impact on humanity, maybe not immediately but definitely in the next five to ten years.”

     
    Elaborating on the Group’s participation in the International Yoga Day, Zeel MD & CEO Punit Goenka added, ”Yoga is a way of living, which recharges the body and promotes the balanced development of the physical, mental and spiritual being. As the excitement around International Yoga Day builds up, we, at the ZEE Group, have lined up a range of yoga-based activities to engage with our viewers across the world. Our channels and brands will feature yoga content integration, expert advice from yoga gurus, useful trivia, celebrity bytes and yoga cuisine, among other interesting initiatives throughout the day. Apart from this, we are celebrating Yoga Week across all our offices where employees will perform yoga sessions led by expert instructors.”

     
    News channels are also busy preparing their special bulletins and features around Yoga. NewsX’s Cover Story celebrates the first World Yoga Day with its senior executive producer Priya Sahgal, who will focus on the art of Yoga with the well-known Yoga expert, Ira Trivedi. On this Yoga special episode, Trivedi will take viewers through some quick fix exercises for healthy living while we are struggling hard with our urban lifestyle.

     
    On the other hand, CNN-IBN has planned an extensive programming lineup with World Bows to Yoga. The programming will cover various elements of Yoga ranging from its origin and history to its commercialization and diversification.

     
    The special programming will also bring together Yoga and spiritual gurus such as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Baba Ramdev, Jaggi Maharaj and volunteers from Parmarth Niketan who will share their experiences with the viewers. The channel will also telecast special segments featuring politicians, celebrities and activists who practice Yoga on a regular basis and will highlight their take on the same.

     
    CNN-IBN has collaborated with OBVI (Overseas Volunteers for Better India) and TV Asia to bring its viewers an international perspective on the celebration from more than 100 cities in the United States as well as the live telecast of the Yogathon.

    IBN7 will telecast exclusive programming titled Yog Ka Mahakumbh for its viewers. The programming will cover all aspects of Yoga extensively and will demonstrate its history and culture, different techniques and its therapeutic effect. The special programming will also bring together Yoga experts from the country and exhibiting Yoga Asans for our audience. The programming will also feature prominent public figures and celebrities who practice Yoga on a regular basis and their take on the same.

     

    World Music Day

    Music is timeless and the song always remains the same. This World Music Day, 9XO will celebrate hits from across the decade featuring legends like Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, Backstreet Boys and One Direction. Commenced from 19 June, it runs over three days (till 21 June) and gives viewers a chance to discover great music with 20 artists.

     
    9X Jalwa will be celebrating different moods of Hindi film music, from melodious romantic ballads to upscale, groovy dance numbers to fun, naughty songs all through the day.

     
    Taking viewers closer to the most successful, loved and sensational youth boy band of the decade, One Direction will be AXN India. Viewers will witness the superstars come alive in their concert film One Direction: This Is Us.

     
    The band came in limelight when it participated in the British show X Factor. One Direction: This Is Us will take viewers to the stunning live concert footage, showcase their meteoric rise to fame, from their humble hometown beginnings and competing on the X-Factor, to conquering the world and performing at London’s famed O2 Arena.

    Martin Scorsese, Chris Rock and Alexis Petridis, who have been part of the band’s journey will be making guest appearances in the film. It will air on 12 pm and 6 pm on AXN India.

     
    Vh1 will be hosting a first-of-its-kind online music festival – Vh1 Relay Music Festival on Twitter from 12 noon onwards. Each artist associated with the festival will take over the Vh1 Twitter ID for an hour and a half each and consistently share YouTube video links along with a one-line description. The artists will engage with Vh1 fans following the handle and revert to comments and tweets related to World Music Day.

     

     
    Father’s Day special

     
    English Entertainment channel, Sony Pix will celebrate Father’s Day with three back-to-back movies on 21 June from 6 pm onwards. The channel will air The Lion King at 6 pm, followed by the beautiful bond of a father-son relationship in The Pursuit of Happyness at 8 pm, and the transformation of a young boy into a confident warrior in The Karate Kid at 10.30 pm.

  • Kids television viewership descends as summer vacation ends

    Kids television viewership descends as summer vacation ends

    MUMBAI: Summer holidays have come to an end and kids with their bags and water bottles have stomped back to school. While kids may be grumpy to wake up early and get back to the rigmarole of studies, another party that needs to wake up and take notice is the kids channels.

     

    With schools reopening, consumption of kid’s content on Indian television has seen a substantial dip according to an analysis by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India.

     

    The decline is very much evident across all age groups. While the 4-8 years category registered ratings of 142043 in week 21, it saw an ascend in week 22 where it garnered viewership of 144519. However, in the current week (week 23) after the re-opening of schools, it went down to 126079.

     

    On the other hand, the 9-14 years category also witnessed similar statistics where it fetched viewership of 114754 in week 21 and witnessed a substantial growth with 118091 in week 22. However, not surprisingly, in week 23 it dropped to 106168.

     

    As per the analysis, the Southern and Western part of the country, where most schools have restarted, has witnessed a major decline in viewership. On the other hand, in North India where schools are yet to open, retains similar viewership. This goes to prove that the reopening of schools is the critical reason behind the decline in viewership.

     

     

    Another key depiction that emerges from BARC India’s analysis is that even though Northern India contributes more in kids viewership, at a macro level Sothern India is the biggest market for kids in India.

     

     

    With kids going back to school, looks like kids channels’ executives will also need to take home some learnings. It now remains to be seen the bunnies that the likes of Cartoon Network, Pogo, Nickelodeon et al pull out of their hats in the light of BARC India’s latest analysis. One thing is for sure, kids content producers will have to do what it takes to stop viewership from declining any further.

  • Zee group gears up to celebrate the International Yoga Day

    Zee group gears up to celebrate the International Yoga Day

    MUMBAI: With the International Yoga Day around the corner, the ZEE Group’s Media & Entertainment companies are gearing up to actively participate, making it a huge success. The companies which are lending support to this initiative are Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, Zee Media Corporation Limited, Z Living, Zee Learn Limited and Zee Digital Convergence.

     

    Last year, our  Prime Minister, Narendra Modi while addressing the 193-member UN General Assembly at the United Nations said, “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness within yourself, the world and the nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with climate change. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day.”

     

    Commenting on the importance of International Yoga Day, Dr. Subhash Chandra, Chairman – ZEE & Essel Group said, “The ancient Indian practice of Yoga nurtures the mind, working through the medium of the body. Yoga enhances the body and soul with additional strength, zeal and beauty. It is a beautiful act of nurturing the divinity within you. I strongly believe that it is a gift to all of us, and it is essential that we work towards making it a mass movement globally. I am confident that the International Yoga Day which our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has initiated will have a strong impact on humanity, maybe not immediately but definitely in the next five to ten years.”

     

    Elaborating on the Group’s participation in the International Yoga Day, Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) said, “Yoga is a way of living which recharges the body and promotes the balanced development of the physical, mental and spiritual being. As the excitement around International Yoga Day builds up, we, at the ZEE Group, have lined up a range of yoga-based activities to engage with our viewers across the world. Our channels and brands will feature yoga content integration, expert advice from yoga gurus, useful trivia, celebrity bytes and yoga cuisine, among other interesting initiatives throughout the day. Apart from this, we are celebrating Yoga Week across all our offices where employees will perform yoga sessions led by expert instructors.”

     

    As the world prepares to celebrate the International Yoga Day, and with India leading the charge, the ZEE Group is committed to making this a major national and global event.

     

    Some of the key initiatives that will be showcased across the ZEE Group companies and channels are as follows:

    ·         Among Zee Entertainment’s bouquet of channels, Zee TV, the flagship Hindi GEC will feature yoga-based content integration in its popular shows, Satrangi Sasural and Neeli Chhatri Waale while &TV will be integrating the essence of International Yoga Day through its shows – Dilli Wali Thakur Gurls, Bhaghyalakshmi and Gangaa.

     

    ·         Zindagi, the premium Hindi GEC will espouse the effectiveness of practising Yoga through its afternoon show ‘Simply Beautiful’ which is based on healthy living while our FTA channel, Zee Anmol will run fillers, each of which will focus on one Chakra of the body and how a particular type of Yoga cleanses that chakra, infusing energy into the body and bringing about a positive change.

     

    ·         ZEEL’s Hindi Movie Cluster will integrate yoga and Bollywood to commemorate International Yoga Day. The channels will urge audiences to adopt Yoga as a lifestyle choice by showcasing advice from Yoga instructors as well as trivia and quotes from stars practising yoga.

     

    ·         ZEEL’s Regional Channels have also planned a slew of yoga-based activities. The leading Marathi GEC, Zee Marathi will advocate the benefits of Yoga through content integration in leading fiction and non-fiction shows like Julun Yeti Reshimgaathi, Honaar Sunn Mee Hya Gharchi, Dil Dosti Duniyadaari, Chala Hawa Yeu Dya and Ka Re Durawa. Similarly, Zee Bangla’s shows like Kojagori, Didi No. 1 and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa will inspire viewers to be fit and practice yoga through Yoga integrations within the content.

     

    ·         In the South, Zee Telugu, with an aim to promote health and well-being will showcase the importance and benefits of practicing Yoga for a well-balanced mind, body and soul through integration of information related to Yoga in the following shows – Muddu Mandaram, Abhishekam, Subhamastu, Vahreva, Lakshmi Raave Maa Intiki and Omkaram. Zee Telugu is also associating with Siti Network for a ground event based out of Hyderabad where celebrities will interact with participants to demonstrate and practise yoga. Yoga-based content integration will also occur on Zee Kannada’s top two fiction shows, LoveLavike and Jothe Jotheyalli and on Zee Tamizh’s shows Parambariya Maruthavam and Enga Veetu Penn.

     

    ·         Among the Regional Movie Channels, Zee Bangla Cinema will be positioning its family drama, Maach Mishti & More as the face of the Yoga practice movement while Zee Talkies will be featuring ‘Cinema-Asan’ – A Filmy way of celebrating Yoga where celebrities will perform asanas, share tips and engage with consumers on the topic of Yoga.

     

    ·         On the occasion of International Yoga Day, ZEEL’s English Cluster, Zee Café and Zee Studio, will feature yoga trivia and quotes from famous shows like Desperate Housewives and The Big Bang Theory and Hollywood movies like Pretty Woman, Aeon Flux, Iron Man 3 and The Lincoln Lawyer. 

     

    ·         Among ZEEL’s Niche Channels, ZETC will be running a mini-campaign ‘Bollywood GuruCool’ which will propagate yoga, highlight different actors who practice yoga and suggest suitable music for yoga while Zing will feature Bollywood Yoga vignettes throughout the day. Zee Khana Khazana, India’s premium 24-hour food channel will be showcasing ‘Yoga Cuisine – Spiritual Foods’ on its shows – Suryanamaskar Starts, Saatvik Bites, Jiyo with Jia and The Beauty Fridge. To build interest in Yoga among kids, our edutainment channel, Zee Q will telecast an episode of its show ‘Bandbudh Aur Budbak’ titled ‘Yoga Se Hoga’ at different timeslots during the day.

     

    ·         Truly living up to the name ‘International’ Yoga Day, ZEEL’s International Territories will also be actively supporting and celebrating this ancient Indian tradition.

     

    o   ZEE Americas and ZLiving will be engaging with audiences through their popular shows like Rock Your Yoga, Yoga Sutra Now with Jai Sugrim, Yogapalooza, Yogi Cameron: A Model Guru and Yoga for Life. 

     

    o   ZEE UK & Europe is dedicating an entire week to promote Yoga and will bring in various Yoga experts on its live TV show, Zee Companion to demonstrate the practice, interact with viewers and answer their queries about Yoga. ZEE UK & Europe will also be participating in the UK’s biggest International Yoga Day event which is being held at the Alexandra Palace.

     

    o   Additionally, Zee TV Russia has partnered with the yoga centre ‘Organic People’ to arrange a mass celebration for yoga lovers under the guidance of famous Russian yoga guru Rauf Asadov which will be aired live on Zee TV Russia’s website.

     

    o   In the Asia-Pacific region, ZEEL’s channels will air a special AV on Yoga, hold various contests for viewers and also broadcast the International Yoga Day events being held in major cities in Thailand, Australia and China.

     

    o   Zee TV Africa has partnered with the Consulate General of India in Durban and High Commissioner of India in Johannesburg on a range of activities in support and celebration of International Yoga Day including an on-air awareness campaign and eighteen on-ground events across various regions of South Africa.

     

    o   ZEEL channels in the MENAP region are also creating awareness about Yoga and its benefits by running an on-air and social media campaign.

     

    ·         Zee Digital Convergence will extend support to the different channels and amplify their yoga-based content in the digital space. Furthermore, ZEEL’s OTT platform, DittoTV, will highlight special live yoga features run by different news channels, yoga shows and videos from ZLiving and a brand new show-‘Yoga for Life’.

     

    ·         The various channels of Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL) are also enthusiastically participating in the International Yoga Day celebrations.

     

    o   Zee News is celebrating International Yoga Day through special programming, ‘Yoga Living’ which features demonstrations by renowned yoga gurus, yoga documentaries, bytes from famous celebrities like director Mohit Suri, wrestler Sushil Kumar and actress Shilpa Shetty, and yoga advice and tips.

     

    o   Zee Business is inviting business honchos, entrepreneurs, politicians and yoga experts to be a part of their special Yoga show. Prominent personalities who will be sharing their Yoga advice and recommendations include Jayant Sinha, MoS Finance, Government of India, Anand Rathi – Founder & Chairman, Anand Rathi Financial Services Ltd., Amish Tripathi, Author of The Shiva Trilogy and Bharat Thakur, the famous Yoga Guru.

     

    o   On Zee 24 Taas, a campaign named as ‘Zee 24 Taas Yog Abhiyan’ is being run to promote the practice of Yoga in daily life. News stories featuring Yoga experts highlighting the importance of Yoga in today’s time is being showcased along with celebrity wishes for the campaign. On-ground, students from more than 100 schools from Vidarbha, Marathwada, Western Maharashtra, Konkan and Khandesh will take the pledge that they will practice Yoga everyday, which will help them build their bodies and minds in a positive way, thus building a healthier society. Also, as a part of this initiative, lakhs of students from various schools will voluntarily perform different asanas of Yoga at the same time across the cities and villages of Maharashtra.

     

    o   In Rajasthan, Zee Marudhara is highlighting the State Govt.’s initiatives on Yoga including the Live coverage of the state’s IYD function in which Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje will be participating. The channel is also running regular stories on ‘How yoga can be beneficial in our day to day Life’ and broadcasting a series of chat shows with Yoga Experts, Teachers, Ministers, etc. on the importance of Yoga and its benefits.

     

    o   Zee Sangam has done a series of shows with yoga gurus who have spoken on its importance and also demonstrated various ‘asanas’. Case studies on individuals who have benefited from yoga are also being aired on the channel.

     

    o   Zee Punjab Haryana Himachal will broadcast the live coverage of the IYD functions across the major cities as well as discussion programmes on Yoga, ZLiving yoga tips and content integration in major bulletins.

     

    ·         To educate students about the importance of Yoga, the educational division of the Group, Zee Learn Limited will be organizing lectures, demonstrations, Yoga shivirs and sessions across its various schools and institutes – Kidzee, Mount Litera Zee School, ZICA, ZIMA as well as at Himgiri Zee University.

  • Star India gets FIPB nod for Maa TV investment; Jhakaas & Eros proposals deferred

    Star India gets FIPB nod for Maa TV investment; Jhakaas & Eros proposals deferred

    NEW DELHI: Star India has received permission for investing Rs 2500 crore in foreign direct investment in expanding its growth in the country. The approval by the Foreign Investments Promotion Board (FIPB) includes acquisition of the broadcasting business of Maa TV – engaged in broadcasting sector on a slump sale basis.

     

    A source in Star India told Indiantelevision.com that this meant acquisition of software and liabilities of Maa TV and not a take-over of the company.

     

    As was reported by this website earlier in February, Star India said it will acquire Maa Television Network’s four Telugu channels namely Maa TV, Maa Movies, Maa Music and Maa Gold. “Star will acquire all assets of Maa TV including broadcasting rights subject to regulatory approvals. After the approvals, Maa TV will become part of Star network. We do not have any Telugu channel in our portfolio,” Star India CEO Uday Shankar had then said.

     

    Maa TV group is owned by industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad, Rajya Sabha member Chiranjeevi and actor Nagarjuna.

     

    In addition, Star India has received the nod from FIPB for further issuance and transfer of shares to its foreign collaborator.

     

    Meanwhile, the FIPB once again deferred the proposal by INX Music to undertake the additional activity of broadcasting of a non-news and current affairs channels in various Indian languages. As proposed scheme of arrangement, the 9X Jhakaas Marathi channel shall be merged into INX Music, a company which aggregates and distributes music content for TV channels, having 70.85 per cent indirect foreign investment.

     

    Additionally, Eros International Media’s proposal for making downstream investment by way of acquisition of shares of an Indian company for non-cash consideration, that is, by issuance of shares of the applicant company to the existing shareholders of the investee company has been deferred.

     

    Today Magazines Lifestyle Private Limited received approval for Rs 2.05 crore foreign investment of 49 per cent by Cooperatief International Publications Holding through transfer and further issue for an aggregate consideration.

     

    Approval has also been given to Indium IV (Mauritius) Limited through India Value Fund IV for an investment of up to Rs 200 crore in an Indian company – Atria Convergence Technologies engaged in providing internet services. The two companies together propose to invest in the capital of Atria in excess of 49 per cent up to 100 per cent by subscribing to equity or compulsorily convertible preference shares or fully convertible debentures.

  • Star Plus takes a leap in storytelling with ‘Badtameez Dil’

    Star Plus takes a leap in storytelling with ‘Badtameez Dil’

    MUMBAI: The country’s numero uno general entertainment channel (GEC) Star Plus is definitely keeping pace with the changing taste of viewers. Star Plus, over the years, has changed the way GECs told stories and made the characters a household name.

     

    A year back, with shows like Veera, Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara,Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, Ek Hassena Thi, India’s Raw Star, Airlines, Nisha Aur Uske Cousins and Everest – the channel had moved its programming strategy towards youngsters.

     

    Star Plus general manager Gaurav Banerjee once stated that with consumer’s taste evolving, the channel, which entertains the youngest democracy in the world, needs to change as well. And more recently with Tu Mera Hero, Tere Shehar Mein and Dosti, Yaariyan, Manmarziyan, it has touched the hearts of the youth.

     

    Taking another leap in storytelling, the channel has launched Phir Bhi Na Maane… Badtameez Dil, a love story between a VJ and a business head. Produced by Tequila Shot Productions’ Saurabh Tewary, it will air from 29 June from Monday to Saturday at 8.30 pm.

     

    On the title of the show, Tewary believes that it is very important to name the show, which is clutter breaking. “In today’s scenario, the first communication that happens is the name and we wanted it to be little different at every level. Today, if anyone is discussing the name of the show for 30 seconds or a minute, I think the job is done,” he states.

     

    The story is about two characters who get separated because of their misunderstandings and the manipulations of others only to meet again after seven years to resolve the unsettled issues and misunderstandings.

     

    Tewary reveals that the narrative of the show is very different and because the narrative is different, it wanted to name the show slightly hatke. The characters are slightly edgy and over-the-top, but the production house has managed to keep it within the family space making it a hardcore family show.

     

    Abeer Malhotra, played by Pearl V Puri is a VJ with Groove Music channel who leads a charming and luxurious life. Whereas Asmita Sood, who plays the character of Meher Purohit, is a practical and dedicated woman who is the business head of the same music channel and has reached this pinnacle of life with a lot of hard work.

     

    For the first time on Indian television, a daily soap will have an album of five songs recorded exclusively for it, which is sung by Darshan Rawal, the runner up of the singing reality show, India’s Raw Star.

     

    Finite Love Story

     

    Tewary reveals that he plans to make it a finite show and thus has decided to create only 300-350 episodes. “It is impossible to narrate a love story for ages and ages. Love stories are always finite shows and cannot be kept running for a longer period otherwise the show will lose its relevance and visibility,” he reasons.

     

    Challenging to produce content for six days a week

     

    Tewary feels that producing a daily fiction for six days a week is a challenging job and becomes far more difficult when it is a love story. “In a love story there are not multiple tracks and it is generally around two characters and one has to write episodes and scenes around those two characters. And the moment you shift the gear from those two characters to the other, your show starts falling and at the same time you are creating content for six days a week which is little tough to crack,” he said.

     

    He explained that it puts a lot of pressure on writers and the entire crew and team. “But I guess, this is the kind of madness one needs to deal with when you know that the outcome has to be good,” he said.

     

    Tewary has written the episodic story. However, apart from him there are another six writers onboard. As of now, the production house has canned 12 episodes and by the time the show goes on-air, it will have another six-seven episodes ready to go.

     

    Demanding Time Slot

     

    The show will be competing with other shows like Jamai Raja on Zee TV, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah on Sab, Udaan on Colors, Muh Boli Shaadi on Sony Entertainment Television (SET) and Kalash…Ek Vishwaas on Life OK.

     

    Tewary believes that all these are different shows, from family drama to social based to a family entertainer and he wants to cater to all the audiences, which these shows in today’s scenario absorb. “That is why we have kept the base like that and designed the story in that particular manner. We want to cater to the larger audience base starting from 16 years to 30 years old,” he concluded.

  • Sab takes Godly route with new show ‘Krishan Kanhaiya’

    Sab takes Godly route with new show ‘Krishan Kanhaiya’

    MUMBAI: How many times in a day do you question god on anything that goes wrong with you? That’s precisely the topic the new showKrishan Kanhaiya from Sab will address when it hits television screens from 29 June at 10:30 pm.

     

    Produced by Garima Productions, Krishan Kanhaiya is a distinct yet light-hearted show portraying the ever confused and infuriated life of an atheist canteen manager, Kanhaiya Lal, the lead protagonist of the show. His persistent call outs and questions to Lord Krishna prompts the divine being himself to enter his life in various forms to solve Kanhaiya Lal’s struggles and answer his questions attempting to bring peace in his life.

     

    Kanhaiya Lal firmly believes that he is a self-made man and god has nothing to do with him or his accomplishments. Whenever in doubt, nothing stops him in disputing the reality of god by dragging him to explain situations every now and then. The ever-obliging god that Krishna is, always appears out of nowhere to resolve his queries immediately by adding a funny twist and thereby teaching him a new lesson every day.

     

    Sab senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor is of the opinion that the show fits well with the channel’s brand principle of ‘Differentiation through innovation.’  Talking about choosing a late primetime slot Kapoor said, “We are replacing the show with Peterson Hill, which was not doing too well for the channel. Also we want to target the youth aged between 18-22 years and I feel that 10:30 pm is a good time as the age group we are targeting mostly spends that time watching television.”

     

    Besides this, Sab is also looking at having a repeat of the show at 7:30 pm. “This will be for people who have missed the opportunity of watching it at late primetime,” he added. 

     

    While comparisons are being drawn with movies like Oh My God! and PK, Kapoor offers a different perspective. “In OMG, Krishna comes to address one particular problem, which one person is facing. But, in the show, Krishna is going to stay with the protagonist and answer all the possible questions that emerge in his mind. Not just that, the show will be more contemporary, giving examples from the current situation. As far as PK is concerned, it was in a way promoting atheism, emphasizing more on superstition. Having blind faith in god and having questions for god are two different things and hence I don’t find any similarities with PK as well,” he opined.

     

    Krishan Kanhaiya, in every episode will give out a message to the viewers. Currently, the show has been planned for 130 episodes. “We can extend it depending on the popularity of the show,” informed Kapoor. Close to four episodes of the show have already been shot. “By the time we go on air, there will be a bank of seven to eight episodes, which is good enough,” he added. 

     

    A 360 degree approach, delving into mediums across cable, DTH, multiplex, outdoor, Radio and social media will be seen as part of marketing strategy for this show launch. The promotion will not only be done on home channel but also on a mix of other channel genres.

  • “In next 3 months, we will launch female skewed shows”: NP Singh

    “In next 3 months, we will launch female skewed shows”: NP Singh

    MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television (SET), the Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) from the Multi Screen Media (MSM) stable has for long been perceived as a male skewed channel, but no longer. The channel is working on a content strategy, which will change the perception of the channel, and all this over the next three months.

     

    “A lot of our recent shows were clearly launched keeping the female audiences in mind, but it was perceived to be male centric. In the next three months, we will be launching shows, which will be focused on female audiences,” MSM CEO NP Singh tells Indiantelevision.com.

     

    It can be noted that MSM’s third GEC Sony Pal, which launched in September 2014, is currently airing repeats from Sony and Sab. The strategy has helped the channel double its viewership. So is Sony looking at reviving its old content strategy in order to improve its viewership numbers? Informs Singh, “While we have always tried making content, which is inclusive, there have been a few shows that are more male skewed. Our objective is to get more women on our channel and therefore the new lineup will have a greater appeal to female audiences, to achieve balance between male and female viewers.”

     

    Sony towards the end of June will launch Suryaputra Karn, which according to Singh will see greater traction from female audiences. “The story of Karan has never been shown on TV as a standalone and has always been a part of Mahabharat. I am sure that it will do well,” opined Singh.

     

    Of the current programming lineup, shows, which have been doing well for the channel are Maharana Pratap, Itna Karo Na Mujhse Pyaar, Hanuman, Indian Idol Junior, CID and Aahat.

     

    Sony Pal: Content Strategy

     

    The channel, which currently is airing old shows from Sony and Sab will continue with its strategy. “We will continue with it till we reach a threshold where we believe that the channel can start introducing original content. Our objective of launching the channel was to appeal to audiences in the heartland and to some degree, Pal has been able to achieve that and we are reaching out to those audiences. With the repeats of shows from Sony and Sab, we have been able to actually double our viewership on the channel. We will proceed with that strategy for some more time and then bring in original content for the channel,” says Singh.

     

    MSM and Sports

     

    The network, which currently has few of the biggest sports properties including FIFA World Cup and Indian Premiere League (IPL), apart from National Basketball Association (NBA) is looking at acquiring a lot of other new sports properties. “The announcement will be made in a couple of months,” informs Singh.

     

    When asked which sporting properties the network was looking at, Singh said, “Football is becoming very popular with the youth today, which is what we are focusing on. But, apart from that, we are also focusing on the other properties.”

     

    Talking about the just concluded IPL season eight, Singh said that the property had seen a 20 per cent plus jump in revenue as compared to season six. “We cannot really compare season seven and eight, since the last season was unique as it came in the midst of the general elections. But if we compare season six and eight, the growth has been encouraging,” he informs.

     

    While the network aired this season of IPL in six different languages, it did not sell the property separately for different language feed. “We will continue airing IPL in different languages in the future seasons, but in terms of sales, we will see if we can sell some languages separately than Hindi,” he said.

     

    The highest viewership for the league came from Sony Max, followed by Sony Six. “Within IPL, High Definition (HD) has done well as we saw growth in both revenues and viewership. There is demand for HD content in the market,” opines Singh.

     

    It can be recalled that the network launched a new channel, Sony Kix, right before IPL kick started. Throwing light on the channel Singh said, “In the past three years, MSM has aggregated a lot of sports content, which we showcased on Sony Six and in some cases on Pix. With Kix coming in, it gives us the flexibility of multiple language feeds and that’s what we did with IPL. It also gives us another platform on which we can actually showcase content, which erstwhile were sitting on other channels of the network,” he points out.

  • Shreyas Talpade to host new series of ‘Savdhaan India’ on Life OK

    Shreyas Talpade to host new series of ‘Savdhaan India’ on Life OK

    MUMBAI: Savdhaan India, Life OK’s flagship show that took the movement against crime and injustice to the grassroots has roped in popular actor Shreyas Talpade to host its upcoming season.

     

    The actor will be seen hosting the first edition of Savdhaan Maharashtra- Fight Back Now that will focus on Maharashtra centric crime narratives.

     

    Savdhaan Maharashtra- Fight Back Now will replace Savdhaan Punjab-Fight Backhosted by Sourabh Raaj Jain on the weekend slot starting 20 June.

     

    After making a mark in Marathi television, films and Bollywood, Talpade returns to hosting with the crime docu-drama.

     

    Talpade said, “With the growing incidence of crime, that often goes unnoticed and in most cases causes more painful irreparable damage to the victim than to the perpetrator, the angst in me against such crime and incidents has been growing many fold. Savdhaan India, which projects real incidents that not only bring to the fore the crime committed by people but also highlights the struggle of a common man to fight injustice helps me effectively channelize that angst and more importantly help create awareness and consciousness amongst all. The singular hope here being that I, as a humble representative of the common man, am able to help reduce such crime and more importantly help victims in their fight for justice.”