ITV

Category: GECs

  • How Sony brought Punyashlok Ahilyabai to life amid a pandemic

    How Sony brought Punyashlok Ahilyabai to life amid a pandemic

    MUMBAI: Since the turn of the millennium, television may have come to be defined by saas-bahu operas, but another genre that has recently struck gold is that of historical dramas. After the success of Maharana Pratap, Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, Porus, and Peshwa Bajirao, among others, Sony Entertainment Television (SET) is all set to create magic with its new show Punyashlok Ahilyabai.

    The historical drama set in the eighteenth century is based on the life of Ahilyabai Holkar, who with the support of her father-in-law Malhar Rao Holkar, defied the pre-defined norms of a patriarchal society. Produced by Dashami Creations and directed by Jackson Sethi, the serial will bring to life the courageous tales of Ahilyabai Holkar for the first time on Indian television. Child actor Aditi Jaltare plays the role of Ahilya, while Rajesh Shringarpure is seen as Ahilya's father-in-law, Malhar Rao Holkar. The supporting cast includes Snehlata Vasaikar,  Krish Chauhan,Srijana Srj, Sukhada Khandkekar, Bhagyashree, Sameer Deshpande, Aryan Preet, James Naivedhya Ghadge, Harshit Kesharwani, Varada Patil and Sulakshana Joglekar.

    The show will showcase the special bond shared between Ahilya and her father-in-law. The story traces Ahilyabai Holkar's journey from a village girl belonging to a shepherd community, to a queen of the Maratha empire who later went on to earn the title of Matoshree. It’s a little known fact that Ahilyabai Holkar was one of the finest women rulers in Indian history.  

    Punyashlok Ahilyabai started airing on 4 January from Monday to Friday at 7.30 pm. It will be interesting to see how it competes with other shows in the same time slot. Star Plus airs Shaadi Mubaraak concurrently, whereas Zee TV telecasts the very popular show Humari Wali Good News starring Juhi Parmar. The latest BARC India data (week 52) shows SET ranks fifth in the (U+R) market.

    The show currently does not have any title or co-powered sponsors. However, the channel has lined up advertisers across categories, right from FMCGs, health and hygiene, to automobiles.

    What sets Punyashlok Ahilyabai apart from other historical dramas on television, said Sony Pictures Networks India digital business and SET content head Ashish Golwalkar is its storyline that focuses on the protagonist’s individual journey rather than her married life. It is a story of bravery, and valour of a warrior woman, and it focuses more on the historical issue that we’ve not seen on television before. Unlike Jodha Akbar or other period dramas, there is no love story or war in the spotlight. Social issues that find mention in the show are still prevalent in our time – whether it is the education of a girl child or religious dogmas. Said he: “It is a journey of a woman who became the queen of Malwa and she was very ahead of her time. During that time, she thought about equality, she was a fundamentalist and a true reformist. She kept her kingdom before herself. It’s essentially a historical drama, but within the limits of drama, it is as authentic and real as we could make it.”

     

     

    Golwalkar, who belongs to Indore, wanted to make this show for a very long time. He was keen on telling stories that are relevant in today’s time and believes in being authentic in approach. He avoided glamourising the characters as it will not be relatable to the audience.

    “The shows that we have done, whether it was Mere Dad Ki Dulhan, Patiala Babes, or Indiawaali Maa speaks at length about partnership. So Punyashlok Ahilyabai is a very unique story of a partnership where a father-in-law mentored and helped his daughter-in-law, he chose ability over societal norms. The norm is the son will become the king but he chooses his daughter-in-law as an heir," he elaborated.

    Apparently, over 1,000 girls auditioned over eight months for the part of Ahilyabai. Later, child actor Aditi Jaltare was roped in to essay the lead character. The auditions were highly rigorous as shortlisting was performed about five or six times and then backed up by mock photoshoots by the production team. The creators had a very particular vision of how the persona of Ahilyabai would be represented on screen. The artist portraying her should at all times show a childlike innocence and playful energy when delivering intense dialogues.

    The show is written by multiple writers, while Purnendu Shekhar – who also wrote Balika Vadhu and several other shows – was the script consultant. Shirish Latkar is working on the script and veteran writer Usha Dixit joined the team to pen the dialogues. There are many books which offer a glimpse into the life and times of  Matoshree Ahilyabai Holkar, but the makers sought the help of renowned researcher Sanjay Sonawane, who pitched in the scripts, dialogues, factual details, and tried to highlight intricate details about Ahilyabai.

    The showrunners are going all out to ensure authenticity. Dashmi Creations partner Ninad Vaidya mentioned that the entire set replicating the Malhar Palace was created in a studio near Naigaon. Construction started in March but due to lockdown it was put on hold, and they could finally finish it in the month of August when shooting resumed. He shared, “We visited Maheshwar a couple of years back, so we have designed it keeping that in mind. It is also very similar to Shirdi. We have also re-created Chondi village, which will later be redesigned into some other village in Malwa. On the studio wall, we have mounted the exterior of the palace and inside the studio, there is a working place.”

     

     

    The production house is relying on graphics, chroma and VFX to add the pomp and grandeur to crowd scenes, while also keeping budgets under control. They have created a background that could reflect that era. The graphics are done by Chirag Rajveer, who created the design even before the shooting took place to have clarity on the background. It is more like a virtual production where the background is created beforehand and then the location is decided. Most of the outdoor sequences in the background are constructed in graphics. As the worker capacity cannot go beyond 65 people, Vaidya is filming with a minimal crew.

    Preparations for the show combined research with an imaginative retelling of the eighteenth century. “We got to know about how they live, what they look like, their language and other details like costumes which is very important for historical dramas,” the producer explained. The costume and the art team travelled all the way to Maheshwar, met local people, did multiple recces to understand the nuances, look, and feel. Costume designing is done by Rohini, who has in the past done six shows for the production house. Her expertise lies in making costumes for historic shows. She designs the costume layout on paper followed by getting the exact fabric before making the costume. Vaidya highlighted that it is challenging to maintain colour code and design costumes for so many people.

    Music in historical shows transports audiences back to that era, so it is a very vital part of the show. For this period piece, the score has been composed by Devendra, who is also the music director for another show on the channel – Mere Sai. Besides narrating Ahilyabai and her father-in-law’s unique partnership, the historical drama not only subverts the norms but also redefines them.  

  • Allahabad HC dismisses PIL against telecast of Colors’ Namak Issk Ka

    Allahabad HC dismisses PIL against telecast of Colors’ Namak Issk Ka

    MUMBAI: Allahabad high court has dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a stop on the telecast of Colors’ new show Namak Issk Ka.  

    A Lucknow-based dance society named Cultural Quest had approached the high court saying that the promo of the show Namak Issk Ka wrongly puts a question mark on marrying ladies who have danced on some occasion. The petitioners alleged the show to be in violation of the provisions of Cinematograph Act, 1952.

    According to the petitioners, a TV serial like Namak Issk Ka too is a film as defined under section 2(dd) of the Act, 1952 and, as such, the same should also be subject to censor by the censor board established under section 3 of the Act, 1952.

    A bench comprising chief justice Govind Mathur and justice Ramesh Sinha dismissed the writ petition, without expressing any opinion on the merits, and directed the petitioner to put forth their demand before the concerned authority first.

    The bench stated, "Having considered the facts stated in the petition for writ, we are of considered opinion that the petitioner is seeking a writ in the nature of mandamus and for that, a condition precedent is that the person aggrieved must make a demand to the authority competent before approaching the court to have such writ. In the instant matter, no such demand has been made by the petitioner before approaching this court under article 226 of the constitution of India.”

    The court has given liberty to the petitioner to make appropriate representation before the competent authority.

  • GEC ad volumes saw 33% rise in 2020: TAM AdEx

    GEC ad volumes saw 33% rise in 2020: TAM AdEx

    MUMBAI: 2020 was a difficult year for the television broadcast space, courtesy Covid2019 pandemic. Every genre struggled hard to ensure saliency in terms of content generation and maintaining ad volumes. In the early days of the lockdown, GECs were hit the hardest because the production schedules were canned and there was no fresh content. They were forced to rerun the old episodes of popular shows and were unable to create fresh content until the Unlock phase started and that too under strict guidelines. The situation forced the advertisers to rethink their strategy. 

    Television Audience Measurement (TAM) released an analysis on ad volumes and active brands on GECs in 2020.  Ad volumes on general entertainment channels (GECs) last year has grown by more than one fourth over that of 2016, according to the TAM AdEx-Mirroring Y 2020 for advertising in GEC genre. It witnessed 33 per cent rise in 2020 compared to base year 2016. After ad volumes on GECs troughed in the second quarter of 2020 due to the imposition of a nationwide lockdown, they witnessed resurgence during the third and fourth quarter on the back of a gradual Unlock. 

    It also pointed that the month of October and November had the highest ad volume share (10 per cent each) due to the festive period. True Shield Hand Sanitizer was the top brand during the period of April, May, June and August in GEC genre. 

    In 2020, top three channel genres retained their positions compared to 2019, among which the Hindi GEC genre topped during both the periods. The Hindi GEC witnessed a growth of one per cent since 2019. Tamil GEC has continued to take 15 per cent of the pie in both the years. Malayalam and Kannada GEC observed positive rank shift. Top five channels genres accounted for more than 65 per cent share of ad volumes during both the periods.

    The report stated that the count of advertisers and brands dropped by 38 per cent in quarter two of 2020 which recovered by 48 per cent and 58 per cent respectively in quarter four over quarter two. Personal care/personal hygiene sector topped with 25 percent share of ad volumes followed by F&B with 22 per cent share.  Top sectors which included personal care/personal hygiene, F&B and services together added 57 per cent share of ad volumes which were also on top during 2019. The top four sectors also including hair care has dominated the GEC genre in year 2020.

    While the toilet soaps category maintained leading position during 2020, with seven per cent share of ad volumes, ecom-media/entertainment/social media climbed by five spots to achieve the second rank, replacing toilet/floor cleaners. The report highlighted that the top ten categories belonged to food and beverages sector. Biscuits category was the only new entrant in the top ten, replacing hair oils. Positive rank shift was observed in milk beverages and ecom-media/entertainment/social media categories. In terms of growth, hand sanitisers category witnessed highest growth of 10X, followed by range of toiletries with six times growth.

    Among the top advertisers of the year 2020, HUL topped the list followed by Reckitt Benckiser India. Top ten advertisers contributed 58 per cent share of GEC ad volumes. Marico was the only new entrant in the top ten advertisers’ list. P&G, ITC, Cadburys India, Wipro, Godrej Consumer Products, Colgate Palmolive India, Nestle India and Marico were in the list of top ten advertisers with a positive rank shift compared to the year 2019. Clinic Plus Shampoo was the top brand during 2020, followed by Lux Toilet Soap. The top ten brands together added 10 per cent share of ad volumes during 2020. Also, six out of the top ten brands were from HUL while three belonged to Reckitt Benckiser.

    2020 was a difficult year for the television broadcast space, courtesy Covid2019 pandemic, but regional channels have managed to hold their market. According to the report, regional channels had 3X ad volumes compared to national channels. Regional and national channels had 77 per cent and 23 per cent share of ad volumes respectively during both the years (2019-20).  HUL and Reckitt Benckiser India were the top two advertisers present in both regional and national channels during 2020. In GEC genre, regional channels had three times more ad volumes compared to national channels. Apart from this, Docubay Media and Attica Gold Company were the top exclusive advertisers in national and regional GECs respectively.

    One of the most affected genres on television in terms of ads during the Covid2019 lockdown was the GEC genre. The broadcasters were dependent on reruns of famous and old shows as shooting and production stopped due to restrictions. This led to a steep decline in adverts on GECs. From July onwards, when fresh content arrived, it propelled the advertising in the GEC genre, logging 330+ hours of average ad volumes per day. It saw a spike of  74 per cent more compared to lockdown period from April to June 2020. Tally of categories grew by 24 per cent whereas advertisers grew by 95 per cent and brands rose by more than 2X during Unlock.

    The report further highlighted that prime time was the most preferred timeband on GEC genre, followed by afternoon and morning time-bands.  Prime time, afternoon and morning time bands together added 72 per cent share of ad volumes.

    Ad commercials of 20-40 seconds were most preferred for advertising on GECs during both the years. Commercial advertising added 55 per cent share of ad volumes whereas promos had 45 per cent share in 2020.

  • Zee TV bids adieu to 2020, looks ahead to 2021

    Zee TV bids adieu to 2020, looks ahead to 2021

    MUMBAI: 2020 has been a year of significant ups and downs for the Indian television industry. While the year began on a high note with Zee TV along with other Hindi GECs launching fresh and engaging content for its viewers, the year soon saw a low with the novel Coronavirus rearing its head. During the crucial phase of the lockdown where each and every person was spending time at home, struggling to stay afloat in the battle against the pandemic, the need for entertainment was more than ever. In this space where channels came to the rescue with various forms of content, old and new, Zee TV kept its loyalists entertained all through the year. As we gear up to embrace another year full of opportunities with a fresh outlook, let’s have a look at the year gone by.

    Beginning 2020 in a grand style

    After seven successful seasons of ruling reality television, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs once again opened its doors to welcome India’s finest young singing talent with season eight of the show. While the popular singers Alka Yagnik, Kumar Sanu and Udit Narayan ventured on the journey as the judges and mentors of the show, Himesh Reshammiya and Javed Ali came aboard and stepped in for Kumar and Udit as the new judges post lockdown. With various celebrities from Sajid Khan to Govinda and even Poonam Dhillon gracing the stage with their presence, the show culminated with Li’l Champ Aryananda Babu being crowned the winner.

    Set against the backdrop of Devprayag, Qurbaan Hua is an intense drama about two passionate young individuals, Neel (Karan Jotwani and currently Rajveer Singh) and Chahat (Pratibha Ranta) who are completely different people hailing from starkly different backgrounds and cultures. Being on a mission of their own, they sacrifice the single-most important and intimate relationship of life by tying the knot with each other, without a trace of love that forms the foundation of any marriage. While Neel is burning with the fire of revenge for his sister’s death, Chahat is single-mindedly determined to clear her abbu’s name as she’s convinced he had no role to play in the death of Neel’s sister. Via the show, Zee TV brought forth the question to its viewers – To what lengths will these warriors of love go for the love and pride of their family?

    Reviving the nostalgia around classics

    Zee TV brought back some of its most iconic shows and left no stone unturned to entertain its audience to the fullest during the Covid2019 lockdown.

    A universal favourite across generations, Hum Paanch made a mega comeback on public demand on the channel after 25 years. The iconic show that brought together a stellar cast, narrated the story of Anand Mathur and his amusing middle class family comprising his wife Bina Mathur and his five daughters, who would constantly plot plans to turn his world upside down. Adding more chaos and confusion to his life is the photo frame of his late wife, who occasionally talks to him and nags him on certain decisions.

    In addition to this, Zee TV brought back episodes of its first inter-generational family saga set amidst a modern Muslim milieu, Qubool Hai. Following the journey of Zoya (played by Surbhi Jyoti), the show gave an interesting insight into the world of the Muslim community and the progressive changes that take place within.

    A mix of spine-chilling tales and period drama

    With another surprise up its sleeve, Zee TV brought back a collection of some of  the spookiest short horror stories of ghosts and spirits that scared the daylights out of everyone back in the day. Along with re-introducing The Zee Horror Show, it also narrated the classic tale of Akbar Birbal that not only made people laugh with its majestic storytelling but also imparted some valuable life lessons to its  viewers.

    A reality flashback

    The most popular seasons of Dance India Dance and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs saw a comeback on television with the superhit judges' trio of Terence Lewis, Remo D'Souza and Geeta Kapoor along with Neha Kakkar, Himesh Reshammiya and Javed Ali respectively.

    While the current youth icons – Shakti Mohan, Dharmesh Yelande and Punit Pathak revived the energy amongst viewers with their splendid dance performances, the Li’l champs brought melody to their ears through some soulful performances.

    Bhakti ki shakti

    Offering its viewers an escape into the spiritual world with stories about the greatest protectors of the world, Zee TV narrated the story of Lord Vishnu’s ten incarnations through BR Chopra's Vishnu Puran. Based on an ancient collection of stories and scriptures, the show helped viewers transcend into a heavenly world and learn some interesting life lessons from Lord Vishnu aptly played by veteran actor Nitish Bharadwaj.

    It also narrated various fascinating chronicles of the natkhat Krishna and depicted the mischievous side to this Makhan Chor with Paramavatar Shri Krishna. Enchanting viewers with his various and diverse facets the show also showcased the victorious tale of Krishna’s triumph over the evil Kans mama’s tyranny, while giving us a glimpse of the warrior within him.

    Succeeding in first of its kind initiatives

    Celebrating 25 years of India’s longest-running non-fiction franchise – Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Zee leveraged its network strength for a truly unique initiative, ‘Ek Desh Ek Raag’ which began with a 25-hour music marathon on digital with back-to-back, round-the-clock performances by popular singers across ten Zee Facebook pages that captured the vibrancy of the sur, taal and spirit of every Indian sub-culture.

    The 25-year milestone culminated in a grand televised, shot-from-home fund-raising concert across 23 channels of Zee & Zee Media with performances by the most iconic faces of the show.

    Establishing a first-off connect between OTT and television

    In its quest to provide viewers with differentiated content amidst lockdown, Zee TV introduced four new finite shows for the first time on television after them being aired earlier on respective OTT platforms. While shows like Karle Tu Bhi Mohabbat, Baarish and Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain reassured viewers in the power of love during the most challenging times, Queen motivated its viewers by narrating a hard-hitting story of an ordinary girl who stood up to life’s curveballs to emerge as the extraordinary ‘Iron lady of Indian politics.

    A unique saas-bahu relationship

    Capturing the essence of the ever-evolving dynamics of the saas-bahu relationship in Indian society, Zee TV's new show Hamariwali Good News presented a heart-warming journey of the Tiwaris, who like most families, are grappling with the quest for the quintessential 'good news' of a tiny tot who'll fill up their lives with joy. Only this time around, it is the saas who rather than pressurising or berating her bahu for not being able to conceive, will go the extra mile, brush aside societal norms regarding age and the worry of ‘what will people say’ by conceiving a baby with her husband to bring the good news that they collectively await. The journey of this unique saas-bahu relationship between the daughter-in-law, Navya (Shrishti Jain) and her mother-in-law, Renuka (Juhi Parmar) and the manner in which it beautifully deepens in the face of this role reversal forms the crux of this show

    A tale of defying destiny and rising above

    Set against the backdrop of Jaipur, Apna Time Bhi Aayega is an inspiring narrative of Rani, (Anushka Sen and currently played by Megha Ray) the young daughter of a head staff member of an affluent family, who refuses to be tied down by her humble roots. The show depicts her journey in breaking free from the shackles of her background as she chooses to carve her own destiny and reach out for her ambitious goals. This family-drama also debunks the deep-rooted class system and questions its unwritten rulebook of aukaat (status) in our society, which almost curtails the chances of the lower strata in taking charge of their destiny and rising above their means.

    An ordinary woman’s battle against evil

    Set against the backdrop of Ambala, the show Brahmarakshas 2 follows the journey of an ordinary young girl, Kalindi (Nikki Sharma) whose destiny gets entwined with the most ferocious evil force that has ever awakened, the Brahmarakshas. It turns out Kalindi was born under a peculiar birth star that makes her special and as a result, the Brahmarakshas needs her in order to accomplish his mission of attaining immortality. Kalindi’s only source of strength is her love for her partner, Angad (Pearl V. Puri). As she navigates and manoeuvres her way through the world of evil and her own ordinary life, Kalindi finds herself up for a gruelling battle to protect the people she truly cares for!

    Roli and Rishu’s innocent mission to bring their family back together

    In December, Zee TV introduced a slice-of-life drama Kyun Rishton Mein Katti Batti depicting the innocent world of two young and adorable kids who team up and set off on a mission to rekindle the love between their parents, Shubhra (Neha Marda) and Kuldeep (Siddhaanth Vir Surryavanshi). The latter duo’s relationship has begun to go south due to personal conflicts that have paves the way to a series of arguments and fights. In the hope of bringing papa back to mamma and  completing their ‘happy family’, Rishu (Pratyaksh Panwar) and Roli (Mannat Murgai) vow to be the glue that will fill the cracks that have developed between their parents.

    What continued ruling hearts?                  

    While the viewers developed a fondness for the new shows, the old ones continued to be audience favorites.

    Taking a leap of faith

    Having intrigued and entertained the viewers with several interesting twists and turns in Guddan (Kanika Mann) and Akshat’s (Nishant Singh Malkani) love life, Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega took a 20-year-leap that that saw the entry of television star Savi Thakur to essay the character of the new male lead – Agastya Birla. On the other hand, Kanika Mann, who flawlessly brought alive the character of Guddan onscreen, was seen playing the role of her own daughter, Choti Guddan. Showcasing the various ups and downs in the latter’s life, the show also the entry of actors like, Pratham Kunwar, Maera Mishra along with the exit of Nishant Singh Malkhani, Sehrish Ali and Shweta Mahadik.

    Tujhse Hai Raabta being a favourite amongst viewers for its intriguing plot and natural performances by Kalyani (Reem Shaikh) and Malhar (Sehban Azim) took a  leap, after a shocking twist where Malhar was seen pulling the trigger on Kalyani. Five years down the line, it showcased a  deeply dejected Malhar demoted to a  sub-inspector who was on a self-destruction spree. Just as Malhar looked like he was drifting away beyond a point of repair or return, the leap saw the return of Kalyani in an all new avatar that turned Malhar’s world upside down.

    Welcoming the old Zara in Ishq Subhan Allah

    Zee TV’s Ishq Subhan Allah reunited viewers with the original Zara Siddiqui essayed by television actress Eisha Singh in season one. Eisha Singh made an exciting comeback in an all new avatar of a music healer who believes in the extraordinary healing powers of music and its potential to revive even the most depressed. Questioning Kabir’s prior mindset that music is haraam as per his interpretation of religion, she returned to challenge his traditional belief system.

    Reconnecting viewers with their favourite on-screen jodis

    While Zee TV reconnected its audiences with the journeys of their beloved characters post lockdown, they also brought back the viewer’s favourite pairs together after much anticipation. Kundali Bhagya saw major twists and turns occurring in Karan (Dheeraj Dhoopar) and Preeta’s (Shraddha Arya) life with Mahira attempting to get hitched with Karan. However, the drama finally culminated with Karan and Preeta coming together as the audience’s favourite jodi once again.

    Kumkum Bhagya too saw the return of Pragya (Sriti Jha) in Abhi’s (Shabbir Ahluwalia) house where Pragya received a bahu-like welcome at Abhi’s house.

    Ending the year on a high note

    With numerous shows, be it ongoing or new keeping the audience entertained all through the year, Zee TV will give its audiences the best of entertainment at one go with the biggest event of the year.

    Zee Rishtey Awards 2020

    Acknowledging the contributions of innumerable actors, directors, producers, creative teams, technicians who have been working relentlessly to bring you all your favourite daily primetime shows, Zee Rishtey Awards once again made it’s audience’s evening a memorable one as it drew the curtain on 2020. The special event saw popular faces of television across Zee TV’s primetime shows letting their hair down and having a gala time like never before!  Showcasing some amazing performances, the actors were seen giving viewers a taste of all the festivals that they might have missed celebrating through their acts. From Sriti and Shabbir’s scintillating Diwali Dilon ki performance to romantic performances by Rajveer – Pratibha, Mugdha – Krishna and Juhi – Shakti to Ankita Lokhande’s divine act giving a special tribute to the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the Zee TV Kutumb ensured that everyone came together and enjoyed the show whole-heartedly.

    Welcoming a new tomorrow in 2021!

    Indian Pro Music League

    Zee TV will present Indian Pro Music League (IPML), a first-of-its-kind music league which will have six teams supported by the likes of Shraddha Kapoor along with Shakti Kapoor and Siddhant Kapoor, Govinda along with wife Sunita, Rajkummar Rao, Bobby Deol, Suresh Raina and Riteish Deshmukh. These teams will be seen representing different regions of India, battling it out against each other in a musical championship. Each of these teams will have celebrated playback singers, one male and one female vocalist as their captains including the likes of Mika Singh, Sajid Khan, Shaan, Ankit Tiwari, Neha Bhasin, Akriti Kakar, Javed Ali, Shilpa Rao, Asees Kaur and Bhoomi Trivedi. Additionally, every team will also have reality stars like Hemant Brijwasi, Salman Ali, Jyotica Tangri, amongst others. To add to this pool of talent, six fresh voices from various regions of the country, one for each team, will get a chance to be a part of this league! To be hosted by two top anchors, the Indian Pro Music League will be launched in early 2021

    Teri Meri Ik Jindri

    Set against the backdrop of Amritsar, Teri Meri Ik Jindri is an endearing tale of two young souls, Mahi (Amandeep Sidhu) and Jogi (Adhvik Mahajan) who despite their starkly different personalities, walk together on the common path of love. While Mahi is an educated, self-driven and ambitious girl belonging to a middle-class family, Jogi is a simple, carefree and grounded boy born and brought up in a lower middle-class family. These two opposite personalities differ widely in terms of their background and outlook towards life. Yet, the only thing uniting and keeping them bound together is their immense respect and love for each other. The show will be launched in early 2021

  • &TV looks back at its greatest hits of 2020

    &TV looks back at its greatest hits of 2020

    MUMBAI: As 2020 comes to an end, &TV reflects on its year in review. The channel commenced the year with big bang launches of Bhakt Aur Bhagwan Se Judi Do Kahaniyian – Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram and Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Kathayein in January. In the third quarter, as the shoots resumed, &TV kickstarted its creative campaign of #TayyariHumariZabardastHai, offering high-octane entertainment with Usse Bhi Zabardast Kirdars Aur Kahaniyans. Wrapping up the year on a high note, &TV recently launched the untold story of Yeshu for the first time on Hindi GEC. Produced by Arvind Babbal Productions, the show premiered on 22 December 2020.

    As the channel gears up to embrace the new year of 2021 filled with renewed energy, new hope with brand-new characters and stories, let us look back at the year gone by in detail.

    A fusion of Indian heartland culture

    Celebrating every facet, flavour, character, and stories that authentically bring alive the essence of our Indian culture, &TV presented wide-ranging stories and characters during the year.

    Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Kathayein for the devout at heart, the age-old tradition of vrat kathas to attain peace and contentment in life. Conveying the message of the ultimate triumph of the sincerely devoted in a storytelling format, the socio-mythological show produced by Rashmi Sharma Telefilms, marked the comeback of popular Bollywood actress Gracy Singh as Santoshi Maa. It also featured Tanvi Dogra portraying the role of Swati, an ardent devotee and how she makes her way through various problems under the guidance of Santoshi Maa and Ashish Kadian, essaying the role of Swati's husband, Indresh.

    For every God, there is a devotee. Still, it is Lord Hanuman's unyielding devotion and selfless dedication to Lord Ram that truly sets him apart and makes him the epitome of bhakti. A captivating story of devotion in its truest form, Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram depicted the many unexplored sides of Lord Hanuman, including the purpose of his life. Giving viewers a glimpse of the unheard tale of Lord Shiva and the invincible evil Ravana, viewers witnessed the fascinating mythological journey of how Bal Hanuman eventually emerged as the greatest devotee of Lord Ram and managed to bring a successful end to Ravana's reign of terror. The show featured Ekagra Dwivedi essaying the young lead character of Hanuman along with Nirbhay Wadhwa as Bali, Sneha Wagh as Anjani (Hanuman's mother) and Jiten Lalwani as Kesari (Hanuman's father), amongst others.

    The iconic story of Yeshu

    In challenging times like today when despair is high, virtues like compassion, kindness, hope, love and forgiveness are the cornerstones of humanity that will help us sail through crisis. One iconic story where good overcomes evil and compassion trumps condemnation is that of Yeshu. &TV is proud to present, for the first time on a Hindi GEC, the untold, unheard tale of Yeshu.

    Yeshu is about an exceptionally benevolent child who only wants to do good and spread happiness all around him. His love and compassion for all is a stark contrast to the dark, evil forces prevalent during his lifetime. Witnessing the various atrocities on his family and in society has a deep impact on him. His attempt to help others and ease their pain often leads to situations where he inevitably ends up being hurt and condemned, by not just the oppressors, but also people at large. But even that does not stop Yeshu from continuing on his path. The show has a stellar cast comprising Vivaan Shah portraying the role of young Yeshu, Sonali Nikam as Mary, Aarya Dharmchand as Joseph, Darpan Srivastava as King Herod and Rudra Soni as Herod Antipas, amongst others.

  • Sony Sab’s resolution for 2021: Being happy

    Sony Sab’s resolution for 2021: Being happy

    MUMBAI: Hindi GEC Sony Sab is bidding adieu to 2020 with a message of hope and good health from MD psychiatrist Dr Anjali Chhabria, highlighting why being happy should be one resolution everyone needs to make for 2021.

    The new brand video invites audiences to refocus on health as we enter the new year. It further shines a spotlight on how positive content can act as a stimulus that helps alleviate stress, improves mental well-being as well as immunity.

    With its impressive line-up of fresh programmes and light-hearted value driven content ranging from daily family comedy, fantasy fiction to path breaking concepts, the channel is dedicated to promoting an enjoyable family-viewing experience leading to a healthy and happier life for all its viewers.

    In an unprecedented year, television provided an opportunity to families to bond, with consumption surging by 40 per cent during lockdown (BCG-CII report). A living room brand, Sony Sab launched unique and exciting shows in 2020. Tera Yaar Hoon Main, which focuses on a father-son relationship, gained popularity for its realistic portrayal of the Indian family unit, while Kaatelal & Sons, a story about two young girls bucking gender roles, continues to be a hit with viewers. The most recent offering Hero Gayab Mode On, a sci-fi tale of a young man finding an extraordinary power to help him defeat evil forces, opened to great reviews for its fresh storyline and breath-taking visuals. The channel is now gearing up for the launch of Wagle Ki Duniya, a celebration of the aspirations of today’s middle class, the story takes a leap forward and is set in today’s time with the new generation of Wagle and family.

    Sony Sab business head Neeraj Vyas said, “At Sony Sab, we create shows that not only entertain our viewers but also bring them joy. If there’s anything that 2020 has taught us, it would be to stay hopeful, happy and healthy. Therefore, as we enter the new year, we all need something to relieve the stress and help us take a refreshed view of our health and well-being. We are glad to partner with Dr Anjali Chhabria, who also accredits a happy and positive outlook as the secret to good health, mind and body. Through our content we continue to provide audiences the opportunity to bond and regale with their families, to laugh and to simply spread the happiness.”

    MD psychiatrist Dr Anjali Chhabria said, “At a time when we’re surrounded by overwhelming negativity and incredible stress, being happy can help to a great extent. Happiness is the antidote to stress and sometimes we need an external stimulus to feel happy. Sharing a good laugh while immersing oneself in a funny story, spending time with loved ones– can all help us feel happy. And it has been proven by various studies time and again, happy people are healthy people. Happiness and health go hand in hand. And that is what we need as we step into the new year. A future filled with happiness and health to help us overcome the difficult year we’ve all had.”

  • Sincerely yours: Key to longevity in the Hindi GEC category

    Sincerely yours: Key to longevity in the Hindi GEC category

    MUMBAI: From the start of daily soaps in 2000, Hindi GEC fiction has witnessed multiple ‘eras’: From the now-notorious saas-bahu dramas in the first decade, to shows addressing societal evils and women empowerment,to family-based love stories that brought in the younger viewers. With each passing era, characters in the Hindi GEC category have become smarter, more fashionable and more progressive in their outlook. What’s interesting, however, is that characters who have managed to retain long-term popularity among the audience have one aspect common to their personalities: they are generally over-indexed on the personality dimension ‘sincerity’.

    In her brand personality framework, psychologist Jennifer Aaker identifies five dimensions to a personality –sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication and ruggedness. Most brands will have some image associations with these dimensions, but the more enduring brands largely have one emphasised primary dimension, and optionally a secondary one.

    While originally designed for brands, the framework works equally well for celebrities and characters. In the Hindi GEC category, the one emphasised dimensionacross most long-standing popular fiction characters is the sincerity dimension. Five of the seven popular Hindi GEC characters between 2016-19 (based on Ormax Characters India Loves)had sincerity as their strongest, or a strong number two, dimension. These five characters span a width of age, profession and content genres. There’s themiddle-aged shop keeper and familyman Jethalalin a sitcom; young dentist Ishita engulfed in across-cultural family drama where she falls in love with a divorced father;the quintessential girl-to-bahu journey of Akshara; the young and quirky Pragya who marries a rock star accidentally; and the talentedvillage singing prodigy Kullfi,who moves to the city in search of her father.

    The trend continues in 2020. The undisputed success story of this year has been Star Plus’July launch Anupamaa. The show has achieved record ratingsin a challenging and disruptive Covid2019 period. The lead character of the show raced to number two on Ormax Characters India Loves within a month of the show’s launch, a new record in character popularity tracking in the last decade.

    Anupamaa’s rapid growth is a combination of various factors, such as a unique yet relevant concept (it addresses the ‘anti-family’ topic of extra-marital relationship in a very family-palatable way), strong writing and direction, and the performance by thelead actor herself. It is no surprise, however, that Anupamaa’s character too is heavily loaded on the sincerity dimension, even more than the five characters listed above.

    So why do ‘sincere’ characters strikesuch adeep chord with the audience?

    Storytelling on Indian televisionis different from films and web-series, because in serials, audience look for ideas that are important to them. They connect with characters that are ‘avatars’ of themselves. They feel their feeling, live their emotions. As a collectivistic society, most Indians value family cohesion and cooperation as a non-negotiable aspect of their identity. They take great pride, and seek comfort, in the strong emotional bonds they share with their family members. Watching stories driven by characters who reinforce family values give these shows a higher purpose beyond entertainment. 

    In this context, characters like Jethalal and Anupamaa are the quintessential Indianfamily man and Indian family woman respectively, who value their families and relationships above everything else. While the former is in a sitcom and the latter leads a family drama, it is their fundamentally earnest personalities thatendear them to the Indian value system. Coupled with good storytelling, such characters build long-term equity, engaging the audience with their journeys that fundamentally revolve around their large families in a manner that’s truly Indian at heart, i.e.,sincere!

    Story and storytelling will continue to get more progressive with time. But the cherished place characters high on sincerity have in the hearts of Indian TV audience is unlikely toweaken anytime soon.

    (The author is Ormax Media partner. Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to their views.)
     

  • Zee Learn clocks marginal profit in Q2 2020

    Zee Learn clocks marginal profit in Q2 2020

    NEW DELHI: Zee Learn, a leading player in the education segment, has posted revenue of Rs 89.67 crore and profit of Rs 2.24 crore in Q2 2020. The EBIDTA stood at Rs 19.93 crore (26 per cent of the operating income) during this time.

    Both revenue and profit (after tax) for the company has witnessed a decline year-on-year basis. During the same time, in 2019, the revenue stood at Rs 148.41 crore and profit (after tax) stood at Rs 24.40 crore.

    The two also saw a decline from Q1 2020 where the revenue stood at Rs 92.64 crore and profit (after tax) stood at Rs 3.36 crore.

    However, the profit before tax grew by 37 per cent in Q2 2020 on a quarter-on-quarter basis on the back of its optimisation measures.

    Zee Learn whole time executive director and CEO Vikash Kumar Kar said, "In spite of the educational institutions still being under lockdown coupled with the uncertainty of re-opening, the company has successfully been surmounting various challenges to continue delivering an excellent learning experience. Various business continuity measures helped us to manage the operating expenses and operations in a reasonable manner. We continue to stay fully committed to staying ahead of the curve and fulfilling the learning needs of our students and engaging with our partners to provide constant support to navigate through this period.”

    Zee Learn CFO Rakesh Agarwal added, "Even though there are various ongoing challenges, the company has managed to deliver profits by undertaking various optimization measures. We hope that the authorities will come up with various measures to handhold and stabilize the education sector which is very important for the well-being of our nation and for the future of the children."

    The company has won several laurels during this year such as ‘Great Place to Work’, ‘Dream Companies to work for in Education Sector 2020’, ‘Premier Franchise to Watch for in 2019’, ‘Outstanding contribution to quality education in India’, and others.

  • Hungama adds Supa Strikas to programming line-up

    Hungama adds Supa Strikas to programming line-up

    MUMBAI: Hungama, known for engaging kids with entertaining content that is specially curated for them, will be taking the fun quotient a notch higher with the launch of a brand new show – Supa Strikas on 21 December  2020 at 7.30 PM.

    Reaching out to a whopping 670* + million kids, the channel has consistently been entertaining young viewers with shows and characters that they love and has become a favourite amongst them. The Hagemaru Show is one of the most loved shows in the genre enjoying a high viewership with 427* impressions along with Shinchan which garnered 319* impressions in addition to other popular series like Selfie with Bajrangi and more.

    Following the success of the existing series, the channel will now launch Supa Strikas for the first time on Indian Television. With a narrative that follows a leading football team as they journey across the globe and outer space, the series will take the young viewers through the behind the scenes at the world's greatest soccer club who are on a quest to win the prized Super League trophy.

    “Hungama, through the shows and characters, has always celebrated the spirit of childhood; capturing the child’s imagination, playfulness and the zest to be adventurous. Kids have loved the series that we bring on Hungama and the consistent performance of the channel along with the success of all our shows are a testament to its success and popularity. Our newest show Supa Strikas will be a perfect addition to the channel bringing in elements of fun, adventure, sportsmanship and friendship,” said a Disney Kids Network spokesperson.

    Today, the Disney Kids Network is one of the most preferred destinations for entertainment by kids and commands a share of 31 per cent*among kids.

    * Source: BMW Software, India Urban, 2-14 YRS, All Days, 0700-2300, Wk 41-48’ 20

    Catch Supa Strikas on Hungama from Monday to Thursday at 7:30 PM, 21 December onwards.

  • Zee Thirai brings to you a matinee movie experience with ‘1 Mani Thirai Arangam’

    Zee Thirai brings to you a matinee movie experience with ‘1 Mani Thirai Arangam’

    MUMBAI: Zee Thirai, in the true spirit of its brand tag line “Rathathil Kalandhadu Cinema” is set to dazzle ardent movie buffs with yet another special segment – 1 – Mani Thirai Arangam – creating a matinee experience in the comfort of your homes. The uniqueness of this segment offering is that every week, the channel will curate seven of Tamil cinema’s finest based on a special theme. Now Tamil movie enthusiasts can have a no holds barred movie viewing experience as matinee shows are set to become synonymous with Zee Thirai!

    The first of the themes called 'Mersal Heroines', will showcase an eclectic mix of women-centric movies.  Tamil Cinema is a land full of stories and genres, with a strong collection of women-led films that have set a benchmark for fresh and unique story telling. Reflecting the nature of strong Tamil women, the films being telecasted next week bring out stories of strong willed, independent, yet every-day women. It is sure to keep ardent fans enthralled for a week starting 21 December 2020, at 1:00pm every day.  Beyond this, week on week, the audiences will be served with a fresh buffet of unique and carefully curated thematic movies which will keep them coming back for more.

    The below movies will be screened on Zee Thirai during the week of 21 December  – 27 December  at 1:00 pm.

    21 December – Devi 2

    22 December – Lisaa 3D

    23 December – Nadigaiyar Thilagam

    24 December – Dora

    25 December – Kanaa

    26 December – Baagamathie

    27 December – Mohini

    Devi 2 is a horror comedy drama starring Tamannah Bhatia in the lead role, and Prabhu Deva, Nandita Swetha, Jagan, and Kovai Sarala n supporting roles and is a sequel to the 2016 movie Devi. Lisaa 3D is also a horror flick and India’s first ever stereoscopic 3D horror film that stars Anjali, Sam Jones, Makarand Deshpande and Yogi Babu in the lead roles. Nadigaiyar Thilagam, a critically acclaimed 2018 biography of the veteran yester year south Indian heroine, Savithri is the story of her journey from humble beginnings to extraordinary fame. The movie stars Keerthy Suresh, Dulquer Salman, Samantha and Vijay Devarakonda in pivotal roles.  Dora is a 2017 action horror-thriller movie at the centre of which is a woman – Pavalakkodi, played by Nayanthara – and a haunted car. This movie is definitely worth a watch for fans of spooky thrillers!

    The Sivakarthikeyan, Sathyaraj and Aishwarya Rajesh starrer, Kanaa is an inspiring sports drama about Kowsi (Aishwarya Rajesh) and Murugesan (Sathyaraj) and their shared dream of carving a place for Kowsi in the Indian women’s cricket team. The 2018 thriller-horror film, Bhaagamathie stars Anushka Shetty and Jayaram in the lead roles, and Unni Mukundan, Murali Sharma, and Asha Sarath in other pivotal roles.  Mohini is a Tamil horror film directed by Ramana Madhesh, starring Trisha and Jackky Bhagnani in the lead roles.

    Every day starting from 21 December 2020, catch 1-Mani Thirai Arangam at 1:00 pm only on Zee Thirai.