ITV

Category: Regional

  • Zee Kannada’s Naagini 2 returns

    Zee Kannada’s Naagini 2 returns

    MUMBAI: The much awaited Naagini is back! She is back to seek vengeance to deceive you with her beauty to either love or fight for what she has lost. Owing to its highly successful and massive popularity of the past season, Zee Kannada’s biggest fiction show ‘Naagini’ is here with another captivating season ‘Naagini 2’. 

    The purity of love has the ability to outshine the gleam of cruelty and revenge. But when revenge is the sole driving force, how far is one willing to go? This will come to the fore in Zee Kannada’s ‘Naagini 2’, a dramatically obsessive love story of reincarnation leafing through various layers of buried sentiments, will telecast from 17th February, Monday to Friday only on Zee Kannada and Zee Kannada HD.

    In an effort to engage with the ardent audiences and offer viewers varied entertainment, Zee Kannada, Karnataka’s leading GEC premiered Naagini 2. A first in the Kannada television industry, the premiere of the new series took place in Mysore, Hassan, Shimoga and Gadak received an applause from the sizzling crowd.

    Directed by Magesh Rao and Produced by Ramji, this season’s highly mythical story revolves around Shivani’s vengeance against Dig Vijay and save Nagamani.

    Slither into Naagini 2 mystical world every Monday to Friday at 9:00 PM only on Zee Kannada and Zee Kannada HD

  • COLORS Tamil celebrates two years

    COLORS Tamil celebrates two years

    CHENNAI: COLORS Tamil, Viacom18’s first Tamil GEC, has celebrated two years of entertaining Tamil Nadu. 

    Known for its marquee shows such as Kodeeswari, a first-of its kind all-women version of Kaun Banega Crorepati, reality shows Kalla Petti and Singing Stars, and popular fiction shows like Thirumanamand Uyire, COLORS Tamil continues to entertain and engage with its viewers in exciting and unique ways.

    COLORS Tamil was launched on February 19, 2018 with the brand philosophy, ‘Idhu Namma Oru Coloru’ meaning ‘The COLORS of our land’. After a successful entry into the market, it further expanded to Singapore, Malaysia and the US. 

    On celebrating two years of COLORS Tamil, Ravish Kumar, Head – Regional Entertainment Cluster, Viacom18, said: “COLORS Tamil was launched with an aim of delivering new and never-seen-before content to homes in Tamil Nadu. It has always been our endeavour to present content that is innovative and reflective of our audience. We have witnessed tremendous growth and loyalty towards the channel over the last 2 years and are grateful that our viewers have placed their trust in us. Close to 50% of our viewers are under 40 years of age and watch our content everyday. We are extremely excited about completing yet another milestone in our journey in the Tamil market.We will continue to build on our brand philosophy of IdhuNammaOruColoru while we entertain our viewers with content that is truly disruptive and that is able to create a difference.”

    Anup Chandrasekharan, Business Head, COLORS Tamil,  added: “COLORS Tamil has successfully cemented its relationship with viewers owing to the channel’s thought provoking and socially conscious content. Over the last 2 years, we have launched shows that have had a lasting impact on our audience. Moreover, our viewers resonate with the brand values and philosophy we launched with. Kodeeswari alone was sampled by 4.5 crore Tamil Nadu viewers within six weeks. We will continue to innovate and introduce content that is innovative, differentiated and true to our ethos.”

    The channel thoroughly studies consumer patterns on an ongoing basis and curates its differentiated content. Its strength lies in consistently providing thought provoking, socially relevant and relatable content to its viewers. Over the past 2 years, the channel has entertained its audiences with various titles in genres like Family, Drama, Comedy and Fantasy. It has created a mark for itself, standing out with its varied offerings such as EngaVeetuMapillai, Thari, Malar and many more. It has launched some big-ticket, non-fiction properties like Dance Vs Dance, Singing Stars and Kodeeswari. The shows have attained popularity among the audience due to the distinct content and their outstanding quality that is on par with the standards of National Television. To further strengthen its footprint, the channel is all set to expand its original hours of content with new shows. This February, the channelintroduced two captivating fiction shows, IdaiyathaiThirudadhey which is a love story  with a twist and Naagini 4, the Tamil dubbed version of the popular Hindi supernatural fantasy show.

    With an interesting mix of fiction and non-fiction shows, COLORS Tamil will continue to strengthen its content offering thus catering to a wide variety of audiences. 

  • Sun Tv subscription revenue up; declares 150% interim dividend

    Sun Tv subscription revenue up; declares 150% interim dividend

    BENGALURU: Kalanathi Maran’s regional telecaster and FM radio broadcaster Sun Tv Network (Sun TV) reported that subscription revenues was up 18  percent y-o-y at Rs 411.85 crore for the quarter ended 31 December 2019 (Q3 2020, period or quarter under review) as compared to the corresponding year ago quarter (Q3 2019). The company reported consolidated profit after taxes or PAT growth at 7.2 percent to Rs 384.69 crore for Q3 2020 as compared to Rs 359.01 crore for Q3 2019. Standalone PAT increased 6.3 percent y-o-y to Rs 373.45 crore from Rs 351.33 crore.

    The board of directors of the company has announced the third interim dividend in the year of Rs 7.50 per share (150 percent) on a face value of Rs 5 per share.

    Sun TV is one of the largest networks in the country that has channels across the four major South Indian languages.

    Sun Tv reported 9.7 percent y-o-y decrease in consolidated operating revenue for Q3 2020 as compared to the corresponding year ago quarter Q3 2019. Consolidated operating revenue for the period was Rs 8547.81 crore as compared to Rs 939.31 crore for Q3 2019. Total income (revenue) for Q3 2020 reduced 67.9 percent y-o-y to Rs 914.71 crore as compared to Rs 992.58 crore in Q3 2019.

    Standalone operating revenue declined 9.9 percent to Rs 814.97 crore in Q3 2020 to Rs 904.45 crore in Q3 2019. Standalone Total income (revenue) for the period declined 8.1 percent y-o-y to Rs 878.56 crore from Rs 956.04 crore.

    Calculated simple consolidated EBITDA for Q3 2020 at Rs 595.27 crore was 12.3 percent lower y-o-y than the Rs  678.80 crore. Simple standalone EBITDA for the period declined 13 percent y-o-y to Rs 580.36 crore from Rs 667.20 crore in Q3 2019.

    Let us look at the other numbers reported by the company for Q3 2020

    Consolidated Total expenditure in Q3 2020 declined 8.5 y-o-y percent to Rs 404.35 crore as compared to Rs 441.86 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

    Consolidated Operating expense in Q3 2020 declined 10.6 percent y-o-y to Rs 117.02 crore from Rs 130.87 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Consolidated Employee benefits expense in Q3 2020 declined 1 percent y-o-y to Rs 79.40 crore as compared to Rs 80.23 crore in Q3 2019. Consolidated Other expenses (OE) in the Q3 2020 increased 13.6 percent y-o-y to Rs 56.12 crore as compared to Rs 49.41 crore  in Q3 2020.

    Standalone Total expenditure in Q3 2020 declined 8.2 y-o-y percent to Rs 380.1 crore as compared to Rs 414.04 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

    Standalone Operating expense in Q3 2020 declined 9.9 percent y-o-y to Rs 110.06 crore from Rs 122.77 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Standalone  Employee benefits expense in Q3 2020 decline 1.1 percent y-o-y to Rs 70.95 crore as compared to Rs 71.71 crore in Q3 2019. Standalone Other expenses in the Q3 2020 increased 24.1 percent y-o-y to Rs 53.06 crore as compared to Rs 42.77 crore  in Q3 2020.

    SunRisers Hyderabad numbers

    Sun Tv says for the nine months ended 31 December 2019 (9M 2020) income from the company's IPL franchise SunRisers Hyderabad for season 2019 (partial) was Rs 244 44 crore as compared to Rs 386.29 crore for IPL 2018., hence a decline of 36.7 percent. Corresponding costs in 9M 2019 declined 26.8 percent y-o-y to Rs 138 46 crore from Rs 189 15 crore for 9M 2019. Hence the net operating profit for Sun Tv’s IPL franchise declined 46.2 percent y-o-y in 9M 2020 to Rs 105.98 crore from Rs 197.14 crore.

  • Zee Telugu to air ‘Padi Padi Leche Manasu’ on 16 Feb

    Zee Telugu to air ‘Padi Padi Leche Manasu’ on 16 Feb

    MUMBAI: It’s that time of year when romance is in the air. The anxiously awaited Valentine’s Day dawns once again to evoke romantic sentiments and help strengthen the bond of love. To celebrate love, the leading channel in the Telugu states, Zee Telugu brings a refreshing and entertaining show ‘Padi Padi Leche Manasu’ on Sunday, 16th February at 6 PM only on Zee Telugu and Zee Telugu HD! Playing cupid, the channel intends to get viewers acquainted with the different faces of love.

    A magnificent affair with the presence of several celebrities such as Pradeep Machiraju, Roll Rida, Venkat Sriram, Akarsh Byramudi, Pranavi Manukonda, Pooja Moorthy, Kalki Raja and many others. Zee Telugu’s viewers’ all-time favorite couple, VJ Sunny and Meghna Lokesh hosted a show for the first time. Audiences can cheer to the tunes of the romantic performance by Meghna and VJ Sunny on ‘Butta Bomma’ and ‘Mind Block’ from ‘Ala Vaikuntapuramlo’ and ‘Sarileru Neekevvaru’ movies. Also, the ardent fans of VJ Sunny can enjoy seeing him singing for the first time in an event. Pratap Abhi and Anusha Hegde shares their love story and Abhi surprises his lady love by singing ‘Vennalave Vennalave’ from ‘Merupu Kalalu’.

    The jamboree includes most desirable man of Telugu states, Pradeep Machiraju as a special guest for the momentous show and he was welcomed by an exceptional performance of Akarsh Byramudi and Aishwarya on ‘Neeli Neeli Akasham’ from his debut film as hero ’30 Rojullo Preminchadam Ela’.

    Celebrate the feeling of love and being loved with Prema Entha Madhuram’s Venkat Sriram and Varsha HK, Trinayini’s Aashika Gopal Padukone and Chandu Gowda, Thoorpu Padamara’s Yamini, Jaya Kavi, Pranay and Vinay.

    So, cuddle up this Valentine’s day and warm your hearts with ‘Padi Padi Leche Manasu’ on February 16th at 6 PM, only on Zee Telugu and Zee Telugu HD!

  • SITI Networks’ 9MFY20 Operating EBITDA surges 1.24X Y-o-Y to Rs.2,676 Mn

    SITI Networks’ 9MFY20 Operating EBITDA surges 1.24X Y-o-Y to Rs.2,676 Mn

    MUMBAI: SITI Networks Limited (BSE: 532795, NSE: SITINET), an Essel Group Company, one of India’s largest Multi-System Operators (MSO), has released its Consolidated Audited Financial Results for Q3 FY20, ending December 31, 2019, showcasing continuous growth through strict control on expenses and operational efficiencies across all metrics.

    SITI’s 9MFY20 Operating EBITDA surged 1.24 times over similar duration of last fiscal, to Rs. 2,676 Mn. This jump has been due to strict control over expenses and operating efficiencies. SITI’s Operating EBITDA Margin for 9MFY20 also expanded significantly by 1.1 times y-o-y to 22%.

    Subscription revenue for 9MFY20 grew 19.5% y-o-y to Rs. 8,687 Mn, aided by the strong growth Subscription ARPU, which leapt 1.8 times to Rs.128 per month. Total Revenue (excluding activation) also surged 12.7% y-o-y to Rs. 12,189 Mn for the same period.

    SITI Broadband and Zee 5, India’s fastest growing OTT platform joined hands to promote premium content to SITI’s high speed broadband customers. SITI Broadband also expanded its presence through a mix of smart customer management and innovative offerings. A new SITI Broadband web and mobile interface has been introduced to enhance customer experience.

    SITI’s continuous efforts on improving operational efficiencies through improvement of its systems, processes and personnel has been yielding results. This has resulted in a better and intimate ground connect with its 24,000+ strong distribution network and increased focus on being fully compliant to the Tariff regime.

    While commenting on the results, Mr. Anil Malhotra, CEO of SITI Networks Limited mentioned:

    “SITI’s continued focus on operational efficiencies and strict control over expenses has driven growth in Operating EBITDA by 1.24 times y-o-y to Rs.2,676 Mn and expanding Operating EBITDA margins by 1.1 times y-o-y to 22% in 9MFY20. Our Total Revenue (excluding Activation) also surged 12.7% y-o-y to Rs.12,189 Mn in the same period. Our Subscription Revenue also jumped 19.5% to Rs.8,687 Mn. We are focused on working closely with our distribution partners for increased sweating of ground assets further through introduction of allied value-added services for our customers SITI Broadband with Zee 5, India’s fastest growing OTT app, gives both partners an opportunity to scale up our business ambitions, creating value for all our stakeholders with a focused and strategic approach."
     

  • Zee Telugu to launch ‘Prema Entha Madhuram’ in primetime on 10 Feb

    Zee Telugu to launch ‘Prema Entha Madhuram’ in primetime on 10 Feb

    MUMBAI: Zee Telugu is all set to launch a new fiction show 'Prema Entha Madhuram’ on 10 Febraury. The show will air at 9 pm from 10 February onwards, aims to strengthen the primetime slot of Zee Telugu.  The channel's brand-new prime time offering ‘Prema Entha Madhuram’ will bring viewers an unconventional romance that transcends the barriers of age, life stages and background.

    Arya Vardhan is a 40-year-old dynamic bachelor and an astute businessman; whose world revolves around his family and work. Anu, on the other is a 19-year-old fun-loving, free-spirted girl whose thirst for living it up often compromises any semblance of focus in life or any serious career aspirations. What do they have in common? Little, perhaps, except that they are destined to fall in love with each other.

    In line with the channel’s brand philosophy ‘Aarambam Oka Aduguthone’, the show questions if people really need a license to love? Do lovers need an external approval from society to feel for one another? Should factors like cast, creed, monetary backgrounds and, in this case, age define who should love whom? Produced by South Indian Screens, Prema Entha Madhuram will premiere on 10 February at 9 PM, every Monday to Friday, only on Zee Telugu and Zee Telugu HD.

    The series was applauded for the title song, which was shot in Pahalgam, Kashmir. For the first time in the Telugu television industry, Zee Telugu’s Prema Entha Madhuram title track caller tune is out for subscription on Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, and BSNL on popular demand by the ardent audience. This popular tune will also be released on OTT platforms soon. 

    Superstar Mahesh Babu joined hands with Zee Telugu for a unique concept video which already garned much accolades from the fans of Prince and ardent viewers of the channel. The charming star shot with the cast of the show along with the famed Anchor Pradeep Machiraju.

    The business-romantic drama boasts of a stellar star-cast including the popular actors Venkat Sriram as Arya Vardhan and Varsha HK as Anu. Set against the backdrop of Hyderabad, Prema Entha Madhuram chronicles the unique journey of Arya Vardhan and Anu, two strikingly different individuals hailing from diverse backgrounds fall in love irrespective of their substantial age difference. As their contrasting universes collide, will Arya Vardhan and Anu stand up against taboos and prejudice as they face the eternal question – ‘What will society say?’ Will the two muster the courage to admit their love?

    Commenting on his character, Venkat Sriram says, “Aryavardhan is an unexplored character for me and for Telugu television. I am very thrilled to play this role. Hope the audience embraces my comeback with love!”

    Commenting on her role, Varsha HK says, “Anu is very close to my heart and I and very happy that I got an opportunity to be a part of this new-age love story. I am sure the audience is going to love it. Fingers crossed though!

    As the story progresses, viewers at multiple junctures will be posed with interesting questions about love and companionship. Will a love so intense bow down to the cognition of age differences? Or will braving societal stigma together empower Arya Vardhan and Anu as a couple? 

  • Zee Thirai to fulfil demand for content and star-driven movies

    Zee Thirai to fulfil demand for content and star-driven movies

    MUMBAI: Zee has covered most of the regional space with its GEC and movie channels. With the launch of Zee Thirai it strengthened its footprint in the southern market. Unveiling the plans and programming strategies for the channel to have strong consumer pull in Tamil market, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) South Cluster Head Siju Prabhakaran says, “Our commitment is to keep ourselves in-line with the demand for content driven or star driven movies in that market.”

    He further says, “The ability to differentiate viewers by offering brand propositions and our engagement with audiences, are what we believe will make us stand apart from other players and help us garner viewership share.”

    Zee Thirai has 400 plus library strength and it will aggressively acquire movies from time to time both star-driven and content-driven. The library would be shared between Zee Tamil and Zee Thirai but there will be big movies which might air on Zee Tamil first and then come to Zee Thirai or there could be certain movies which might premiere only on Zee Thirai.

    “We believe in the regional market and specifically in southern market which is very strong. Otherwise we would not be investing in it. These are growing markets and there is tremendous scope for us to grow in this market too,” says Prabhakaran.

    He also informs, “Through our brand we are trying to communicate that we will celebrate Tamil cinema in the best possible way and this celebration will extent to the channel's offering. Every week there will be new premiere and this is a first of its kind that any regional channel is offering.”

    Viewership trends in southern market is different from other markets. The audiences in this market consumes more content in the morning and afternoon. To grab maximum eyeballs from those slots, Zee Thirai has strategised by offering a breakless movie slot in the afternoon and in the morning slot it will show classical movies from yesteryear.

    “All these product offerings make Zee Thirai very interesting. It is available on all leading DTH operator/ players and lot of cable operators are carrying it. In fact, those who have not carried it yet are getting constant enquiries,” says Prabhakaran.

    The channel is looking at both advertising and subscription-driven revenue models. “We have just launched the channel and I am sure once the audience build up happens, advertisers will follow but it’s very important that we get the product right first. If the consumer pull is created, advertisers are always willing to support brands which build consumer base.”

    Tamil is one of the largest regional markets in our country and movie as a space is the second largest genre after general entertainment. Movie channels specifically contribute around 12 per cent viewership. With the increase in the number of movies released in the theatre, it is a value proposition for the broadcasters to have movie channels. Movie viewership has also grown on the television.

    He opines, “In Tamil Nadu, we have been growing from strength to strength in the last 3 to 4 years. We are able to establish ourselves as a strong number two channel in market. In a market where there are difficulties but we have managed to get very strong viewership, it gives us confidence to launch other channels.”

    Prabhakaran also hopes by the end of the 12 months, Zee Thirai becomes a strong brand. “We definitely want to be amongst the movie watching audience. We want to be able to capture the minds of our audience,” he concludes.

  • ABP Majha to launch special documentary show amid R-Day celebration

    ABP Majha to launch special documentary show amid R-Day celebration

    MUMBAI: Amid the 71st Republic Day celebration, the regional Marathi news channel– ABP Majha — is all set to launch a new show, ‘Aaple Bharat Ratna’. Scheduled to release on 26 January, the weekly show will be on-air till 22 March on each Sunday at 9 pm and repeat telecast every Saturday at 6 pm.

    According to a press release, the objective of the show is to honour the Maharashtrians, who have been recognised by the highest civilian award of India such as Maharshi Karve, PV Kane, Vinoba Bhave, Lata Mangeshkar, Sanchin Tendulkar, Nanaji Deshmukh, Dr. BR Ambedkar, JRD Tata, and Bhimsen Joshi.

    ABP Majha will show the documentary detailing the life & works of all those Maharashtrians, who have made extraordinary contributions to various fields of human endeavour in the form of 9 episodes.

    The Aaple Bharat Ratna series will be hosted by a renowned anchor, Atul Gogavale, a celebrated music director of the Ajay-Atul fame. Ajay and Atul are the music alias of Indian music director-composer duo brothers. they have won the Best Music Direction award at the 56th National Film Awards from the Government for contributing music to the Marathi film Jogwa in 2008.

    ABP News Network chief executive officer Avinash Pandey said, “Through this show, we want to make Republic Day even more memorable for the viewers. Many illustrious Maharashtrians in different walks of life have left an indelible mark on the nation, and our endeavour is to celebrate their legacy.”

    He added, “We are honoured to take the viewers through an immersive journey of these real-life superheroes and inspire them through their stories. Over the years, ABP Majha has established a special connect with the Marathi audience through dedicated, local content. ‘Aaple Bharat Ratna’ is another such attempt to bind with our viewers.”

  • ‘Kodeeswari’ doubled primetime slot viewership: Viacom18’s Ravish Kumar

    ‘Kodeeswari’ doubled primetime slot viewership: Viacom18’s Ravish Kumar

    MUMBAI: The Tamil adaptation of Kaun Banega Crorepati saw an interesting tweak – all the participants and the host are women. Launched on 23 December 2019, Kodeeswari brought out and continues to bring heart-wrenching stories of women contestant and aims to encourage and motivate them to fulfil their dreams.

    The channel says that its focus was on education and enlightenment rather than making money in this instance. Apart from grabbing eyeballs, the show also succeeded in strengthening the channel's relation with brands not on the facts of ratings but on the concept of spreading the message and inspiring viewers.

    Viacom 18 regional entertainment cluster head Ravish Kumar, in an interaction with Indiantelevision.com, explained the thought behind the tweaked concept of Kodeeswari, association with brands, viewership growth, marketing strategy, show’s performance on digital platform, and Colors Tamil’s roadmap in 2020.

    Edited excepts:

    What was the thought behind coming up with the all-women season of Koodeswari?

    Women give up their dreams for their loved ones, family or children and they live their dreams through them. We wanted to do a show as a tribute to women’s unconditional love and selfless sacrifices that they make every day. We didn’t want to come up with a quiz show with a celebrity host and Rs 1 crore as prize money. We wanted to do a show that would make some difference, inspires, motivates and creates a movement. We wanted to give the opportunity to the dreams that have been buried all these years. ‘Heart that beats for others should not skip a beat for itself’ that was our guiding principle behind the show that’s why we made it an all-women show. Despite Kodeeswari being all-women show, it is the family that has supported them to make their dreams come true. With the line ‘Choti si Asha’ we wanted to understand where did that go and why and we want to bring it back in women’s lives with the show.

    What is the marketing strategy for the show? How are you ensuring the reach of the show in remote areas to give more powers to women?

    It’s a function of where we do the audition and how do you get the word out. We were extensive in our audition and tried to cover every district in Tamil Nadu. Next time we will go even deeper. Every single person who has been on the show has a fabulous story. There was a contestant name Sushmita who was partially blind and I am happy to share that she is cured now. There are other people who have overcome the difficulties at multiple levels. Each story in many ways is very inspirational, turns society on its head and makes a positive difference to them; it’s an encouragement to others.

    With this format are you specifically trying to reach out to female audiences?

    The target audience is the family, we put it in the primetime slot from 8 to 9.30 pm and the viewership is across the board, it’s not just men or women, people are watching it together and the show is all about that.

    How is the show helping brands and advertisers?

    We have been very lucky to get a lot of sponsors even before the show began. The relation with brands got stronger as they realise it’s not about the ratings but about spreading the message, creating a movement and inspiring many others. I think it’s the message that will continue even if the show has gone off air. Brands are very proud and privileged to be part of Kodeeswari and we are equally proud and privileged to partner with them. We thank them for their support; trust in our vision and for standing by us. It’s going to work well for the brands which are associated with us as well as the channel. But the bigger side of this is, the show is very positive for the society which is what television is about, it is the opportunity to educate, entertain and enlighten. With Kodeeswari we are doing all this.

    Has the show also added in the viewership or subscription numbers?

    The channel has seen a growth in the slot in which the show is aired as well as in the overall channel.  The slot viewership has doubled and channel’s ratings is up almost 20 per cent. But more intangible is the conversations that we are having about the show and the difference it continues to make. More and more people are watching and we will continue to grow until the last episode. Subscription numbers are known once in a month and we are yet to get that after the launch of the show. Definitely there might be some growth but it's too early to say anything.

    How does format like Kodeeswari help a regional channel?

    We are a new channel and it’s an investment for us and the dividend will only come down the road as we continue to do more of such shows which truly make a difference and help us connect with our viewers. We did not do this show with an intention to make money; we did it to make a difference as we hold ourselves to socially responsible programming. That is what we try to achieve with Kodeeswari and other shows on Colors Tamil.

    How is the show doing on the digital platform?

    On digital, we continue to push the show in terms of anyone coming online and visiting our site. We have play along offered on VOOT. We also do extra footage that we air on the channel which helps to capture the journey of people even after they won money and went out of the show. We do a lot of extra content and give them the opportunity to engage. We look forward to user-generated content that we can share with others. It’s working on the multiple levels and the engagement will be growing over time.  It continues to grow every single day on digital and it’s my second-most visited show on the channel and will quickly become the first.

    Did you revise the ad rates for the show?

    Ad rates were not revised for the show; we are happy to be giving an opportunity to the people to partner with us for the show.

    Will the channel be coming up with a similar format in season 2 of Kodeeswari?

    We look forward to bringing a strong season 2 as well and like I said it’s a conversation that started and we will continue to keep having conversations through this or other shows both in fiction and non-fiction and basically every touchpoint that we have with Tamil viewers and viewers across all our markets.

    What is the roadmap for Colors Tamil in 2020?

    We entered the market in 2017, we made a meaningful mark already. We want to build on the momentum, i.e., to be differentiated and carry a message more than just pure entertainment.

  • COLORS Tamil’s KODEESWARI, creates history worldwide with its first 1 Crore winner

    COLORS Tamil’s KODEESWARI, creates history worldwide with its first 1 Crore winner

    MUMBAI: Championing the indomitable spirit of women in India, 31 year old Kousalya Kharthika from Madurai, wins the jackpot prize money of Rs. 1 crore on COLORS Tamil’s Kodeeswari. History will be created as Kousalya, the first ever differently abled woman in the world will take home the coveted title, this Tuesday, January 21st at 8 p.m. With this landmark milestone, Kodeeswari establishes itself as a pathbreaking show which fulfils its promise of giving wings to small dreams.

    Kousalya Kharthika who resides in Madurai suffers from speech and hearing impairment and communicates through vibrations and lip-reading. Kousalya’s determination and grit has helped her pursue her dreams and overcome obstacles in her life

    Commenting on becoming the first winner of Kodeeswari, Kousalya Kharthika said, “I have always depended on my family members for my day-to-day life. But, right from my childhood I have been determined to learn and excel in whatever I do. I truly thank COLORS Tamil for giving me the opportunity to participate in the show and fulfil my dreams.  It was an exhilarating experience being on the hot seat with Radikaa Ma’am who made me extremely comfortable. I am more than honoured to be part of this iconic game show and equally proud to tell the world that ‘I am now a Kodeeswari’.”

    The mother of a 1 year old toddler, Kousalya has triumphed over her disabilities throughout her life, becoming a university topper and going on to secure a B.Sc in Technology, M.Sc in Information Technology and an MBA degree. Today she works as a Junior Assistant at the Principal District Court of Madurai.

    Speaking about how the money will be used, she adds, “I first want to do my bit for people in need, especially the Deaf and Dumb school in Nagarkoil where I studied.  Additionally, I want to visit either Italy or Switzerland which has always been my dream.”

    Expressing his delight on this marquee moment, Viacom18 Regional Entertainment Cluster head Ravish Kumar said, “My heartfelt congratulations to Kousalya for creating such a historical moment for herself, Kodeeswari and broadcast television in entirety. Kodeeswari is a first of its kind platform as a show exclusively for women where they are empowered and encouraged to pursue their dreams no matter how small, no matter what circumstances they come from. Kousalya’s winning moment is therefore a moment of inspiration for so many others who are struggling to fulfil their dreams..”

    COLORS Tamil  business head Anup Chandrasekharan said, “Kousalya’s victory on Kodeeswari opens up newer avenues for women like her. This is a moment of pride for COLORS Tamil. Kousalya’s win will go on to empower, engage, influence and motivate generations of women to come. What makes it even more special is that Kousalya has created history by being the first female differently-abled winner of the format in the world.”

    Commenting on Kausalya becoming the first Kodeeswari, Radikaa Sarathkumar, the Host of Kodeeswari said, “Many congratulations to Kousalya who has created history today with her knowledge and determination. I must say that I am lucky to have met her and experienced her incredible win. Her success is truly an inspiration and will motivate many others. I wish her all the best in life and hope that this achievement helps her make a positive difference in her life.”

    Presented by Colgate; powered by Nippon Paint, Arun Excello and RIN; with Kotak Mahindra Bank as the Banking Partner, and Tamil Matrimony App and Helo App as Special Partners, Kodeeswari has been on air since December 23rd, every Mon – Fri 8 pm on COLORS Tamil and Viacom18’s video-on-demand platform VOOT.