ITV

Category: TV Shows

  • Will the new Gutthi work?

    Will the new Gutthi work?

    Even as Sunil ‘Gutthi’ Grover’s recent exit from Colors’ popular show, Comedy Nights with Kapil, continues to be grist for rumour mills, the latest development flies in the face of all speculation that ‘Gutthi’ will no longer be part of the series.

    Promos doing the rounds since last week on the channel show Palak, Gutthi’s on-screen sister, searching high and low for the missing Gutthi didi, leading us at indiantelevision.com to believe that while Grover is out, Gutthi may return, with some other actor playing the part.

    This wouldn’t be the first such instance when a popular TV character has been replaced. But examples from the past such as Smriti ‘Tulsi’ Irani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kavita ‘Inspector Chandramukhi Chautala’ Kaushik in FIR go to show that whenever actors who play important characters walk out from the show, they are either brought back on public demand or the show’s popularity dips because they are no longer part of it.

    With this background in mind, we spoke to a cross-section of industry to understand whether the new ‘Gutthi’ would fill the void left by Grover’s ouster.

     Said Big Synergy director Anita Kaul Basu: “The original is the original. You might do variations to it, but it is actually the original that stays. It is how a person as an actor plays that character. He brings in his own individuality. One can bring ten other people with the same name, but it is this guy who has made the difference with a personal and intimate approach. There is only one ‘Gutthi’ and that is Sunil Grover. You can get 10 other ‘Gutthi’s’ but that is not going to cut ice.”

    On the other hand, media planners are of the view that the show is more important than its characters. They spoke of actress Ketki Dave, best known for her turn as Daksha ‘a ra ra ra’ Virani and how Kyunki… survived for eight long years even after she quit the soap.

    Madison Media COO Karthik Lakhsminarayan echoed similar views. “This kind of female character never lasts long. Lots of cases keep on happening but consumers keep such cases aside and move on. Finally, the show is larger than any individual. People do not worry about all this; of course, they are affected for some time, but that is not the end of the story. It is the show that holds audiences and not the character,” he said.

    But won’t Comedy Nights with Kapil, currently clocking 7,000-8,000 TVTs, lose its charm without Grover? “It all depends on who the new actor is. You cannot predict it at all. But it is not even impossible; anybody can take anybody’s place. It definitely depends on who’s doing it and how he plays with the character. Of course, nobody can copy him; nobody can do whatever he has done. By contrast, you never know the one who comes might be better than him or as good as him. In the past too, we have seen a lot of characters being replaced – all established performers,” reasoned Sunshine Productions producer Sudhir Sharma.

    Drawing a parallel to another chart-leading Colors’ show,Baalika Vadhu, he said: “In Baalika Vadhu, when Anandi was replaced, people thought the show might go off-air, but if you look at the show now, it is doing extremely well. It is the chart-topper. Add to that, Ganga too has now been replaced so it all depends on a case-to-case basis.”

    Comedy Circus, producer Vipul D Shah exults: “I always believe that it is the combination of an actor and the character. The show can get somebody better than Sunil. I am confident that the new actor will also be able to take ‘Gutthi’ to another level. Sunil has played this kind of role even Comedy Circus and he is fantastic. At the end of the day we are talking about mannerism, dialogue delivery and characterization. If the new character has all these elements, it will grow as popular as Sunil. You know that nobody can do better than ‘Gutthi’, but suddenly you realise that there is a replacement to the character and as an audience you have to accept whatever comes along our way.”

    According to sources, Grover, who charmed his way into audiences’ hearts as the original ‘Gutthi’ of Comedy Nights with Kapil, quit the show over creative differences and Colors’ refusal to give him the remuneration hike he felt he deserved. When rumours surfaced that he was planning to launch a show on a rival Hindi GEC woven round ‘Gutthi’, Colors’ panicked and fired a public notice in leading newspapers saying whosoever attempted to launch or be associated in any way with ‘Gutthi’ would be dragged to court. The channel’s claim over a character from one of its shows attracted much debate till Grover went public saying he had every right over the character as he had created it in the first place.

    While we cannot comment on whether Colors is right or Grover, we can certainly wait and watch to see who fits into Grover’s rather large ‘Gutthi’ shoes…

  • Colors’ Kapil comedy turns to tragedy

    Colors’ Kapil comedy turns to tragedy

    MUMBAI: He’s been making waves with his unique brand of comedy on Colors and has emerged as an incomparable standup comic ever since his show Comedy Nights with Kapil broke on Colors a couple of months ago. But Kapil Sharma made news of a different kind on 25 September: the set on which his show was being filmed was burned to ashes on the Filmcity lots in Goregaon, Mumbai. As reports of the disaster spread, it sent chills down TV producers, directors’, actors’ and fans’ spines.

    Sharma is co-producing the series which has been generating substantial TVTs for Colors under his banner K9 Productions along with Zodiak group firm SOL Productions.

    Says the Indian Film and Television Producers Council co-chairman JD Majethia: “For the most part, we at the council have been urging our TV producer members to have adequate safety measures on the sets on which they are filming. Taking an insurance cover is essential, which I believe was taken in this case. We have also been telling our members that electric wiring should be done properly and checked periodically, right from the main switchboard, so that chances of sparking and any fire hazards are reduced. The unit has to ensure that there are adequate functional fire extinguishers in place. Thirdly, the electric cabin has to be very well-guarded. Fourthly, the light and the electric boys who are dealing with all this should be well-trained and extremely alert.”

    Adds Swastik Productions promoter and maker of one of India’s most expensive TV shows currently airing on Star Plus Mahabharat Siddharth Tewary: “When we make a set, lot of things are at stake and we firstly insure all the people who are working, we also insure the whole set in its entirety. We have to take care of all this sensitive things because we shoot on generators; we have to keep a check if it does not over-heat. Also keep a check at the security guards who are monitoring those things.”

    In the case of the fire on the Comedy Nights with Kapil set, only one of the two fire extinguishers was functional, which made all efforts by the filming crew to douse it pretty futile, reports say. By the time the fire engines and fire fighting crew arrived, the set was burnt to cinders. It was not the first time that a TV show’s sets have been destroyed in the whirlwind TV production that Mumbai has become. Recently, the sets of Zee TV’s Housewife Hai Sab Jaanti Hai were totaled thanks to a blaze.

    Estimates are that the Comedy Nights with Kapil calamity could lead to a production loss of anywhere from Rs 1 crore to as much as Rs 8-10 crore, depending on what was standing on the set when the fire broke out. The lower estimate takes into consideration that only the stage, set, wiring, cabling, costumes and long-used par-cans and moving head lights and other light fixtures were affected. But the losses number would climb if it emerges that HD cameras, the TV control room, and other fixtures were damaged in the fire. 

    Says a TV non-fiction producer: “Anyway the cameras would have been insured by Prime Focus or whosoever else they rented the cameras from. Even the lights and fixtures would have been similarly insured.”

    Adds a media expert: “TV producers have recently taken time to insure their productions for sums ranging from Rs 2 crore to as much as Rs 15-20 crore too. Premia for such insurance, ranges from as low as Rs 1 lakh to high as Rs 10 lakh depending on how high the insurance is going and for how long. Now the producers, the vendors and suppliers will have to put their claims before the insurance companies and cross their fingers hoping their claims will be honoured and they will get their dues. The insurance companies will investigate the accident thoroughly through their investigators, before coughing up.”

    The very popular Kapil seems to have taken the mishap in his stride. Speaking to Indiantelevision.com he says: “Jo Bhagwan ki marzi...(It is God’s wish) I was in Kolkata for a show on Tuesday. I was supposed to report for shooting for Comedy Nights with Kapil at noon on Wednesday. I decided to drive straight from the airport to the sets to avoid delay. Socha gaadi mein shooting ke beech mein sow loonga…Lekin yahan to maamla hi kuch aur tha. (I thought I would catch forty winks in on the drive to the sets…But fate decreed otherwise) . We will work harder and we’ll make sure we don’t miss a single episode.”

    What makes life easier for Kapil and SOL is that the episodes for this weekend are already in the can, thanks to the bank that the duo and the channel have been building. And what’s helping is that the number of episodes per week for the show have been halved to make way for the Anil Kapoor blockbuster 24.

    Both the SOL and Colors teams will have to quickly find an alternative set on which they can start filming for the weeks ahead. Or build a new one. Hectic times lie ahead for them. As they say there’s no business like show business!

  • AXN to launch serial killer thriller ‘Hannibal’ in April

    AXN to launch serial killer thriller ‘Hannibal’ in April

    MUMBAI: AXN will kick off the show ‘Hannibal’ about iconic serial killer Hannibal Lecter from 5 April.

     

    The serial killer was previously played by actor Anthony Hopkins in the movies ‘Silence of the Lambs’ for which he won an Oscar ‘Hannibal’ and ‘Red Dragon’. The younger version of the character on the television series will now be portrayed by Casino Royale’s Mads Mikkelsen.

     

    What is exciting is that Dr. Lecter is not depicted as a villain. He is seen as a talented being and if not aware, it is not possible for the viewers to know that he is the serial killer.

  • FoodFood serves two new shows to tingle your taste buds

    FoodFood serves two new shows to tingle your taste buds

    MUMBAI: There is good news for foodies; FoodFood is all set to bring exquisite cuisines to your platter. The lifestyle channel is all set to add new flavours with two new specialties.

    Get ready to see Chef Sanjeev Kapoor travel around the globe exploring different cuisines and eating habits of the locals. The Out of the World Series…Africa, which will shoot across 105 countries, starts its journey from East Africa. In the first season, which begins from today, the chef along with his six member crew travels to Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. “The show is a marriage of food and travel,” says producer Runjiv Kapur.

    In the show Sanjeev will recount his tale of scary encounters, unusual spices and rendezvous with tribal chieftain and much more! “When we started shooting for the show, nothing was planned. We shot for 15 days for 12-13 hours a day. And shooting at every stop,” he adds.

    So why start with East Africa? Answers Sanjeev, “Two reasons: One, because it is a creator of mankind and two because the producer is based in Tanzania.” The host of the series also believes that it is a concept which is different and would be a trend setter for channels.

    Talking about how the concept came about, producer Kapur who is writing a series of books onGreat Bazaars of the World says, “When I met Sanjeev a few years back I pitched the idea of going to the bazaars of the world and shooting not in the kitchen but on location. We did shoot a pilot for the same then but could not take it ahead because Sanjeev had to devote 15 days for the shoot, which did not work out.” It was last year that the duo got together again and took it forward by starting the shoot in East Africa.

    The unique thing about the programme is that it has been shot in natural habitats which will see even animals roaming around freely. “We are cooking the local cuisines with local chefs. So Sanjeev is watching the chef create the dish and he then explains it to the audience,” informs Kapur.

    According to the two, the show is not scripted. “Because it is not scripted, we shot hours of footage for a 22 minute episode. We were literally shooting on the fly. And when you do that, the show takes shape on the editing table. Though there was a structure initially, it later became more spontaneous,” adds Kapur.

    Not confirming the next destination, Kapur says that they are looking at places which are unexplored. “It is no mall shopping show. We are looking at places with rich culture, history and not much explored. We are here on a discovery.” The duo has already started working on the next season and believes that the feedback they get from the first season will add value to the next.

    So, does shooting a show of this magnitude require big budget? “For channel like us, we learn to do things in an efficient way. Even for world class quality you may not need to spend too much, yes you have to put more efforts, like we shot gorilla style, but at the end we have come out with a great product,” informs Sanjeev.

    Another show which went on air on 13 August hopes to connect with the audience by bringing out the essence of tea time. The focus of the show Hi Tea, hosted by Chef Ajay Chopra, is on the Indian family for whom tea time gives another reason to get together. “The idea is to promote the concept of Chal Chai Peete Hai,” says Chopra who was earlier seen in the first season of MasterChef India on Star Plus.

    The show will concentrate on the tea drinking habits of people around the globe. “Tea has become a reason for people to meet. Also what makes it special is the snacks along with the Tea. And through this show, I am telling people not only of different ways of drinking tea, but the add on snacks along with their special tea,” adds Chopra.So how did it all start? Chopra (smiles) and says, “I met Sanjeev Kapoor during MasterChef. It was then that we started thinking of doing something in FoodFood. Though nothing materialised then, it was four months back that we again started talking about the show.” Ask how it is different from the rest of the shows, he informs, “See there are two ways to connect to people: Either reach out to them through their favourite cuisine or through presenting new cuisines. In this show we are reaching their heart with new cuisines. Through this show, we want to make teatime, the best experience of the day.”

    While Hi Tea occupies the 4 pm slot, Out of the World Series…Africa will be on at 9 pm. Explaining the time slot, Sanjeev says, “Well, the show in the 4 pm slot is for pure learning. In this slot we are targeting people who want to learn and replicate the dish. So the core audience for Hi Tea is someone who wants to learn to cook while the secondary audience is the family. For, Out of the World Series…Africa, our core TG is the family which comes together to watch a series like this.”

    Both the shows have completed the shoot for the first season. The first season of Hi Tea will have 26 episodes and is looking at a larger chunk of 100 episodes. While Out of the World Series…Africa has shot 15 episodes for its first season. Chopra for the first season has set up his kitchen in Filmistan located in Goregaon in Mumbai. “Well, we have started with shooting in my kitchen, which has been especially created for this show, but I am also looking at shooting in hotels first in India and then abroad,” informs Chopra.

    The channel is using all mediums: television, print, outdoor to market the two shows. “We do spend on marketing, but we do smart spending,” comments Sanjeev. The channel is only buying the hoardings in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and couple of sites in Pune for promotions. They have also shot around 10 promos for Out of the World Series…Africa for television promotions and a one-minute long promo for Hi Tea, which will now be broken to various versions.

    Ask the planners and they say that though this is not a unique concept as in the past various other chefs have tried their hands on travel and food genre. “What we have to see is how well it is accepted by the Indian pallet,” says a Delhi based media planner.

    Is the channel trying an Anthony Bourdain and Bobby Chinn twist with the addition of these two shows? It is up to the food and travel lovers to give their verdict, which we will surely keep a track of once the television ratings are declared!

  • Get high on food with ‘Food Highway’

    Get high on food with ‘Food Highway’

    MUMBAI: If your idea of travel is to hit the highway and sample epicurean delights en-route, this might be just the show for you.

    Kicking off its maiden journey on travelxp HD, on Sunday, 17 November, is the all new seriesFood Highway, which promises viewers unbridled adventure and excitement.

    Each half-an-hour episode will unravel lesser-known vistas through the eyes of a gastronome cum wanderer, as the show ferries from one town to the other, one country to the other, in search of newer, even more interesting destinations. 

    Hosting the series will be well known foodie – Rohan, of Foodicted and Strictly Street fame, who will venture onto global highways in his quest to savour the planet’s culinary delights.

    Explaining the thought process behind the show, travelxp HD CEO Nisha Chothani says: “We wanted to engage our audience with clutter-breaking content that attracts viewers across the globe. We realised that the food world on highway is altogether a different culinary world, which is less known. We wanted to capture this non-franchised, sleeves-up food made by cooks along the highways and bring it to our viewers.”

    As a tribute to India’s rich cultural tradition, Food Highway opens along the 1235 km National Highway from Mumbai to Chennai, serving everything from Mumbai’s ‘Vada Paav’ to Western Express Highway’s Special ‘Mutton Rann’ to Pune’s ‘Misal Pav’ to Satara’s ‘Kandi Pedas’ to Kolhapur’s ‘Tamda Pandhra Rassa’ to Belgaum’s ‘Kunda’ to Chitradurga’s ‘Ragi Balls’ to Chennai’s grills.

    Not just India, the series will bring home to viewers the culture and very essence of diverse regions across the globe.

    “Most of us have a craving to step out of our mundane chores and drive down to places for an unconventional food experience which forces you to lick your fingers. But one goes blank when it comes to closing in on any such place. This is where our show – Food Highway, comes into the picture,” exults the quirky Rohan.

    How will the show stand out from the rest in an already cluttered space? “Food Highway is not a food show but a show which is a fine amalgamation of experiencing food, travel, thrill, raw – ruggedness of a journey. It is long rumoured that every 20 km of land, not only people, tradition and culture changes but also their food habits. Every state, village and town has a lot of character which reflects in the taste of their food and their style of cooking. We are out to capture these local flavours and bring them to our viewers,” says Chothani, adding, “Also, viewers can identify with our host – he is a travel and food enthusiast like many of us. This element brings in an instant connect with the audience.”

    With travelxp HD catering to SEC A and A+, 25-50 years, Chothani says, “We target niche audiences who love to travel, love adventure, who aspire to explore the world.” 
    Will Food Highway grab eyeballs with the chosen Sunday prime time slot which is a reality show domain? “The content of a show like Food Highway suits perfectly for the Sunday evening mood. Most people prefer staying back at home and relaxing as Monday blues start creeping in. Viewing such content comes out as a natural desire,” reasons Chothani.

    The promos of Food Highway are already on air and travelxp HD plans to promote it on digital platforms. As things stand, the channel’s official Facebook page boasts over 16,000 likes and over 700 followers on Twitter. The promos of the series are already buzzing with tweets and re-tweets on the same on the social media site.

    However, planners have a different say. “It is very difficult for me to say how the series will work unless and until I watch it. But, I will say the channel has not made the right move by airing it on Sundays. Weekends are ruled by reality shows, and no one would like to switch to some other channel. Audience will go wherever they find entertainment and good content,” says a media planner who does not wish to be named.

  • Zee Khana Khazana gears up for Food Fungama

    Zee Khana Khazana gears up for Food Fungama

    MUMBAI: Ever wished for a one-stop shop to get all your food queries solved? Wished to cook scrumptious food with simple and unique techniques?  Zee Khana Khazana, India’s first 24-hour food channel presents a unique rood show ‘Zee Khana Khazana Food Fungama’ where in the channel will have canters bearing LED screens move across 6 indian cities (Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad, Indore And Lucknow) to engage and interact with audiences at residential areas and high footfall areas like malls and markets.

     

    Staring 17 October, spread over almost a month, Zee Khana Khazana Food Fungama will help Indian homemakers and food enthusiasts with all their food related queries. An extension of Zee Khana Khazana’s popular property on the website – Kya Hai Aapka Food Sawaal, the channel plans to increase its engagement level with its target audience through this unique and interesting below the line activity.

     

    The canter will have local chefs who will answer all cooking queries posed by homemakers and others in the crowd. The channel content will be running on a giant screen led throughout the activity on the specially modified van, thus enabling the audience to sample the content. Apart from the queries; the channel will also hold exciting and interactive contests and lucky winners will be gratified with attractive prizes.

     

    Zee Khana Khazana business head Amit Nair exults: “Interaction with our viewers is very important for us at Zee Khana Khazana. We believe an on-ground activity like this is the best way for us to talk to our audience and get their valuable feedback. With this initiative, we want to reach out to audiences in cities across and help them solve their everyday food related questions. We are hopeful that this fun activity will solve all food related sawaal that a homemaker comes across in her daily life.”

     

    What on the digital front? The channel’s Facebook page and twitter handles will share regular updates and will help audiences on the route location and where to spot the van.

  • Scripps acquires Singapore-based Asian Food Channel

    Scripps acquires Singapore-based Asian Food Channel

    MUMBAI: Scripps Networks Interactive, which has made international expansion a top strategic priority, is strengthening its competitive position in Asia with the acquisition of the Asian Food Channel (AFC), the region’s leading food-focused pay television network.

     

    The Asian Food Channel, which is based in Singapore, reaches about 8 million subscribers in 11 markets. With the addition of the Asian Food Channel, Scripps Networks Interactive now has three lifestyle television brands that it is marketing in the region. Food Network and Travel Channel also are distributed in Asia.

     

    “Asia and the rapid growth in pay television households throughout the region hold great promise for Scripps Networks Interactive and its international ambitions,” said Kenneth W. Lowe, the company’s chairman, president and chief executive officer.

    The Asian Food Channel broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week and leverages a substantial library of acquired Asian and international video content as well as a growing number of originally-produced programs. The network generates revenues through regional and local advertising sales as well as fees from pay television operators.

     

    “Acquiring the Asian Food Channel significantly expands our presence in key growth markets and provides us with a solid foundation on which to build a growing lifestyle media business in the region. The channel aligns perfectly with our lifestyle programming focus.”

     

    “We have built AFC from scratch over eight years to become a well-recognized brand in the region with a top management team that will help Scripps expand its presence across the Southeast Asia region,” said Maria Brown, co-founder and chief executive officer of the Asian Food Channel. “As an entrepreneur, I am enormously proud to see our company take this next step in its evolution. I look forward to seeing the Asian Food Channel continue to grow as part of the Scripps Networks Interactive family and as one of their leading lifestyle brands.”

     

    Derek Chang, who was appointed recently as managing director of the Asia Pacific region for Scripps Networks Interactive, will oversee the management and integration of the Asian Food Channel. He also will oversee operations of Scripps Networks Interactive’s existing networks in the region.

     

    Scripps Networks Interactive has been expanding its international operations starting in 2009 with the launch of the Food Network in the United Kingdom and other markets in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

     

    In 2012, the company acquired the London-based international operations of the Travel Channel. Food Network and Travel Channel are distributed in selected markets in Asia.

     

    Scripps Networks Interactive isin partnership with BBC Worldwide through its 50-percent ownership of UKTV, which operates a suite of 10 general entertainment and lifestyle channels in the U.K. The company also is in partnership with Shaw Communications, which operates HGTV, Food Network and DIY Network in Canada.

  • FoodFood appoints SK ‘Raj’ Barua as CEO

    FoodFood appoints SK ‘Raj’ Barua as CEO

    MUMBAI: Food and lifestyle channel FoodFood has appointed former Freemantle Media India managing director SK ‘Raj’ Barua as its CEO.

     

    Though no formal announcement has been made, an industry source has confirmed the report.

     

    Barua has more than two decades of experience in the broadcasting business, starting out with Discovery Communications India where he was VP finance from 1995-2007 and then elevated to CFO- Asia Pacific which he served from 2007 to 2009.

     

    He joined Fremantle Media India in August 2009 where he was part of the start up team, which successfully got it going after a couple of false starts prior to that. It was under his watch that Fremantle Media India got shows like Indian Idol, India’s Got Talent, X Factor, among others off the ground.

  • Bigg Boss’ rides high on negative publicity

    Bigg Boss’ rides high on negative publicity

    MUMBAI: Not that Bigg Boss, or for that matter even the original format Big Brother, has ever been in news for good things, but the seventh season of the celebrity reality show seems to be riding high on negative publicity.  While in the earlier seasons, it was just the in-house fights, some of the most popular ones involving Dolly Bindra, Raja Chaudhary, Kamal R Khan, Pooja Misra etc, which made headlines, this time the happenings inside the house is also coming out and reaching the police station.

    The recent news is about a case against actor Ajaz Khan. Apparently, on 28 December, a case was filed against him for calling BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi a “chor”. The BJP political wing in North Mumbai lodged a police complaint against Ajaz and the show for apparent defamatory statement.

    The number of legal cases this season has just been on a rise. The first case was against Armaan Kohli filed by Sofia Hayat for sexual assault. The actor was taken to Lonavala police station from the Bigg Boss house but however he got and re-entered the house.

    If that wasn’t enough, another case was filed in Hyderabad against the host Salman Khan and the producers of the show for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments. According to the complainant, certain expressions used by the actor for describing elimination and promotion of participants were offensive.

    Surprisingly, there was not much use of abusive language in this season of the show. However, other factors like celebrity tantrums, physical proximity among contestants all have kept the show in the spotlight since the beginning. From Kushal Tandon jumping off the wall and contestants flouting the rules of the house to two contestants getting intimate in the house, everything has kept the show in the limelight.

    Recently, there was also a strong buzz that actor and producer Sachiin Joshi was also going to take strong legal action against Kushal Tandon. The actor was in the show to promote his filmJackpot and was called ‘dedh footiya’ by the TV actor.

    With only two days to go for the show’s finale, one can only hope that the season ends without anymore controversies.

  • Jodha is the most popular fiction character among TV audience

    Jodha is the most popular fiction character among TV audience

    MUMBAI: If you thought only the make-up clad, good-looking bahu from a traditional Indian household managing everything perfectly, could grab the attention of the Indian TV viewers, it is time to think again!

    This time, it’s a blast from the past. While the indelible historic story of Jodha and Akbar on Zee TV are fascinating many, Jodha seems to have won all the appreciation. According to the latest findings (November 2013) of the Ormax Characters India Loves (CIL) research, Jodha from Zee TV’s daily fiction show Jodha-Akbar has emerged as the most popular fiction character on Indian television.

    The CIL research that is conducted in 19 Hindi-speaking markets in India, covering a monthly sample size of more than 3,000 respondents in the 15-44 years age group, was started in August 2009. Interestingly, Jodha is only the fifth character to have taken the top position, the other four being Anandi (Balika Vadhu), Suhaana (Sasural Genda Phool), Jethalal (Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah) and Ram Kapoor (Bade Achhe Lagte Hain). Jodha is also the first Zee TV character to have taken the top position.

     

    Speaking about the findings, Ormax Media insights head – television Anurag Bakhshi said: “Jodha’s popularity is a result of her unique portrayal of a historical character whose aspirations are relevant to the young audience of today’s evolving India. Her popularity is particularly strong in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab markets.”

    According to the November 2013 Ormax CIL Report, the other most liked fiction characters on television are Sandhya (Diya Aur Baati Hum), Jethalal (Taarak Mehta…), Anandi (Balika Vadhu) and Mahadev, while Kapil Sharma (Comedy Nights With Kapil) is by far the most popular non-fiction character on television.