ITV

Category: Reality

  • Clash of the Titan

    Clash of the Titan

    The battle ground is set, the weapons are drawn and the leading Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) are all set for intense combat and to emerge victorious in the weekend mega prime time war. Come 1 June, Colors is all set to attack with season six of its popular celebrity dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Ja (JDJ). Sony on the other hand will be unveiling its long talked about and all new Indian Idol Junior (IIJ). Zee TV on its part is counting down the minutes to unleashing DID Super Moms on its viewers. All three are slated to air during the crucial 9.00 pm – 10.00 pm slot every Saturday and Sunday.

    With so many reality shows, which show are the advertisers placing their bets on? Dentsu Media India CEO Divya Gupta answers: “All three have potential. With the new formats, anchors, all have something to offer. It remains to be seen, however, how the initial hype will pan out in terms of quality and content. From an advertiser’s point of view, the program that is able to pull eyeballs early and keep them is the best bet.”

    She further says that depending on the number of associates on board currently, and spot buy sales on first episode, the three upcoming shows have anywhere between Rs Five crore to 6.5 crore riding on them this Saturday.

    What is it about the weekend prime time slot that has turned GECs into a war zone? Madison Media senior VP head of Pinnacle Mumbai Shekhar Banerjee gives a different perspective. Says he: “Weekend slots over the years have been hosting reality shows across GECs, not that it has better potential and generates higher TVR but because channels don’t want to disturb their already running staple fiction shows. Taking off a weekday fiction for a 13 week reality show means breaking a viewer’s habit and there is high likelihood that the person may not come back to the fiction show after 13 weeks are over.”

    For want of a better option or not, the weekend slot has become the hub of reality shows and has ensured cut-throat competition among GECs and an attractive platform for advertisers. “Total inventory based on total number of episodes, not counting repeats, would be in the range of 24,000 to 30,000 seconds totally. The value of a weekend prime slot would depend on product and target prospects. By and large, prime time is coveted by all due to its quick, high reach viewership,” says Gupta.

    Colors’ JDJ’s starry judging tri -Karan, Madhuri and Remo : It’s all about the madness of dance

    Colors has placed high hopes on JDJ which had a successful run last season with an average TVR of 3 and will leave no stone unturned to make this season a thrilling rage over a span of 15 weeks. The show has roped in six associate sponsors including Ultratech, Dove, Sony Experia, Ever Ready battery, Amul Macho and Metro Tyres while Cadbury Bournvita returns as title sponsor and Vaseline is the powered by sponsor.

    Talking about the show’s USP, Colors marketing head Rajesh Iyer says: “JDJ is a strong property itself and has its niche audience. The format of the show is very different as compared to any other reality show. Here, we have 12 celebrities from different walks of life as contestants and a very strong jury force including Karan, Madhuri and Remo who are masters of their craft.”

    What is new about season six which sets it apart from the previous seasons is the level of dancing. This season it’s the ultimate dance off between the contestants as the jury has raised the bar. Contestants will be seen using unconventional props, graphics and animation for showing the audiences what they have never seen before.

    Banerjee, who has placed his bets on JDJ for Madison Media’s client Cadbury, says: “When we buy a reality show the key criteria is fitment and the show’s potential to deliver on brand’s key performer indicators (KPIs). JDJ has been one of the best performing talent shows on Indian television, and even this year we are working with the Colors team to create bigger and better integration that can deliver the desired return on investment (ROI) on the brand scores of Cadbury Bournvita.”

    Colors’ Rajesh Iyer is going into hyperdrive marketing Jhalak Dikhhla Ja

    The battle for primetime is not going to take place on screens. The three players are pulling out all the stops on the marketing front to connect with their audiences through every medium. 
    The channel has launched an aggressive 360 degree marketing campaign to place JDJ at the top of the game. Iyer says: “Our extensive marketing plan includes home channel promotion with over 2,000 spots and network and cross channel promotion with 40 channels wherein we have bought over 5,000 spots across genres – English news, Hindi news, regional, infotainment, music, Hindi entertainment, Hindi movies and kids.”

    Apart from TV, Colors has also planned a 10-day campaign with 1,500 plus radio spots across its Hindi speaking markets. Print is also not left unexplored with over 100 ads to be placed across 100 plus cities across the country. In the out of home (OOH) space, the channel has planned a 10 day activity and targeted over 500 sites in the Hindi speaking markets.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Sony, on the other hand, is all geared up to strike a chord with family viewers through Indian Idol Junior (IIJ), which will be running for 14 weeks. Title sponsor being Nissan Micra and powered by Horlicks, this new kids singing reality show has Real Fruit, 99acres.com, Kellog’s Oats and Alpenliebe as other associate sponsors. According to the channel, over 6,000 promos spots have been played for IIJ.

    “IIJ has one thing going for it,” says a media observer. “It is commencing at 8:30 pm, half an hour before the rest. This could well work in its favour in terms of it getting viewers tuning into it Whether it will manage to make them sticky will depend on the show’s content.”

    Indian Idol Junior judges Shekhar, Shreya & Vishal will be innovating while dealing with kids on the show

    That is a legacy story, says Sony Entertainment Television (SET) marketing head Gaurav Seth. But what sets IIJ apart from the rest is its brand positioning, he adds. He further elaborates: “It is a brand extension of the very popular Indian Idol format on SET. We believe children have a lot of potential and talent on offer and hence, we wanted to explore this segment and showcase it to pan Indian audiences. We conducted a massive nationwide hunt to search for these kids through our eminent judges and we believe our viewers are going to be stunned with the talent on display through the rounds. Kids have a lot to offer in terms of their innocent, spontaneous and completely endearing actions which makes for compelling television viewing.”

    Sony’s Seth has marketing for Indian Idol Junior covered from all angles

    Launching an extensive campaign revolving around kids, Sony is comprehensively promoting the newest branch of its much loved franchise. Seth explains: “We have executed a huge national communication roll-out to inform TV viewers across India about the show and what to expect. This has been across all major media platforms and has succeeded in building immense recall for the show prior to launch. As it progresses, we believe that the talent on display will continue to attract loyal viewers interested in following the fortunes of their favourite contestants.”

    Sony plans to sustain viewer interest through city concerts, activation and celebrity episodes designed to keep highlighting the high-points in the show throughout the current season. Says Seth: “It has been one of the most popular talent shows on television and we hope to keep the success of its past editions alive with this new and fresher avatar. Indian Idol is a profit maker and the latest offering has received a favorable response from our advertising partners.”

    Zee TV is counting on its all new concept of DID Super Moms derived from one of its most successful properties – Dance India Dance (DID) to do the trick for it. For the first time, mothers, who always have been seen supporting their children in DID, take center-stage in this unique dance reality show focused on moms.

    DID Super Moms team are looking at replicating DID’s success

    Zeel marketing head Akash Chawla asserts: “With DID Super Moms we wanted to capture the emotions of the audiences where a mother is a very important part of our lives and she always played a crucial role in our success. Our communication revolved around the fact that now it’s time for mothers to be in the spot light and we should cheer them and support them helps them to fulfill her dreams.”

    Coming back to JDJ, one of the innovative strategies launched by Colors exclusively for the show is a promotional tie-up with YRF’s upcoming Ranbir Kapoor- Deppika Padukone starrer Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani. “We will be running JDJ promos during YJHD. We have targeted 900+ screens in over 40 cities. While in terms of amplifying the campaign with the help of cable TV, we have planned a 10 Day activity in 130 cities and have bought over 1,000 spots,” adds Rajesh Iyer.

    Movie promotions are what IIJ will be banking on too to rope in celebrities and also heighten viewer engagement. Seth reveals: “There will be movie integrations at a later stage once gala rounds begin. We will also form strategic tie-ups with news channels to promote content and/or activation and concerts.”

    Season six of JDJ is being lauded for its aesthetically beautiful promos directed by Colors’ in-house team led by Monica Nair. JDJ is being heavily promoted on the channel with promos not only seen during the ad breaks but within shows as well. “In order to increase the recall value of the viewers, we’re trying this different mode of in-show promotion wherein we show a JDJ promo even before the advertisement break – between the show and the coming – up of the next segment,” asserts Iyer.

    Creatives

    • Colors- Marching Ants
    • Sony- Leo Burnett
    • Zee TV- Draft FCB Ulka

    Sony’s IIJ also has commendable creatives designed by Leo Burnett, with a strong positioning- Gaanon ka wohi jaadu ab bachchon ki awaaz mein. The promos, directed by the creative team at SET along with Fremantle Media, depicting young kids singing old classics have become quite popular. It has been an immensely clutter breaking campaign on all media especially TV with the spots getting high salience and recall,” says Seth.

     

     

    JDJ has targeted the space of ambient marketing as well, with over 500 hoardings across 12 cities. The creatives – both outdoor and print, are spearheaded by creative agency Marching Ants. Iyer says: “Last year we focused on the symbolic shining disco ball as a promotable. The idea this year was to take JDJ outside the environment of the studio to outdoors build scale. You will see that both in our launch promos as well as creatives.”

    Ambient Marketing:

    • Colors-500 horadings across 12 cities
    • Sony- 4000 horadings across 24 towns

    However, in terms of ambient marketing, Sony is way ahead as it claims to have stationed over 4,000 outdoor advertising units across 24 towns promoting IIJ.

    Seth elaborates: “We have targeted our viewers across their daily touch points from whenever they step out of their houses to when they return. This includes innovative branding and presence on major roads and arteries across 24 key towns of India through large and small format billboards. In addition, we have taken branding inside and outside major transport hubs and vehicles such as trains and buses both intercity and intra-city. We have also targeted malls and shopping centers and even cinemas to ensure all touch points are covered extensively.”

    Sony also has several out-of-box promotional campaigns planned for IIJ. “We will be carrying out an activation titled “Society Idol Junior” across 12 cities in which we will be conducting mini auditions and talent performances judged by local celebrities in various residential societies and colonies. We will then be crowning individual winners from this age group from each of these. In addition we will also be having mega Idol city concerts featuring our final contestants and of course our talented judges,” informs Seth.

    On the online, digital and mobile front, Colors has created a dedicated microsite, web chat and dance tutorials wherein it has tied-up with dancewithmadhuri.com, which is Madhuri Dixit’s online dance academy. There are also plans to create a mobile application for the show.

    “This year we are taking the brand JDJ and our promise to make non-dancer’s dancers to the next level by giving them a taste of true dance with Dance Tutorials & Dance with Madhuri contest,” says Iyer.

    He adds: “Throughout the season every day, we will release one dance tutorial for our viewers. This will be from different dance forms for example seven steps salsa in a week etc. These videos will be released every week on our website, JDJ app and Colors Facebook page for viewers to easily access while on the go. To make this more even more exciting we have tied up with dancewithmadhuri.com. Viewers can now learn practice and upload their videos. Madhuri Dixit will herself select one lucky winner who will get a chance to dance with the Diva herself.”

    Apart from all of the above, Colors has a lot in store for online viewers before the grand premiere- a Live Chat with Madhuri, the video of which will be uploaded on the channel’s official website. A web premiere is also on the lines, wherein 20 minutes of the grand premiere will be uploaded on the channel’s official YouTube channel at 3.00 pm on Saturday. All in all, the online buzz around #Jhalak (the official hash-tag) will be kept alive through live chats, web premiere, contests and the works!

    Sony has also launched several web/digital initiatives for its debutante property. Myindianidoljunior.com is the official website for all news, views and happenings from the show. Seth says: “Exclusive content regarding the contestants, engaging apps etc will only be available there. In addition we launched the IIJ audition app which allowed smartphone users to enter the selection process by auditioning through their mobile device. There are lots of other interesting features on our social media pages and handles as well.”

    Social Media

    • Colors– dancewithmadhuri.com
    • Sony-Myindianidoljunior.com
    • Zee TV: DID Super Moms’mobile App

    Zee TV has also launched several interesting social media initiatives for promoting DID Super Moms. Chawla states: “For Zee, the consumer has always been at the centre of business decisions. The channel has pioneered many digital and mobile initiatives with the intention of interacting with the consumers at every touch point. Committed to presenting out of the box ideas to market its shows, this time around some innovative features have been added in the DID Super Moms mobile app”.

    To amplify viewer engagement, a new feature called Tap on has been introduced. Here a user can hold the phone to capture the songs played during ‘DID Super Moms.’ Every time he does that, some exclusive content that is high on engagement would unlock on his phone giving him additional interesting information about the show. This content can be an exclusive live tutorial, images or some trivia from the show.

    Another feature is a chat room called Check In where everybody watching the show can check in and shares their viewpoints with each other. With the pattern of content consumption becoming more dynamic, the features introduced in the mobile app will keep the viewer engaged throughout the show via his/her mobile phone. This is a more personal way of interaction, engagement and entertainment.

    Talking about a recent online promotional activity, Chawla says: “The Masters of Zee TV’s DID Super Moms, Farah Khan and Marzi Pestonji along with skippers, Raghav, Prince, Jai and Siddhesh kicked off a virtual conversation on Google Hangout with 10 of their lucky fans on 24 May! These lucky winners were selected via a twitter contest where the ‘netizens’ were asked to use #dancingtome and write what dancing meant to them. In this online event, the masters and skippers not only shared interesting trivia’s and anecdotes but also showcased their signature moves to their admirers. For those who didn’t get a spot in the lucky 10, watched the hangout LIVE on Zee TV’s YouTube page.”

     

    what more?! DID Supermoms is going to have an impact on the digital space with a roadblock of two major portals in India – youtube.com and yahoo.com (YouTube mast head and Yahoo super take over). Its micro site has various engagement platforms for ‘netizens’ where all the super moms can upload their dancing video on the DID title track. A video wall with all these entries would be published during the sustenance of the show.

    Sony has had a successful integration with its network channel’s popular IPL show called Extraaa Innings T20 on Max. Besides, there is a countdown bug on the channel and a very high ratio of promo slots devoted to IIJ launch.

    The smartest move by Colors is that of the show’s Grand Premiere which is aimed at garnering maximum eye balls. The launch episode will be as big as the show itself.

    Kick starting the show will be dancing queen Madhuri who will team up with Ranbir for a stunning performance on their new item number- Ghaghra. Next to enthrall viewers will be an entertaining performance by Sushant Singh Rajput and actress Jacqueline Fernandez who will be introducing the 12 celebrity contestants.

    The launch episode week will also see the three Deols – Sunny, Bobby and Dharmendra shake a leg with the Jhalak contestants adding on to the commencement of the power packed journey of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa.

    To further heat up the competition, Star Plus is upping the ante on its dance reality show India’s Dancing Superstar (IDS) which has been on air since 27 April at 9.00 pm. It has planned a special maha episode. Explains Star India vice-president marketing Nikhil Madhok: “For 1 June, IDS will have a two and a half hour dance ka maha episode which will start at 8 pm. The episode has one of the legends of dance, Govinda, doing something he has never done before on Indian television. Viewers will see him play a double role in an extremely entertaining dance act. The episode will also see the beginning of the face-off round, which is a very unique concept for a dance show in India.”

    Star marketing head! Nikhil Madhok

    Sounds great, but what is the media view of all these intense content creation and marketing initiatives that the GECs have drawn up?

    Madison’s Banerjee proffers a perspective. Says he: “Such overcrowding of reality shows on weekends will lead to cannibalisation both in terms of viewership and also revenues. Channels need to understand that with such high investment they should look for a clean window or time-bands that assures them of the best return.”

    He further points outs: “These shows can coexist with smarter planning. Next season, even advertisers will get wary of investing if average ratings of these shows come down.”

    Now that’s a piece of advice, none of the GEC players should ignore!

     

  • Sunny, porn and big bad world of TV

    Sunny, porn and big bad world of TV

    It took a lot of frisking around in bed in the buff – with first, women,and then men – for the camera to transform an Indian Sikh girl Karenjit Kaur Vohra from Ontario into a global porn star who goes by the handle of Sunny Leone. From there she made her way back to India and into our homes with the fifth season of Bigg Boss where she has surprised all.

    Her face is finely structured, her smile bewitching the youth of India. She is comfortable in her skin as a sex goddess. Her laugh is gay, full of abandon. She comes across like a person who knows what she is all about, and she loves it. She has all the oomph and jiggles in the right places to make her stand out from the rest of the Bigg Boss 5 gang. She is Indian, and looks partly so, but sounds totally foreign. And yet she speaks Hindi with a charming accent and style. She is exotic. A mysterious enticement.

    Yes, she has that seductive figure, the seductive American/Canadian accent and a very seductive way of carrying herself.

    But she has done nothing – yet – to warrant her the porn star status that has made her the wet dream of millions of her fans the world over.

    Adult content can offer a release for many frustrated youth, who, in its absence, tend to vent their pent-up frustration out on girls as young as four or five as newspaper reports have revealed
    _____****_____

    The media has gone to town with Sunny. Reams and reams of pages of editorial have been written about her. Internet news sites, facebook communities and blogs have gushed about her porn star status in the hope of titillating readers to consume more of their pictures, and the accompanying puerile editorial. (This piece hopefully is not adding to the pulpy content). News channels too have spent thousands of minutes of on-air time examining Sunny Leone from every angle and even flashing pictures of her nearly undressed.

    Then some unknown organisations backed by shady characters have been grappling at straws to nail her and the show for crossing the boundaries of decency. And cash in on the Sunny phenomenon. And possible bask in the glare of the media by sending out dubious press releases about her being banned by some unknown associations of persons.

    But Sunny -the consummate professional that she is – she has not given them the chance; she has walked the thin line extremely well.

    Do you know Sunny Leone may have never made it to Bigg Boss 5? Well, she had been signed on earlier this year. But folks at the channel were balking at having her on-air as there were concerns whether cause-hunting groups would make a pornographic star’s appearance on the show as a cause celebtre.

    Finally, however, senior management decided to bite the bullet and go ahead, and ordered the channel’s standard and practices division to keep an even sharper watch on the content before it is pushed out on air.

    India which has given the Khajurhao, the Kama Sutra to the world has hypocritically been blocking out risqué content for years, nay decades.

    While most progressive countries allow adult content on air late night with some controls, India‘s lame policy makers and influencers have shut the door on it. Pseudo moralists in government and pseudo social activists have strangled and paralysed any movement on this score. India has millions of sex workers nationally servicing 10 times as many men daily. Parlours offer sex services from young masseuses under the guise of massage. There‘s a strong underground pornographic production network on anyway which disseminates clips through the net and through illegal channels in South East Asia and even India. These continue to flourish under the very noses of these same pseudo moralists. Some may also have the blessings of some of these very protesters in power.

    The Bhatt angle may have been just a ploy to attract eyeballs, deflect some heat the channel may have been getting-courtesy – Sunny, and also bring in Bollywood to make it look legit.
    _____****_____

    The fact is that adult content can offer a release for many frustrated youth who in its absence tend to vent their pent-up frustration out on girls as young as four or five, something which we tend to see in shocking newspaper reports day in day out. The government‘s Victorian approach is helping no one, apart from giving some ammo to the moral brigade to make noise from time to time and keep the information and broadcasting ministry busy. The government has set a digitization of Indian cable TV deadline. The technology that digital cable TV and DTH brings with it enables selective blocking of what can be termed objectionable content in the home by the viewer himself. The viewer will get to decide what he/she and his family members will be permitted to watch.

    So it’s about time that the powers-that-be drop their pseudo-moralism and take steps to rethink broadcast of adult content in the age of the internet where sex is the most searched term on google. And there are more visuals of the sexual act easily accessible to even underage kids at the click of a mouse then ever in mankind‘s history. Also, remember an extremely bold film like The Dirty Picture by the queen of family dramas Ekta Kapoor is getting rave reviews and attracting the so-called "conservative Indians" to cinema halls and multiplexes.

    Back to Sunny. She has tried to break out into Hollywood in the past, without much success. But Bollywood seems to be more accepting and welcoming than mainline or B-grade movie makers of the good old US of A. Earlier this week, she cast her spell on film maker Mahesh Bhatt who has been linked with the most beautiful of actresses and has had several relationships with the most desirable women. Bhatt fawned over her, showered lavish praise on her – behaving like an ageing, veteran film maker who has found his muse towards the sunset of his career.

    And he has offered her a part in Jism 2. Sunny, appears warm to the idea, and has left it to her agent in the US and Pooja Bhatt’s Fisheye Network to hammer out an agreement on her behalf for her Bollywood debut. If that is worked out, it will be a dream come true for Bhatt.

    A performer who has done it all, will be relatively easy to deal with.

    Dropping clothes will come naturally; smooching will not be a problem, she will possibly go the Full Monty; no body doubles will be needed. It will make for an interesting movie

    Sunny times are ahead. Yeah!!!

    Or at the end of it all nothing may emerge from it. The Bhatt angle may have been just a ploy by the channel‘s marketers and spin doctors to attract eyeballs, deflect some heat the its management may have been getting courtesy Sunny, and also bring in Bollywood to make it look like even India‘s most respected entertainment institution is wooing her and possibly get a veneer of legitimacy attached to what is going on on-air.

    If this is true then, our dear Sunny will head back to Los Angeles at the end of Bigg Boss 5, and remain a much remembered nymph. And she will be doing what she knows best: producing and marketing herself in the big lucrative world of porn.

  • Big Bro loses sponsor over racist bullying row

    Big Bro loses sponsor over racist bullying row

    MUMBAI: It has become the ‘big brother’ of all controversies, with accusations of racism, the parliaments of two country’s wading in, and the show’s producers Endemol and UK broadcaster Channel 4 on a fast ride to ratings nirvana.

    And it doesn’t stop there. The latest twist to the story comes with one of the major sponsors pulling the plug on Celebrity Big Brother, the low brow reality show that is at the centre of a storm over the treatment meted out to Bollywood starlet Shilpa Shetty by her fellow “housemates”.

    Carphone Warehouse, the biggest mobile phone retailer in Europe, has pulled out its sponsorship of the current series saying that it did not want its name associated with claims of racist bullying. “We had already made it clear to Channel 4 that were this to continue, we would have to consider our position. Nothing we saw last night gave us any comfort. Accordingly we have instructed Channel 4 to remove our sponsorship name and branding with immediate effect,” Carphone Warehouse said in a statement.

    The statement added, “Nothing we saw last night gave us any comfort. Accordingly we have instructed Channel 4 to remove our sponsorship name and branding with immediate effect.”

    Carphone Warehouse has sponsored the show since 2004. The deal with Channel 4 and programme makers Endemol is understood to be in the region of £3million, Britain’s Sun tabloid reported.

    What would come as no surprise to most media watchers is that the controversy has also fuelled the ratings for the show. Tuesday’s telecast of the show was watched by over 4.5 million viewers almost 1 million more than the previous day. Interest in the show has skyrocketed both within UK’s Asian and white communities.

    UK’s broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has received a record 27,000 complaints, while Channel 4 has received 3,000 about alleged racism by the house mates towards Shetty. The show has also become a hot topic amongst bloggers making sure the interest in the show is kept alive.

    Ratings and voting revenues are likely to soar further after Goody and Shetty are now pitted against one another and depending on the most nominations received, one will be evicted from the house.

    Meanwhile Channel 4 released a statement insisting that there had been no overt racism, and claiming that the clashes were based on class and cultural differences.

    Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards has made it clear that he would not conduct a “kangaroo court” over the row. Richards was responding to questions over what action his organisation would be taking following accusations of racism in the show after his keynote speech at the Oxford Media Convention.

    One of the more ridiculous ofshoots of the controversy that everyone and their big brother is trying to cash in on came from online community Gottabet.com which is offering £10,000 to anyone “who can get a custard pie in the face of any one of the trio of girls” – Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd and Jo O’Meara – who have been at the centre of allegations of bullying in the house.

    Celebrity Big Brother is now in its fifth season on UK’s Channel 4. Netherlands based Endemol is the series producer and had adapted the format to Indian television under the title Big Boss, currently running on Sony Television.

  • Star to unveil music video with ‘KBC’ host sporting the ‘Don look’

    Star to unveil music video with ‘KBC’ host sporting the ‘Don look’

    MUMBAI: All energies are being diverted towards introducing the third season of KBC with a ‘mighty bang’ and Star has shown no less vigour in promoting their prime property. The channel has unveiled teasers of a music video that will feature the ‘Don’ rapping to lyrics that read “Kar le Kar le Tu Aek Sawal.” As a prelude to the launch of the show, the three minute music video will premiere at 9 pm on 22 January.

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com Star India advertising, sales and distribution president Paritosh Joshi hopes that the new hip hop track will take on a life of it’s own and go on to become a regular addition to music channel, radio and night club play lists. “Morover, the track makes no mention of KBC.”

    With no obvious mention of KBC, the visuals however definitely amplify the big question mark “?”, apart from the title of the track and opening line bearing the theme “Kar le Kar le Tu Aek Sawal.”

    What’s interesting is that King Khan himself seemed to have devised this plan to promote the show. This may help facilitate a stir among the core ‘youth based’ audience, mainly women, that the show is attempting to reach out to this time.

    However, the promo looks like a take off from the actor’s latest avatar in Don, not excluding ‘the black shades, bling and sexy women.’ This is in stark contrast to the more sober persona that the actor displays on the other promos for KBC.

    The music video has been conceptualized, choreographed, directed and sung by Ganesh Hegde. The music has been done by Vishal and Shekhar and the lyrics by Shabbir, RD Telang, Kumar and Asif Baig.
     

  • Will Smith gets ‘Jiggy’ with Indian Idol’s top 6!

    Will Smith gets ‘Jiggy’ with Indian Idol’s top 6!

    MUMBAI: The mega Hollywood star and OSCAR WINNER WILL SMITH visited the TOP 6 Finalists of Indian Idol!!! The sets of Indian Idol was set ablaze with his presence! The smart ‘Jiggy’ walk accompanied by a typical rap singer’s hat and a brown suede blazer left the TOP 6 Finalists awestruck!!! For the first time ever is an International Icon like Will Smith be seen on an Indian Television show. The “Man” of the Men in Black fame was in equal awe with INDIA and it’s to be Idols!

     

    “I have fallen in love with Indian cinema! It is difficult for me to understand and pronounce the Hindi words but I love the music…and I enjoy humming Indian music!” said the energetic lively rap singer cum Hollywood star Will Smith. This was his FIRST visit to the sets of Indian Idol and his excitement in meeting up with Indian singers was hugely evident! He gave excellent vocal tips and performance advices to the finalists for their own improvisations. “Letting go off the fear and consciousness to perform in public is very essential for a performer, thus my remedy is to once in a while scream out loud in public or do something crazy!” advised the Smith.

     

    “Man! I am so happy to be a part of the show and am so looking forward to it. I don’t understand Hindi music, but I can feel the meaning in the voice of the singer. After all, the best part about music is that it sees no boundaries!” said Smith about Hindi music and Indian Idol. As a token of love and appreciation of visiting them and advising them the two Indian Idol female stars presented him with a “Maharaja’s Turban” which he wore and carried like a true Indian Maharaja!

     

    Now that’s what we call “will getting ‘Jiggy’ with India!” Catch all the live action and thrill on Indian Idol only on Sony Entertainment Television Mondays and Tuesday at 9 PM only!

  • Comedy Central celebrates comic icons with a new show

    Comedy Central celebrates comic icons with a new show

    MUMBAI: PUS media conglomerate Viacom’s comedy channel Comedy Central is kicking a documentary show Legends later this year in September.

    The channel says that Legends is a new type of documentary series that takes an inside look at the legends of comedy as told through the voices of comedy insiders and those who worked with them and knew them intimately.

    It is a modern tribute that focusses on each legend’s on-stage persona and off-stage personality, while examining how and why they ascended to the ranks of comic royalty and their influence on the modern-day comedy scene.

    It will have clips of memorable performances and interviews with peers and acolytes, each individual, hour-long episode of Legends will retain its own style and unique flavour, just like the legends themselves. The first comedian who will be profiled is the late comic icon Rodney Dangerfield.

    The other comic personalities that will be profiled include talk show host Jay Leno, actor Ben Stiller and Jerry Seinfeld.

  • Spiderman creator Stan Lee working on a reality show

    Spiderman creator Stan Lee working on a reality show

    MUMBAI: Comic creator legend Stan Lee, who created Spiderman and X-Men among other superheroes, will premiere a reality show from his company Pow! Entertainment on US broadcaster NBC’s Sci Fi Channel later this month.

    Who Wants To Be A Superhero? kicks off on 27 July 2006. This is a six-episode, one-hour weekly competition reality series that will challenge a lucky few to create their very own superhero and reward the winner with the best reality competition prize yet: immortality. Each contestant begins

    with an original idea for a superhero, a self-made costume, and their best superhero mojo. From thousands of hopefuls, Stan Lee chooses 11 finalists who must live together during the entire competition in a secret lair. There they will begin their transformations — and the competition begins for the opportunity to become real-life superheroes. Over the course of the series, they will test their mettle, try to overcome their limitations, and do what it takes to prove that they truly are super.

    The finalists will leave their former lives behind and live as their brainchild heroes 24/7. Stan Lee, who is taking a leaf from Donald Trump’s Apprentice, will be both judge and jury. As each week progresses, Pow!’s aspiring heroes will be challenged with competitions designed to test their true natures. The superhero contestants will be tested for courage, integrity, self-sacrifice, compassion, and resourcefulness — all traits that every true Stan Lee superhero must possess.

    In the end, only one aspiring superhero will have the inner strength and nobility to open the gates to comic-book immortality. The winner of this six-week competition will walk away with their character immortaliaed in a new comic book created by Stan Lee. The winning character will also appear in a Sci Fi Channel movie.

  • Hysteria in Bigg Boss house as John Abraham meets housemates

    MUMBAI: For the housemates its another day in the Bigg Boss house with tasks to do and household chores to complete. The tension has begun…who will be evicted this evening? There’s Rahul Roy, Deepak Tijori, Rupali Ganguly, Anupama Verma.

     

    As they are engaged in their daily routine imagine their surprise when John Abraham decides to take a halt at the Bigg Boss house, meet the housemates ,as his Kabul Express is ready to take off. Imagine the excitement seeing John in their midst. Not just the girls but even the guys just swooned over him.

     

    From kababs, made by the guys, to the girls trying to impress John with their belly dancing, Bigg Boss house was simply bustling with activity.

  • Nach Baliye 2 finale on 18 December

    MUMBAI: After 13 long weeks of perspiration, stress, anxiety, anticipation and a whole lot of naach-gaana, the much-awaited NACH BALIYE 2 Finale is here… the two final Jodis Jodi No.8 – Tina-Hussain, and Jodi No. 2 – Gouri-Yash, gear up for the ‘Elaan-E-Jung’, the ‘Nach Baliye 2 Champions’ title.

    The final competition this year will go live and India ki jantaa will vote to choose their most deserving winner of 2006. Live voting on Star One from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm for the final episode to be aired on Monday 18 December.
     

    The solo round will test their individual dancing skills against each other – Tina Vs Gouri and Hussain Vs Yash. A Jugalbandi will see the 2 couples perform against each other to fight for the Nach Baliye 2 title. The judges have applauded, appreciated and have given their verdict but the fate of these two couples is entirely in the hands of the Indian audience!

    This is not all, nostalgia is in the air too. The finale episode will have the eliminated eight celebrity couples come together to enthrall the audience one last time…and compete for the ‘Dumdaar’…’Majedaar’… and ‘Jodidaar’ category of special awards!

    ‘The special episode will be filled with surprise performances by the esteemed jury as well as the hosts – Sangeeta and Shabbir. Watch the gorgeous Malaika Arora Khan burn the dance floor on ‘Yeh Mera Dil’, while legendary dancer Saroj Khan takes centre stage with ‘Man Saat Saumndar all on the 18 December 2006!

    The fun does not end just here, there would be a special ‘Munna Bhai and Circuit’ act by none other than Shabbir and Rajiv Paul promise to make a ‘maamu’ of all the Jodis.

  • Hutch Kalakka Povathu Champions 2 – the double dose of laughter continues

    MUMBAI: Hutch Kalakka Povathu Champions – Part 2 launches on December 8, 2006 featuring the cr?me de la cr?me of the comedy kings ever.

    The comedy kings Venkatesh, Erode Srinivasan, Ramanthan, Vadivelu Ganesh and Andrews among others of Hutch Kalaka Povathu Yaaru 2 now join hands with the bandwagon of comedy kings from Hutch Kalakka Povathu Champions namely Muthuirulpandi, Robo Shankar, Arvind, Kadir Kamal and others for some belly-jiggling laughter. Over 26 weeks of non-stop laughter guaranteed.

    Muthuirulpandi of Madurai; who gained his entry into Kollywood because of the show will perform some of his best ever stand-up acts along with the inimitable duo Robo Shankar and Arvind who are set for the re-enactment of a popular TV show.

    On the other hand Venkatesh & Sasikumar gang up to mimic a kids show attended by celebrities and Andrews and Vadivelu Ganesh are busy discussing on how to stop a tsunami.

    To add to this goodie bag of laughter, Vijay proudly announces the return of the awesome trio from Hutch Kalaka Povathu Champions the enterprising glam doll Uma Riyaz Khan along with popular comedians Chinni Jeyanth and Madan Bob who catapulted the first series to fame.

    This trio along with the comedy kings of part 1 and part 2 are sure to leave the viewers laughing in splits. Double dose of laughter for double Dhamakaa. So tune in every Friday at 10pm – the one stop solution to drive all the weekday blues and welcome the weekend with a big smile.