GECs

Boogie Woogie is back with a bang

Published

12 years ago

December 2, 2013

MUMBAI: One of the oldest and longest running dance reality shows – Boogie Woogie – is returning to television screens after a hiatus of nearly four years.

The show promises to be bigger and better in its new avatar – Boogie Woogie Kids Champion – even as it retains popular elements like the judges’ trio of Javed Jaffery, Naved Jaffery and Ravi Behl. Scheduled to premiere on Sony Entertainment Television on 7 December, the show will take the slot vacated by Kaun Banega Crorepati, airing every Saturday and Sunday at 8.30pm.

Produced by R&N TV Productions owned by Ravi and Naved, the show will see 16 talented kids between 7 and 13 years of age compete for the title of ‘Boogie Woogie Kids Champion’. This time round, nearly double the amount of money has been spent on producing the show; informs Naved. The show travelled to 10 cities and auditioned around 1 lakh children, of which 1000 kids were short-listed in the beginning. “100 were finalised, out of which 16 have been selected for the show,” says Naved.

A lot has been done in terms of packaging to add freshness and newness to the show. For instance, the show will now have two hosts in actor Sargun Mehta and 12-year-old Rakshit Wahi who will keep the audience entertained. Speaking on the sidelines of the show’s launch on Monday, Sony Entertainment Television (SET) VP & Head – Non-fiction Programming, Aloka Guha, said: “While earlier, we didn’t have hosts, this time, we have got Sargun and Rakshit on board to add more fervour.”

Since the show is not trying to compete with any other dance reality show on television, the theme is very family-oriented. “We are competing with ourselves. We were ruling for 17 years and have become a culture in a way,” says Naved, adding that the huge leap in technology in the last three to four years is helping them come up with a better product. “However, only technology can’t really help a show; one has to come up with strong engaging content as well,” he points out.


While earlier, we didn’t have hosts, this time, we have got Sargun and Rakshit on board to add more fervour, says Aloka Guha

The show is a mix of old and new elements and unlike other dance reality shows, the makers haven’t introduced any audience voting system. “We didn’t feel the need for a voting system. We want the audience to watch the show for its content and nothing else,” says Naved.

Programming-wise, Sony Entertainment Television is working in tandem with R&N TV Productions and Aloka is of the view that since the channel has hosted some of the best reality shows like Indian Idol and Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, it has a team of the top order, which can really help produce an excellent show. Interestingly, SET wanted to start a dance show for quite some time and what better than to revive a brand like Boogie Woogie, which enjoys a long and successful association with the channel.

About the phantom high-speed camera used for shooting the show, Aloka says: “The camera can record up to 5,000 frames per second and that has given an edge to the show. The show has scaled up in a lot of other ways as well. While we have a very large set-up, we are also following the pyramid shape structure for the first time. Boogie Woogie has never been a reality show where you follow a contestant. It has had special episodes like super moms, weekly etc. However, now, through the 15 weeks, we are going to follow the journey of the contestants and that is a big development.”

The team is trying to get on board the show celebs with a knack for dancing. So, the first episode will have Prabhu Dheva and Shahid Kapoor while latter episodes will see Madhuri Dixit and Arshad Warsi among others.

Coming to promotions, SET has so far released four videos that are parodies of popular songs including ILU ILU, Lungi Dance, Na Na Na Re and Chaar Baj Gaye.

16 finalists with the judges

Aloka says the idea was to make the promotions fun just like the theme of the show. “We were brainstorming for the promotional videos when somebody generally hummed Ye Boogie Woogie kya hai, ye Boogie Woogie..And bang on, we got the idea of what we have to do,” she says.

Informs SET head of marketing and senior VP Gaurav Seth: “The promotional videos are being promoted on all the Multi Screen Media channels including SAB, SET, PIX, MIX, SIX and MAX.” He hopes the show will help take SET’s ratings up. “Since the weekend slot has worked really well for us, we are hoping for a lot of traction for this as well. Plus, since the concept has worked really well for us in the past, we are planning a lot of on-ground activities to promote the show. We may even come up with a mobile app to reach out to the tech-savvy generation,” he adds.

Currently, Horlicks has come on board as the ‘powered by’ sponsor whereas other deals are in the process of being finalised. “We would clearly know the final sponsors by the week end,” says Seth.

SET plans to go in to a digital overdrive as well for the show. However, they want to keep their strategies a ‘secret’ at the moment. “We have to go with the time and we will go all out to make the show a phenomenon. However, we will decide the promotional strategies as we progress,” Javed signs off.

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GECs

Aparna Ramachandran joins Zee as EVP and head of network digital

Published

1 week ago

January 29, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited has appointed Aparna Ramachandran as EVP and head of network digital, signalling a sharper focus on strengthening its digital and streaming ecosystem.

Ramachandran joins Zee from Balaji Telefilms, where she served as head of digital originals, leading content strategy and production for the company’s digital platforms. She announced the move on LinkedIn, marking a new chapter in her career spanning more than 15 years across media, entertainment and technology.

Her professional journey includes senior roles at Viacom18 Media, Viu, FremantleMedia, Miditech, BigSynergy, BBC Worldwide, CNBC-TV18 and Bloomberg UTV. She began her career in 2005 as a software engineer at Infosys before transitioning into media and digital content leadership.

With experience across streaming media, broadcast television, content development, digital strategy, project management and video production, Ramachandran is expected to play a key role in shaping Zee’s network-wide digital growth and content innovation.

GECs

Zee TV launches on Samsung TV Plus with live German subtitles

Published

1 week ago

January 27, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

London: Zee Entertainment has launched its flagship Zee TV as a live FAST channel on Samsung TV Plus across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, marking a first for South Asian television in Europe with round-the-clock live German subtitles.

The move takes Zee TV beyond its core diaspora audience and into the German-speaking mainstream, offering dramas, reality shows and family entertainment without subscriptions or language barriers. For FAST platforms, it sets a new benchmark in accessibility and scale.

Amit Goenka, president, international and digital businesses at Zee Entertainment, said the launch marked a turning point in the company’s global strategy.

“Zee TV Germany is a flagship launch and a defining moment in our journey to make entertainment truly borderless. By going live on Samsung TV Plus with 24/7 German subtitles, we are breaking language barriers and setting a new international benchmark for FAST streaming,” he said, adding that the partnership reflects Zee’s ambition to lead the FAST revolution through innovation and technology.

The rollout builds on the strong regional presence of Zee One and Zee5, both of which have cultivated loyal audiences across the DACH markets. The live FAST model now closes long-standing access gaps, particularly for younger diaspora viewers and first-time German-speaking audiences.

Samsung TV Plus said the partnership deepens its content portfolio in the region. Benedict Frey, country lead DACH and Benelux at Samsung TV Plus, said the addition strengthens its South Asian offering while widening appeal.
“Launching flagship Zee TV on Samsung TV Plus brings even more premium South Asian entertainment to our customers. Making this content available with live German subtitles is a meaningful step in serving diverse audiences and enriching the viewing experience,” he said.

Samsung TV Plus is Samsung’s free ad-supported streaming service, offering hundreds of live channels and on-demand titles across Samsung TVs, Galaxy devices and smart monitors.

Zee already commands a strong digital following across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with social platforms engaging hundreds of thousands of viewers. The live FAST launch is expected to amplify reach and drive appointment viewing at scale.

Zee TV is now available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus in Germany on channel 4210. With this launch, Zee TV Germany becomes the group’s ninth channel in Europe.

The signal is clear: FAST has gone mainstream—and Zee has arrived early, translated and ready to scale.

GECs

Sri Adhikari Brothers officially rebrands itself as Aqylon Nexus

Published

1 week ago

January 27, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network has formally adopted a new corporate identity, rechristening itself Aqylon Nexus Limited after receiving clearance from the ministry of corporate affairs.

The company has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that the MCA has approved the change of name, with effect from January 23, 2026. The update was disclosed in compliance with Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015.

Confirming the approval, the company said the ministry had cleared the transition from Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Limited to Aqylon Nexus Limited following the necessary regulatory process.

Aqylon Nexus said it has begun the formal exercise of replacing the old name across statutory filings and regulatory records. The broadcaster added that it is coordinating with relevant authorities and departments to complete the transition.

Under Section 12 of the Companies Act, 2013, the MCA has directed the company to continue displaying its former name alongside the new one for a period of two years.

Founded in 1994 and based in Mumbai, the company has been a long-standing presence in India’s television and content ecosystem. The rebrand reflects a repositioning effort as the media and entertainment sector undergoes rapid consolidation and structural change.

The legacy name remains on paper—for now. The business, however, is clearly turning the page.