GECs

‘DID 4’ invites you to ‘Dance It Out’

Published

12 years ago

October 17, 2013

MUMBAI: In the last three seasons, it has tapped the audience’s heart with jaw dropping performances by the contestants. From introducing the Indian audience to dance forms like locking and popping, hip hop moves to “slo-mo” style, to making dance popular among all age-groups, dance reality show Dance India Dance has done it all. Now, the show is back with its season 4 with a bang. Come 26 October, it will celebrate the passion of dancing every Saturday-Sunday at 9:00 pm only on Zee TV.

While Maruti continues to be its title sponsor, the channel has also signed a deal with WeChat and eight other associate sponsors have been roped in.

The new slogan, “Dance It Out” is refreshing and sends out a strong message to its viewers that nothing is impossible to learn, dancing definitely not!

Talking at the launch, Zeel content head Ajay Bhalwankar says: “DID brings in raw talent from every nook and corner of the country. You don’t need to be a star, your talent and passion for dance will say it all.”

Produced by Essel Vision, the show will follow the format similar to the original season where 18 contestants are divided into three teams led by three masters. The masters will groom and mentor their respective teams in every episode to face the “Dance ka Tashan”.

The show will be hosted by Jay Bhanushali and actor Mithun Chakraborty will continue as the grandmaster.

You don’t need to be a star, your talent and passion for dance will say it all, says Ajay Bhalwankar

However, what’s new this season is that besides the original three judges – Geeta Kapoor, Remo D’souza and Terence Lewis, who are an inseparable part of the DID family – the show has roped in three young choreographers in its panel of judges – Mudassar Khan, who has choreographed films like Bodyguard, Dabangg 2 and Ready; Shruti Merchant, comes from a family of choreographers and began her career as an assistant choreographer in films like Dhoom, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi among others; and Feroz Khan, started his career assisting Farah Khan and has made a name for himself with hit dance moves in songs like Maa da ladla.. and Johnny Gaddaar.

The judges think that this time it’s not just going to be a challenge for the contestants but even them, who will have to prove their worth.

alking about the change in format of the show, Zeel chief sales officer Ashish Sehgal says: “Change is the sign of growth. We are proud of our choices for the fresh panel of mentors this season. At Zee, we always believe in making celebrities out of deserving talent. New judges will bring new fans, making the show better and different.”

Essel Vision Productions, producer Nitin Keni agrees and says: “Each of them come with an impressive body of work in the field of dance. Moreover, it is their passion for dance that has landed them on our panel of judges.”

The channel is confident that the new trio will drive millions of dance enthusiasts across the country.

The dancing fever has already gripped the enthusiasts, as the auditions that are being conducted on a large scale in 16 major cities, have received an overwhelming response from the dance lovers. And it is not just going to be a television show this time. Zeel marketing head Akash Chawla says: “We are bringing the show parallel online. Just saying, Dance it Out won’t make sense till the time you actually bring it out in a complete manner.”

The entire marketing strategy behind this is that ‘Dance it Out’ should not just be a slogan but a movement, says Akash Chawla

Throughout the series, every week, the masters will give out a theme and the audience can make a video with that particular theme and submit it online. After being selected by the judges, the best videos will go on air. Adds Chawla: “The main objective is to give a platform to as many people possible in the most convenient manner. Everybody cannot qualify the auditions, but you have to do something for the people who are talented and are passionate about dancing.”

On its marketing side, to expand its foothold, the channel is also concentrating on on-ground activities. The channel is expanding its presence majorly in ten cities, giving them a particular theme which is relevant to that city at that particular time. It will encourage people to come out and dance. “The entire marketing strategy behind this is that ‘Dance it Out’ should not just be a slogan but a movement. Since it is no longer only a television show, we need to exemplify it in a manner that people connect with it.”

At Zee, we always believe in making celebrities out of deserving talent, says Ashish Sehgal

So has it attracted the advertisers? Sehgal confidently says: “DID has been the darling of all advertisers. They were very excited when we told them about our plans, as it would give them an opportunity to reach out to more people. With this new platform, advertisers have another way to reach the consumers. At the end of the day, advertisers are looking to reach out to the consumers’ doors.”

We are aware of the numerous shows on all the channels, will DID occupying the 9:00 pm slot, affect the ratings of other famous shows on other GECs? Answers Chawla: “It is not for the first time that we have battling with the biggest shows. GEC is all about different channels launching different shows. It’s a competitive world. People who don’t like competition should retire very soon.”
He further adds: “We love competition. We respect our competitors and if the show is good and if the communication is clear, viewers will find time to watch all the good shows. And they chose to watch the show which at that time they love the most.”

We are confident that the new trio will drive millions of dance enthusiasts across the country, says Nitin Keni

Since the channel is already following the ad cap rule, have the reality shows been affected? “In most of the reality shows, you always kind of adhere to ad cap, we have never over run inventory because they are high priced shows. Moreover, there are high stake sponsors involved, you cannot dilute inventory on these shows. So ad cap is not going to affect us in any manner as far as reality shows are concerned,” signs off Sehgal.

So, what are you waiting for! Pull up your socks and be ready for the spectacular dancing talent with a renewed vigor in the latest season.

Related Topics:Ajay Bhalwankar Dance ka Tashan Dhoom Essel Vision Jay Bhanushali Mithun Chakraborty Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi WeChat

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GECs

Sun TV posts steady revenue, profit dips amid rising costs

Published

1 week ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

CHENNAI: It appears there is still plenty of Sun to go around in the Indian broadcasting landscape, even if a few clouds have drifted across the financial horizon. Sun TV Network Limited, the Chennai-based behemoth that dominates airwaves across seven languages, has tuned into a steady frequency for the quarter ending 31 December 2025. While the numbers show a resilient revenue stream, the company’s latest broadcast reveals a few static-filled spots in its profit margins.

For the quarter in question, Sun TV’s total income climbed by approximately 3.31 per cent, reaching Rs 958.39 crores compared to Rs 927.66 crores in the same period last year. Revenue from operations also saw a healthy bump, rising 4.32 per cent to Rs 827.87 crores.

The real star of the show, however, was domestic subscription revenue, which surged by 8.86 per cent to Rs 472.99 crores. This growth highlights the enduring appetite for Sun’s diverse content, which spans everything from daily soaps in Tamil and Telugu to its burgeoning OTT platform, Sun NXT.

Despite the revenue growth, the picture quality of the profits was slightly blurred by rising costs. Eitda for the quarter stood at Rs 409.79 crores, a dip from the Rs 432.14 crores recorded in the corresponding 2024 quarter.

The profit after tax followed a similar downward trend, settling at Rs 316.44 crores against the previous year’s Rs 347.17 crores. Advertisers also seemed to have switched channels slightly, with advertisement revenues sliding to Rs 291.94 crores from Rs 332.17 crores.

Sun TV isn’t just playing on home turf; its sporting ambitions are becoming increasingly global. The network now owns three major cricket franchises: SunRisers Hyderabad in the IPL, SunRisers Eastern Cape in SA20, and SunRisers Leeds Limited in The Hundred (UK).

The foray into British cricket saw the company acquire a 100 per cent stake in Northern Superchargers Limited (now SunRisers Leeds) for approximately £100 million. While these franchises brought in Rs 14.61 crores this quarter, they also incurred corresponding costs of Rs 19.89 crores. Over the nine-month period, however, the cricket business is a major player, contributing Rs 487.64 crores in income.

The company’s bottom line took a minor hit from exceptional items, including a Rs 4.23 crore charge related to India’s new Labour Codes, which consolidated 29 existing labour laws. Additionally, the consolidated results reflect the amalgamation of Kal Radio Limited with Udaya FM, a move that became effective in May 2025 and required a restatement of previous figures.

To keep investors from reaching for the remote, the Board has declared an interim dividend of 50 per cent, that’s Rs 2.50 per equity share. This comes on top of earlier dividends of 100 per cent (Rs 5.00) and 75 per cent (Rs 3.75) declared in August and November 2025, respectively.

With a massive cash reserve and a dominant position in the South Indian market, Sun TV continues to shine, even if the current quarter required a bit of fine-tuning. For now, shareholders can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

GECs

SPNI hires Pradeep M with responsibility for standards and practices in the south

Published

2 weeks ago

February 3, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has hired Pradeep M to handle standards and practices for its southern market, bolstering its compliance bench as content rules tighten across platforms.

Pradeep, who has nearly 13 years in the entertainment media industry, takes on responsibility for content standards in a region that is both linguistically diverse and regulatorily sensitive. His brief spans television, OTT, sports and digital platforms.

He specialises in content review and compliance across shows, commercials, on-air promotions and international feeds, ensuring alignment with broadcast, OTT and advertising codes. He has also handled brand approvals and sponsorship integrations for heavily regulated categories—including online gaming, cryptocurrency, NFTs and lottery brands—offering guidance shaped by fast-evolving rules.

Before Sony, Pradeep worked at Jiostar as assistant manager for content regulation from November 2024 to January 2026. Earlier, he spent nearly seven years at Viacom18 Media, rising from senior executive to assistant manager in content regulation between 2018 and 2024. There he served as a key compliance touchpoint for the network.

His career began on the creative side. Between 2013 and 2018, he worked as executive producer on feature films and television shows, gaining hands-on exposure to production. He also had a stint as a non-fiction show director at Star TV Network in 2017. That mix of creative and regulatory experience gives him a dual lens—how content is made and how it must be managed.

As regulators, platforms and advertisers all tighten the screws, broadcasters are investing more in gatekeepers who can keep creativity within the lines. Sony’s latest hire shows where the industry is heading: in the streaming age, compliance is content’s quiet co-star.

GECs

Colors Gujarati rolls out two new shows from 2nd February

Published

2 weeks ago

February 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Colors Gujarati has unveiled two new prime-time shows as part of its push to strengthen culturally rooted storytelling for regional audiences. The channel will premiere the devotional saga Gangasati–Paanbai at 7.30 pm, followed by the romantic family drama Manmelo at 9.30 pm from February 2.

Inspired by Gujarat’s spiritual and literary heritage, Gangasati–Paanbai: Shyam Dhun No Navo Adhyay draws from the timeless bhajans and poetry of saint-poetesses Gangasati and Paanbai, weaving devotion and human values into a contemporary narrative aimed at younger viewers.

In contrast, Manmelo explores love and responsibility across social divides, tracing the lives of three middle-class sisters whose relationships with three affluent brothers reshape their futures. The show delves into ambition, emotional conflict and the realities of married life, offering a layered family drama.

A Colors Gujarati spokesperson said the new launches reflect the channel’s commitment to authentic Gujarati entertainment that blends cultural values with modern storytelling.