GECs

With live audience, Sab sets another landmark

Published

12 years ago

June 25, 2014

MUMBAI: In a country which loves melodrama, comedy had little space until Sab came along. The family channel from the Multi Screen Media (MSM) stable, which can be credited to the rise in the comedy genre with its popular shows Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Lapataganj and Chidya Ghar, is setting new level with Tu Mere Agal Bagal Hai.

The new sitcom isn’t like any other. What is different this time around is the people. The cast will act in front of a live audience which the channel says will be the USP of the show as it will add an element of spontaneity to the entire humorous offering.

A first from a general entertainment channel (GEC), its makers didn’t hesitate once before making it a reality. “This is how American sitcoms are shot, and we wanted to go the same way. No one in the GEC space has done this before, like always we wanted to start a trend,” says Frames Productions producer Ranjeet Thakur who is debuting in the genre with the show.

The star cast will perform in front of 100-150 live audience “without any prompting unlike other comedy shows where audiences are told when to laugh and clap,” adds Thakur who believes that the script is strong enough to get the desired reactions.

Sab’s latest offering Badi Dooooor Se Aaye Hai broke records, when it opened with 1.8 TVTs highest for any new show across channels. The channel believes that the same can be achieved with the yet-to-go on air show.

Sab senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor says, “Sab’s policy has always been differentiation through innovation.” The fictional comedy series will replace FIR, which will go bi-weekly and will be aired every Saturday-Sunday at 9pm for an hour. With this move, the channel plans to scale up its programming line-up for seven days.

The channel which showcases the positives in the society also propagates joint family issues and has delivered hits after hits. The newest entrant will revolve around the lives of the owners and the tenants living under the same roof of Bungalow no. 5.

The star cast includes actor Alok Nath who will have his first trysts with comedy TV series on the small screen. The rest comprises Rajesh Kumar, Shweta Gulati, Apara Mehta, Ami Trivedi, Samir Shah, Sugandha Mishra, Dhaval, Abhishek Awasthi, Monica Castelino and Sukesh. It will also see actress Supriya Pathak back on television after ‘Khichdi.’

The channel’s business head has been vocal about the late development of the genre in the country and limited pool of talent in the industry. However, he is thankful to theater which has produced many talented actors. “Be it Hindi or regional theatre, we are getting a lot of talented actors from there,” he says.

Agreeing with him, Thakur adds, “Casting sometimes does get difficult because you want people with a certain flare and not just comedians on the show. It was a bit of a hassle at the initial stage, but then eventually we managed to get the right people on board.”

It took six months for the makers’ from planning the show to its execution. As of now, 20 episodes have been canned with the set being located at SJ Studio, Andheri.

The show will be promoted through a 360 degree marketing campaign. The pan-India OOH campaign comprises hoardings across 50 HSM towns, bus shelters etc. The channel will also leverage multiplex audiences by branding at key touch points.

Apart from that, a three-week long campaign is being planned for news, youth and movies channels. A national print campaign with leading publications will be seen for over these weeks and more than 15+ regional publications will have daily inserts.

There are also plans for tying up with major radio stations. The recent popularity of Alok Nath in the social media will be used on mobile and digital platforms to promote the show. The channel also plans to undertake a multi-city tour with the stars.

Media planners believe that comedy as a genre is increasing and broadcasters are cashing heavily from the space. “Broadcasters are not shying to spend on the genre anymore as it has become a trend. Sab owns the genre, but hope the new show gets good numbers for the channel.”

Up Next

Channel 10’s survival strategy

Don't Miss

‘Blogging’ on brand’s mind

Click to comment

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.