ITV

Tag: Amar Tidke

  • 9X’s new Jalwa

    9X’s new Jalwa

    MUMBAI: Gone are the days when there were only two music channels, MTV and Channel V. These are highly competitive times with a host of music channels and each one having to come up with newer ways to keep itself ahead of the pack.

    And so, one of 9X Media’s musical offerings – 9X Jalwa – has decided to reinvent itself with a fresh new look coupled with refreshed content plus a punchy tagline that reads ‘Forever Young.’

    10 June onwards, audiences will be able to see the revamped 9X Jalwa, complete with a fresh playlist and new on-air packaging.

    In the words of 9X Media SVP and content head Amar Tidke, “We are at work with music.” ‘Forever Young’ targets people across all age groups who enjoy music that is both enduring and forever young. The tagline also reflects the channel’s music construct which is perpetual and never grows old.

    Tidke says they wanted to try and do something new in music. “Our endeavour is constantly to keep our viewers engaged, enhancing overall experience. ‘Forever Young’, the new tag line, is the channel attitude. It’s the promise of the channel which is reflective of the music the channel plays.”

    The creatives have been done by an in-house team along with the design partner, Stars and Stripes, and are a mix of bright pink and blue hues.

    9X Jalwa’s new look was screened at the recently concluded GoaFest 2014 and according to Tidke, the response from the advertising fraternity was amazing. A Jalwa-themed party was organised with all things Bollywood, right from photo ops on the red carpet to life size cut-outs of popular actors to Bollywood style dance performances to contests round Bollywood.

    Says 9X Jalwa programming head Imtiaz Bhagdadi, “At 9X Jalwa, we pride ourselves in presenting our viewers with the best of Bollywood music across all eras. The new look further fortifies the 9X Media promise of providing the best music viewing experience on television. Along with the new packaging, the channel will also introduce Forever Dance, an hourly band dedicated to Bollywood dance numbers.”

    Part of the revisited 9X Jalwa include special music blocks like Hits Forever , Melody Forever and Love Forever. Additionally, there is Jalwa Superstars over the weekend that will feature interviews and songs round a particular superstar.

    What made the channel change its look and feel? “At 9X Jalwa, there has been growth month-on-month. It shows that people are loving it and enjoying it. It is a surprise for them,” says Tidke.

    Apart from GoaFest, the channel is promoting its new self through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. On Facebook, the channel has garnered 101,000 likes. Special promos have been created only for the television screen.

  • Voila 9XM looks better

    Voila 9XM looks better

    MUMBAI: The logo change that 9XM underwent in March last year seems to have worked for the channel which saw yet another change recently. At 6am on 20 May, the “new look” 9XM went live, complete with a super large video area, enhanced audio quality, and brighter, bolder colours to boot.

    Ask him why and 9X Media executive vice president and business head Punit Pandey likens it to the experience of buying new clothes to look and feel better. “9XM has been on-air since late 2007. It has a serious set of strong, loyal viewers. It has continued to be one of the most favourite destinations for music consumption on television. We just wanted our viewers to continue getting a better viewing, consuming and sound experience. It’s our treat to our viewers who continuously watch 9XM,” he says.

    Indeed, the new avatar 9XM has been designed in-house and is all about providing that much-needed punch even as loyal fans lap up the latest music punctuated by the shenanigans of the channel’s animated heroes i.e. Bade-Chhote, Bheegi Billi, Badshah Bhai and The Betul Nuts.

    Speaking of the philosophy behind the new design, 9X Media SVP and content head Amar Tidke says, “We at 9X Media always believe in providing a complete music viewing experience to our viewers. Our on-air presentation and content curation techniques have always placed us several notches higher than the rest in the genre.”

    The thought took seed about six to eight weeks ago while it took the channel around four to five weeks to put it out there for public consumption. Surprisingly, there was no research involved. “It was very simple; we wanted viewers to experience a better 9XM,” says Pandey.

    While ideating on the new look, 9XM’s strategy was to, “Keep it simple, keep it seamless, keep it smart,” according to Tidke. “The new look of 9XM ensures that one quickly moves from one element to another in a truly seamless fashion with captivating vibrant colours and design elements. It’s a very fresh approach to the way the latest super-hot Bollywood songs are presented,” he adds.

    According to 9XM programming head Sunder Venketraman, “The youth with their short attention span are always on the look-out for new things. At 9XM, it has been our constant endeavour to provide best-in-class entertainment through innovative and appealing content and on-air presentation. With this new viewing experience, 9XM has yet again gone ahead and set a new benchmark for the rest to follow.”

     The teaser, “Get ready for a bigger canvas” set digital platforms abuzz. The new look has got a great response on digital platforms with nearly six million likes on Facebook and 143,000 followers on Twitter. Pandey exults, “They are just loving it and liking it. They are getting more to see and better sound to hear. We are delighted to get a positive response from the digital community. People have given us a thumbs-up.”

    The change is restricted to the look of the channel only while the characters have not really changed, except that they look more vibrant and are seen interacting with viewers.

     Has the channel expanded its music library? “9XM continues to be a current hit channel. Whatever hits in current time you will get to see on the channel. But there is nothing like expanding our music library. There is certain expectation a viewer has when they tune into 9XM,” says Pandey.

  • GSEAMS partners with 9X Jhakaas to launch ‘Lux Jhakaas Heroine’

    GSEAMS partners with 9X Jhakaas to launch ‘Lux Jhakaas Heroine’

    MUMBAI: GSEAMS (Global Sports Entertainment And Media Solutions Pvt Ltd) which in less than a year’s time after successfully establishing “GSEAMS-Media Solutions” , “GSEAMS –Production” & “GSEAMS – Talent Management”, has partnered with India’s First Marathi Music Channel 9X Jhakaas to produce a unique reality show titled “Lux Jhakaas Heroine” under the “GSEAMS – Production” Division.

     

    “Lux Jhakaas Heroine” is a talent hunt for the next leading face in the upcoming Marathi film “Mitwaa” starring renowned actors Swapnil Joshi and Sonalee Kulkarni. In a short span of time, the show received a stupendous response with over 3000 entries of talented contestants from various parts of Maharashtra such as Solapur, Kolhapur, Nasik, Jalgaon, Pune and Mumbai among others. 9X Jhakaas along with the producers of Mitwaa, Meenakshi Sagar Productions, have scanned through all the entries and have shortlisted the best candidates who will compete to star in Mitwaa. 

     

    Speaking on their latest foray into Non Fiction, Arjun Singgh Baran and Kartik Nishandar said “We are extremely happy to have forayed into regional Non Fiction with “Lux Jhakaas Heroine” primarily because it’s the first of its kind show in the Marathi Non Fiction space. The show is a hunt for the heroine of Mitwaa movie opposite to Marathi Superstar Swwapnil Joshi & the movie is produced by the makers of the biggest blockbuster of Marathi cinema so far “ Duniyadaari”.  We are very happy with the support that we have received from the entire Marathi Industry specially Swwapnil Joshi, Sonalee Kulkarni Jr, Sidharth Chandekar,  veteran actor Vijay Patkar, Duniyadaari Director Ravi Jadhav, veteran choreographer Umesh Jadhav, Phulwa Khamkar & many more who are part of the show either in the form of experts, Jury or special panel. Lastly we would like to thank the team at 9X Media spearheaded by Amar Tidke (Sr VP, Content Head 9X Media) & Rohan Rane (Associate Vice President – 9X Jhakaas) without whom this show wouldn’t have been possible and also we are very happy the way they have believed in our creative concepts and have got the best out of us.”

     

    Commenting on the association Amar Tidke, Sr. VP, Content Head 9X Media said “We are pleased to partner with GSEAMS and create an apt platform for aspiring actors to showcase their talent and get a Jhakaas entry into the Marathi Film Industry. The young and talented team at GSEAMS has the zeal and the hunger to work towards a better product. With Lux Jhakaas Heroine we are confident of getting newer viewers to Marathi television. This unique talent hunt show will introduce the next big Heroine in the Marathi Film Industry!”

     

    Further Adding to the same Rohan Rane (Associate Vice President – 9X Jhakaas) commented “ It was a pleasure to work with GSEAMS as a team since they helped us to put together this unique concept which we feel would create a revolution in the Marathi Non Fiction space. At 9X Jhakaas, we believe in innovation and new age distinctive content. We look forward to creating many such path breaking and compelling content with GSEAMS in the future.” 

     

    After having a successful stint with Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd. Arjun Singgh Baran & Kartik Nishandar started GSEAMS a year back. Since the inception of the company there has been no looking back for the media veterans wherein under the media solutions division the team has been involved in marketing more than 8 movies with banners such as Viacom, Eros, Fox & others, providing media solutions to clients like Reliance Infra & many more and creating television content be it their own IP such as the IMA Marathi Music Awards on Star Pravah or producing shows for other channels/ clients & lastly their one month old division “GSEAMS –  Talent Management” which manages Sports star, Youth  Icon & BIGG Boss Finalist Sangram Singh .

  • 9X Jhakaas to foray into reality space with ‘Heroine’

    9X Jhakaas to foray into reality space with ‘Heroine’

    MUMBAI: 9X Jhakaas, in collaboration with Video Palace, a leading production house that has created Marathi blockbusters like Duniyadari and Hee Porgi Konachi, is all set to premiere Lux Jhakaas Heroine, a grooming reality series that will mark the channel’s foray into the reality space.

     

    Lux Jhakaas Heroine, which has been in the making for the past two months, will see the winner getting an opportunity to play the lead in Mitwaa, an upcoming Marathi film starring Swapnil Joshi (Fu Bai Fu) and Sonalee Kulkarni (Natrang). The film is produced by Meenakshi Sagar Productions and Nanubhai Jaisinghani of Video Palace, and directed bySwapna Waghmare-Joshi (Damadamm).

     

    “We want to bring the youth back in the theatres! The Marathi entertainment industry has created a niche of its own, with a dedicated viewership and growing popularity. There is new talent coming in, and this is the new talent that the country needs,” says 9X Media Group EVP and content head Amar Tidke “We are a regional channel, and a regional channel will do what the region wants; widen the reach of our audience as much as we can. And since we are a music channel, music will play an extremely significant role in Lux Jhakaas Heroine. We will not deviate from music.”

     

    Registrations for Lux Jhakaas Heroine have begun and will be on till 26 March, 2014. Those interested can also register by auditioning on digital platforms. Of the entries received, 60 will be shortlisted and finally pared down to 30 contestants, who will undergo training and grooming before an eminent jury selects the Jhakaas Heroine from among them. Within ten days of announcing the winner, she will start shooting for Mitwaa.

     

    The channel is betting big on the upcoming show which is being promoted extensively across print, radio and digital platforms. Promos are being played in Big Cinemas and UFO screens across Maharashtra. 9X Jhakaas is also promoting the talent hunt across colleges, housing societies and CCD outlets in the state. A brand integration with Radio City is part of the marketing strategy.

     

    “If Heroine is as successful as we are confident it will be, we will consider venturing into similar formats in the near future,” concludes Tidke.

  • 9X Jhakaas presents Maha Ganapati Utsav

    9X Jhakaas presents Maha Ganapati Utsav

    MUMBAI: 9X Jhakaas, India’s first Marathi Music channel is all set to welcome Lord Ganesha with a line-up of unique programming titled Maha Ganapati Utsav. Starting 9th September 2013, 9X Jhakaas will celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi by airing various shows and events.  

     

    The Maha Ganpati Utsav special programming will feature Jhakaas Aarati – a special aarati performed by the most popular Marathi film stars for the ardent fans of Lord Ganesha. This aarati will feature on the channel starting 9th September at 7 am and at 7 pm everyday for all the 10 days of the festival.

     

    Speaking on the special programming line-up Rohan Rane, Associate Vice President – Programming, 9X Jhakaas said “The Ganesha Aarti from Lalbaugcha Raja and the Ashtavinayak darshan on 9X Jhakaas, last year, were highly appreciated by the viewers. Hence this year besides the Lalbaugcha Rajachi Aarati we are also presenting our viewers with Jhakaas Arati. This special aarati will have popular Marathi movie celebrities performing the Ganesha aarati on the channel daily all through the 10 days. The channel will also air the popular devotional songs of Lord Ganesha as part of Jhakaas Ganesha Stutee. We hope that all the Lord Ganesha followers have a Jhakaas Ganpati Utsav and keep showering 9X Jhakaas with all their love and appreciation.”

     

    The channel will also showcase Om Namoji Aaddya- a vignette based series with Marathi celebs sharing trivia on Lord Ganesha. The Maha Ganapati Utsav will conclude with the airing of the Jhakaas Maha Aarati – a special video compilation of all the popular Marathi celebrities performing the Ganesha Aarati on 17th and 18th September 2013 at 7 am and 7 pm.

     

    Speaking on these exclusive initiatives, Mr. Amar Tidke, Senior VP and Content Head, 9X Media Group said “9X Jhakaas is geared up for a grand Ganesha Utsav. The Channel will feature the most popular Marathi film stars like Ramesh Deo, Nitish Bharadwaj, Rohini Hattangade, Isha Kopikar and many more on Jhakaas Maha Aarati. The Om Namoji Aaddya will feature these celebrities sharing interesting trivia on Lord Ganesha and provide an opportunity to 25 lucky viewers to take home a specially crafted Lord Ganesha idol as part of the Jhakaas Maha Prasad. It is our constant endeavour to bring delight to our viewers in as many ways as possible and keep them entertained, making their lives truly Jhakaas!”

     

    The channel will promote Jhakaas Maha Ganesha Utsav on Radio and Print through brand integrations. 9X Jhakaas has also tied-up with prominent Ganesha Mandals in Mumbai to promote the channel and their special programming line-up.

     

    So, stay tuned to 9X Jhakaas and watch the best of songs on Lord Ganesha, aartis by Celebrities and much more, starting 9th September 2013.
    9X Jhakaas – Aai Shappath!

  • 9XM ties-up with Tantra to launch branded merchandise

    9XM ties-up with Tantra to launch branded merchandise

    MUMBAI: Bollywood Music Channel 9XM has entered into a strategic alliance with Tantra to launch a special range of t-shirts.

    The t-shirts will feature 9XM‘s animated characters – Bade and Chote of Bakwaas Band Kar fame. They will have messages and themes which reflect the personality of the characters.

    9XM head – programming Amar Tidke said, “The Bakwaas Bandh Kar Tees designed by Tantra with their funny and cool one-liners reflect the ‘no-nonsense‘ attitude of today‘s youth. Bade-Chote‘s famous wacky humor will definitely make these Tees fun to wear!”

    Tantra has designed six different variants of this theme featuring Bade Chote.

    Tantra owner Ranjiv Ramchandani added, “This is an interesting partnership, and pretty unusual too. It is a link between the humor and nuttiness of the channel‘s most recognised faces and the creativity of a T-shirt partner.”

    9XM-tees are available in unisex range in different colours at select Tantra outlets across India from Rs 499/- onwards.