ITV

Tag: Anup Vishwanathan

  • Sony makes a comedy comeback with Kapil Sharma

    Sony makes a comedy comeback with Kapil Sharma

    MUMBAI: A flurry of reports gave birth to waves of mystery, and sailing through rough seas was Kapil Sharma and his comedy enterprise. The water has now calmed as Sony Pictures Networks today (1 March 2016) announced the revival of comedy on its premier General Entertainment Channel (GEC) Sony. And the mantle for Sony’s return to comedy has been donned by Kapil Sharma and his crew. Jointly produced by Kapil’s own production house K9 Productions and Frames, the show will hit the small screen every Saturday and Sunday from 23 April at 9 pm. 

    “Comedy plays a vital role when it comes to viewership and is a very important part of Sony. Yes we took a break and now we are back and there is no better way to come back than with Kapil,” said SPN India CEO NP Singh.

    The show has been given a new sobriquet.  It is now The Kapil Sharma Show. SPN along with the televised show will also foray into a lot of on-ground initiatives. The first episode of the show will be the televised version of an on ground show in Delhi. Besides Delhi, SPN with Kapil and team will travel to Lucknow, Amritsar and Bhopal. 

    “Our major focus will be the Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM) and the four city tour is very much a part of a marketing plan. With Kapil, the buzz is already built, you don’t need to put in hefty investments. It’s just being at the right place at the right time. The eagerness for the show is already there and we will unveil our various campaigns in time” informed SPN SVP marketing Anup Vishwanathan.

    The Kapil Sharma Show show will go on air at a time when SPN’s biggest asset IPL will be at its peak and the channel is all set to utilize the huge reach of the million dollar league in order to promote it. “IPL is a great success and is very popular. But we believe The Kapil Sharma Show will have a totally different set of audience and both will have high viewership. IPL and The Kapil Sharma Show can both run successfully at the same time. Rather IPL is a big advantage for us, we will use it to promote and generate more awareness,” revealed Sony EVP and business head Danish Khan

    “There were sensibilities which did not match between us and Colors, therefore we could not reach a consensus and hence we parted. We will continue to do what we do the best, and that is to entertain people. The only difference is the network. I have had a great association with Sony and we are looking ahead for even better things,” said Sharma.

    SPN has already raked in a ‘presented by’ sponsor in Lava mobiles and is in the final set of discussion for powered by and associate sponsors category, “We are receiving a very positive response when it comes to advertisers and soon we will have more names to share,” informed Khan.

    The network is looking forward to a long term association with the comedian. “This is a long term investment and we are looking at the future. We want to take comedy to a new level, and we will do it together with Kapil and his team” Khan further added.  

    But how is it different? What is it that differentiates the new one from the one that he was doing for Colors? “Creating differentiation for the sake of creating it is not good” replied CEO NP Singh. He further added, “The team of writers and the team of actors they have will create a differentiation naturally everyday. The viewers will need to constantly re-invent themselves and that’s the magic the team can create.”

    The show will also be up on the digital platform Sony Liv through a yet to be determined business model. “We still have time to decide if we will put the show as AVOD or SVOD. But it will be available for the viewers on the digital platform,” asserted Singh.

    Due to copyright issues despite having the same crew Kapil will have to revamp the characterization all over again. Now it remains to be seen how Sony’s foray into comedy unfolds in days to come.

  • Sony makes a comedy comeback with Kapil Sharma

    Sony makes a comedy comeback with Kapil Sharma

    MUMBAI: A flurry of reports gave birth to waves of mystery, and sailing through rough seas was Kapil Sharma and his comedy enterprise. The water has now calmed as Sony Pictures Networks today (1 March 2016) announced the revival of comedy on its premier General Entertainment Channel (GEC) Sony. And the mantle for Sony’s return to comedy has been donned by Kapil Sharma and his crew. Jointly produced by Kapil’s own production house K9 Productions and Frames, the show will hit the small screen every Saturday and Sunday from 23 April at 9 pm. 

    “Comedy plays a vital role when it comes to viewership and is a very important part of Sony. Yes we took a break and now we are back and there is no better way to come back than with Kapil,” said SPN India CEO NP Singh.

    The show has been given a new sobriquet.  It is now The Kapil Sharma Show. SPN along with the televised show will also foray into a lot of on-ground initiatives. The first episode of the show will be the televised version of an on ground show in Delhi. Besides Delhi, SPN with Kapil and team will travel to Lucknow, Amritsar and Bhopal. 

    “Our major focus will be the Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM) and the four city tour is very much a part of a marketing plan. With Kapil, the buzz is already built, you don’t need to put in hefty investments. It’s just being at the right place at the right time. The eagerness for the show is already there and we will unveil our various campaigns in time” informed SPN SVP marketing Anup Vishwanathan.

    The Kapil Sharma Show show will go on air at a time when SPN’s biggest asset IPL will be at its peak and the channel is all set to utilize the huge reach of the million dollar league in order to promote it. “IPL is a great success and is very popular. But we believe The Kapil Sharma Show will have a totally different set of audience and both will have high viewership. IPL and The Kapil Sharma Show can both run successfully at the same time. Rather IPL is a big advantage for us, we will use it to promote and generate more awareness,” revealed Sony EVP and business head Danish Khan

    “There were sensibilities which did not match between us and Colors, therefore we could not reach a consensus and hence we parted. We will continue to do what we do the best, and that is to entertain people. The only difference is the network. I have had a great association with Sony and we are looking ahead for even better things,” said Sharma.

    SPN has already raked in a ‘presented by’ sponsor in Lava mobiles and is in the final set of discussion for powered by and associate sponsors category, “We are receiving a very positive response when it comes to advertisers and soon we will have more names to share,” informed Khan.

    The network is looking forward to a long term association with the comedian. “This is a long term investment and we are looking at the future. We want to take comedy to a new level, and we will do it together with Kapil and his team” Khan further added.  

    But how is it different? What is it that differentiates the new one from the one that he was doing for Colors? “Creating differentiation for the sake of creating it is not good” replied CEO NP Singh. He further added, “The team of writers and the team of actors they have will create a differentiation naturally everyday. The viewers will need to constantly re-invent themselves and that’s the magic the team can create.”

    The show will also be up on the digital platform Sony Liv through a yet to be determined business model. “We still have time to decide if we will put the show as AVOD or SVOD. But it will be available for the viewers on the digital platform,” asserted Singh.

    Due to copyright issues despite having the same crew Kapil will have to revamp the characterization all over again. Now it remains to be seen how Sony’s foray into comedy unfolds in days to come.

  • Ashish Golwalkar to join Sony as Head of Non Fiction

    Ashish Golwalkar to join Sony as Head of Non Fiction

    MUMBAI: Ashish Golwalkar who recently resigned from the post of Senior VP – Programming Star Plus is set to join rival broadcaster Sony as head of non-fiction.

     

    A source close to the development said, “It was one of the last holes that needed to be filled and Ashish is the best fit. He is likely to join from December 1.”

     

    Before Star he was associated with Zee Entertainment Enterprise Limited for over 11 and half years. The last post that he had in Zee was as Head of Non-fiction Programming.

     

    The company had earlier appointed Danish Khan as EVP & business head for Sony Entertainment Television.

     

    Additionally, as a part of Khan’s core team, the company roped in Anup Vishwanathan as SVP and head marketing, Anshuman Sinha has come on board as SVP and senior creative director, whereas Ritesh Modi as VP and creative director. The trio alongside Khan will be working with a battery of seasoned professionals at MSM. 

  • ‘Chef’ to premiere on Romedy Now

    ‘Chef’ to premiere on Romedy Now

    MUMBAI: One of the popular films of 2014, the multi-starrer feel-good comedy-drama Chef, will premiere on Romedy Now on 26 July.

     

    To involve and engage English movie loving audiences to the fullest, Romedy Now is organizing a multi-city contest, Romedy Trail, across Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, where teams consisting of three members each will set off for the most famous and iconic restaurants in their respective cities. 

     

    Participants can choose their own route for the trail. The winners stand a chance to win exciting prizes including an iPad. The Romedy Trail conversation can be followed on Twitter @Romedynow on 18 July.

     

    The channel will also be hosting Chef-viewing parties at the contest-hosting restaurants across the three metros where viewers can enjoy a special meal inspired from the movie while watching the film.

     

    Romedy Now also hosted a contest on Chef’s Week, where participants had to replace movie names with gourmet food (for e.g. Sarah Marshmallow). Three winners across Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore won a meal for two at a 5-star restaurant.

     

    Times Network English Entertainment Cluster VP marketing Anup Vishwanathan said, “For Chef, which is a great family-fun film set around the love for food, we have created a very special Romedy Trail contest that takes Chef and Romedy Now’s awareness into iconic food hotspots in three cities. Romedy Now is promoting the premiere across multiple platforms to ensure greater amplification.”

     

    Romedy Now has also partnered with The Lalit Food truck in Delhi & Bangalore, Eggjactly in Gurgaon & Cafe Coffee Day outlets across Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore for ‘Chef inspired meals’.

  • Times Network backs ‘The Wolf Of Wall Street’ premiere with heavy promotions

    Times Network backs ‘The Wolf Of Wall Street’ premiere with heavy promotions

    MUMBAI: Martin Scorsese directed Hollywood blockbuster The Wolf of Wall Street starring Leonardo DiCaprio is set to make its debut on Indian television screens on 26 April, 2015.

     

    Times Network’s Movies Now and Movies Now+ will showcase the movie at 1 pm with a repeat at 9 pm.

     

    Times Network is backing the television premiere with a vigorous marketing campaign, which has been orchestrated by Famous Innovations.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Movies Now marketing head Anup Vishwanathan says, “The movie depicts life beyond limitation; the entire flare of the movie is the want of having more and not satisfied. With the campaign, we tried to connect to those people who want to live larger than life. As it is an English movie, the major geographic target was the English speaking audience in metros and Tier 1 cities.”

     

    English entertainment has always garnered huge engagement on the social media platforms. When queried as to whether special attention was paid to promote the movie premiere on social media, Vishwanathan informs, “It was a 360 degree campaign and we paid equal attention to each and every platform and tried to extract the best of them. When it comes to social media, we tried to make it as interactive as possible with various contests and engagement exercises.”

     

    Times Network has also seen a positive response from advertisers for The Wolf of Wall Street premiere. “Advertisers’ reaction so far has been highly positive. We have sold our inventory at a premium price because when you have content like this, advertisers don’t mind buying slots at a higher rate. When it comes to Hollywood movies, we are the leader and by premiering a movie of such magnitude we will go one step further,” adds Vishwanathan.

     

    Movies Now has roped in Provogue Deos as presenting sponsor, while Binani and Skoda are the associate partners. Frooti and Microsoft Lumia 640 XL are the beverage and mobile partner respectively, while Arrow joined in as co-presenter for the movie premiere. 

     

    Times Network business head, English entertainment cluster Vivek Srivastava is of the opinion that The Wolf of Wall Street is one of those special new-age classics that carry on the lineage of cult movies. “It shocked audiences worldwide with its intensity and we are all set to re-create that magic on the television screen,” he adds.

     

    The Wolf of Wall Street is based on the life of Jordan Belfort – a young stockbroker who makes a fortune with his intellect, guile and street-smartness. Belfort, played by DiCaprio, takes the shortcut up the corporate ladder and lives his life like a dream – a dream of flamboyance, oomph and lots of money, which actually becomes his sweet reality. The movie is one of the raciest gripping tales of today, with the suspense of the FBI chasing Belfort to take down his empire of excess.

  • Cuddle up with Romedy Now this December

    Cuddle up with Romedy Now this December

    MUMBAI: This Christmas season, Romedy Now brings viewers stockings full of surprises with the adorable Love Santa, who as temperatures drop across the country, invites people to cuddle up with Romedy Now – the exclusive Indian destination for Love and Laughter on television.

     

    Through various promotions across on air and digital, Love Santa will be seen inviting viewers to stay warm and toasty this winter with their favorite destination for Love and Laugher in India. The campaign includes on air promos, graphics and activities on social media where viewers will be invited to share the best way to feel warmth this winter by using the hashtag #LoveSantaSays. In addition, as a special winter treat, Love Santa will also be sharing tips on the channel’s social media pages on how to stay cozy this season and spread the love through Love Santa Photobombs and adorable quotes.

     

    Speaking on the December activities, Anup Vishwanathan, Head Marketing – English Entertainment Cluster, TTN said “Winter is the season of huddle and cuddle and Romedy NOW with its fine choice of movies is a great destination for viewers to cuddle up this December.”

     

    Gather your loved ones close this season and enjoy incredible must-watch movies like Mamma Mia, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Garfield, Rumor Has It, All About Steve, The Lake House and The Holiday premiering for the first time on the channel in Romedy at First Sight. Catch the sweetest family movies every weeknight at 9pm with Romedy at 9.  

     

    And the Christmas cheer doesn’t end there. Start the holidays on a high note and cuddle up with Romedy NOW as they showcase two heart-warming loves stories in the Romedy of the Month – The Holiday. Catch Kate Winslet, Jack Black, Cameron Diaz and Jude Law in an endearing Christmas movie about finding oneself when you move away on Saturday 27th December at 9pm.

     

    There’s no better way to celebrate this festive season than at home with your loved ones. Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with Romedy Bells – a splendid Christmas Day line-up featuring some of the best family movies like The Family Stone, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, What Happens in Vegas, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and many more.

     

    Make merry with the best of the old and welcoming the new with characteristic movies like New Year’s Eve, Mamma Mia!, Before Sunrise, Nights In Rodanthe, The Romantics and much more in a special New Year’s marathon – Joysome New Year – from 31 December 2014 at 9PM until 9PM on 1 January 2015.

     

    Don’t miss the shimmering Christmas celebrations, a sparkling New Year and a whole lot more only on Romedy NOW. From a heartwarming Christmas special to wonderful must-watch premieres, Romedy fans have every reason to smile this December.

     

    Let Love Santa set the mood for romance all through December with the happiest series & movies

     

  • Anup Vishwanathan joins TTN as marketing head English Entertainment cluster

    Anup Vishwanathan joins TTN as marketing head English Entertainment cluster

    MUMBAI:  As the Times Television Network (TTN) strengthens its senior management team, it has announced the appointment of Anup Vishwanathan as the marketing head of the English Entertainment cluster which includes channels such as Movies Now and Romedy Now.

     

    Speaking on his new role Vishwanathan said he was really happy to be an integral part of the TTN team. “I have had some wonderful clients and colleagues who have enriched me with knowledge and experience with every interaction I have had with them. That’s going to stand in good stead for me. And finally, I have managed to sync my work and my passion- which has always been movies,” he added.

     

    He will join TTN from 24 November 2014. Based in Mumbai, he will work closely with the business and leadership teams at TTN and will report directly to TTN senior vice-president and head of English Entertainment cluster Vivek Srivastava.

     

    Srivastava commented, “Anup’s expertise in working with a cross section of brands, along with his deep understanding of media businesses will add great value to our business. I would like to welcome him on-board and I look forward to having a wonderful working experience.”

     

    Vishwanathan moves to TTN after a stint at Leo Burnett which started in 2006. He has worked on brands like HDFC Life, Tata Capital, McDonalds, Sony Entertainment Television, Sony Pix, AXN. At Sony Entertainment Television, he has worked on the reality show Kaun Banega Crorepati. He is also the winner recipient of Leo Burnett Global Star Reacher award.