Tag: Arjun Kapoor

Zee Classic refreshes in attempt to attract mass audiences

MUMBAI: The Punit Goenka-led Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) has got into a hyper-refresh mood, revamping its channels, one after the other. First, it announced the relaunch of Zindagi, and now it’s the turn of Zee Classic.

Known for showcasing movies from the sixties, seventies and eighties and nineties era, the channel is being revamped on 3 October with a new positioning and programming line-up. The reason: it has ambitious plans to expand its target audience, and thus its viewership.

The management says it has come up with a disruptive programming idea: catalogue movies from each era into a separate time band. The channel claims that the Zee Classic is the first Indian Hindi movie channel to initiate this, and has roped in the Bollywood heartthrob Arjun Kapoor to be the channel’s ambassador.

“At Zee, we have the largest library of movies, and now Zee Classic is adopting a strategic time-band approach instead of the the routine FPC approach,” say Zee Hindi movie cluster business head Ruchir Tiwari. “This strategy is a result of meticulous planning, acquisition and programming for an entire year which will ensure that Zee Classic caters to all kinds of viewers.”

The library that Tiwari is referring to is 500-plus strong and includes movies over four decades – possibly catering to three generations – and hence, the channel’s proposition “Woh Zamaana, Kare Deewana”, and the revamp campaign theme “Aaj Ka Classic.”

The time bands that have been introduced include:

The ‘Best of 80s and 90s’ that will showcase hits from decades that saw the emergence of more than 10 superstars ranging from Jackie Shroff, Sunny Deol, Mithun Chakraborty, Anil Kapoor to the three Khans, Govinda and Akshay Kumar.

‘The ’70s Mix’ will showcase blockbusters from the 1970s, an era that reflected the nuances of the society, but turned out to be preeminently a decade of the ‘angry young man’, action movies and melodious music.

‘Shaandar Sixties’ will present movies of the 1960s, a decade that saw the rise of the popular romantic genre. The golden era of ‘Black and White’ that set the foundation of the Hindi film industry will include masterpieces that will transport spectators back in time.

Highlighting this shift, will be exclusively curated movie festivals like Jhakaas Kapoor Festival, Har Din Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan B’day Special, among many others and specials like ‘Timeless Asha.’

Earlier, Zee Classic was targeted at mature adults – which served as a niche – but it attracted younger audiences too. The channel has now dissected its viewers into the connoisseurs of golden cinema, the middle-aged adults, the new-age classic as well as contemporary young adults. “From the channel’s perspective, the core, however, will be the 25- 45 years age group,” says Tiwari. “UP is the biggest market, and for us the northern belt is a priority.”

From 2004 to 2010, Zee Classic recorded a two per cent viewership share in the Hindi movie genre. This, according to Tiwari, has risen to six per cent over the past year. The idea is to now take that up to 10 per cent. “We see the channel catering to mass audiences in its specific space. It has the potential to compete with the top rated channels in the genre. It’s a strategic call that we took,” explains Tiwari. “We have to buy the films accordingly, and also plan (in that manner).”

Zee Unimedia chief operating officer Ashish Sehgal reveals, “Zee Classic contributes a massive 15 per cent revenue share in the Zee Hindi movies cluster among the SD channels – Zee Cinema, &pictures, Zee Classic, Zee Action and Zee Anmol Cinema. In the last three to four years, Zee Classic’s revenue has grown more than four times, and as it’s evolving; currently it commands a premium rate even at its existing ratings.”

The introduction of time bands is also expected to appeal to FMCG and other advertisers automobiles, mobile handsets, telecom and take revenues up further. “The Zee Classic viewer is comparatively more involved than on any other Hindi movie channel. For the brand campaign ‘Aaj Ka Classic,’ we have locked in three channel partners including SC Johnson, Hindustan Unilever and Dabur across all the time bands,” says Sehgal.

The look and property of the Zee Classic logo has been designed by Zee TV’s in-house team, while the entire Aaj Ka Classic marketing and promotional campaign has been executed by FCB Ulka. Print, TV, digital and outdoor media are to be used in an aggressive manner. The TVC has been created keeping in mind the grandeur of the Indian cinema as well as the taste of the movie buff. Iconic memorabilia comprising the friend cap, musical instruments like accordion, classic movie posters, collection of books, DVDs and many more have been used to relive the various decades of cinema.

Rights owner and film distributor Goldmines Telefilms director Manish Shah is all praise for Zee Classic. Says he: “Right now there are only two channels Zee Classic and Max 2, which are looking towards old movies. Zee Classic has a good library of classic movies. However, sometimes it resorts to airing Zee Cinema type movies to get viewership numbers.”

And, he cautions that the tack of airing too many repeats and expanding audiences through the revamp may not really work. “We need to understand that Classic reaches to a niche audience, it is not mass audience, and if you keep repeating those movies, the viewership eventually will fall.,” he explains. “Also, if it is looking for 90s and NFDC films, then these are the kinds of movies which Classic audience doesn’t want to watch.”

Be that as it may, the ZEEL team is pretty enthusiastic about Zee Classic’s shift. As is the brand ambassador Arjun Kapoor. Says he: “I am thrilled to be a part of ‘Aaj Ka Classic’. I have grown up loving cinema and classics have defined my choices as a viewer as well as an actor. My grandfather, father, and uncle have contributed to Hindi films for years, and I have fond memories of going on the sets and film trial shows. These movies will always be a reference point, always at the back of my mind. I am happy that Zee Classic gave me the opportunity to be a part of this campaign and I appreciate their initiative of introducing such time-band-led programming on their channel.”

Will Zee Classic viewers too show similar appreciation?

September 29, 2016
Zee Classic refreshes in attempt to attract mass audiences

MUMBAI: The Punit Goenka-led Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) has got into a hyper-refresh mood, revamping its channels, one after the other. First, it announced the relaunch of Zindagi, and now it’s the turn of Zee Classic.

Known for showcasing movies from the sixties, seventies and eighties and nineties era, the channel is being revamped on 3 October with a new positioning and programming line-up. The reason: it has ambitious plans to expand its target audience, and thus its viewership.

The management says it has come up with a disruptive programming idea: catalogue movies from each era into a separate time band. The channel claims that the Zee Classic is the first Indian Hindi movie channel to initiate this, and has roped in the Bollywood heartthrob Arjun Kapoor to be the channel’s ambassador.

“At Zee, we have the largest library of movies, and now Zee Classic is adopting a strategic time-band approach instead of the the routine FPC approach,” say Zee Hindi movie cluster business head Ruchir Tiwari. “This strategy is a result of meticulous planning, acquisition and programming for an entire year which will ensure that Zee Classic caters to all kinds of viewers.”

The library that Tiwari is referring to is 500-plus strong and includes movies over four decades – possibly catering to three generations – and hence, the channel’s proposition “Woh Zamaana, Kare Deewana”, and the revamp campaign theme “Aaj Ka Classic.”

The time bands that have been introduced include:

The ‘Best of 80s and 90s’ that will showcase hits from decades that saw the emergence of more than 10 superstars ranging from Jackie Shroff, Sunny Deol, Mithun Chakraborty, Anil Kapoor to the three Khans, Govinda and Akshay Kumar.

‘The ’70s Mix’ will showcase blockbusters from the 1970s, an era that reflected the nuances of the society, but turned out to be preeminently a decade of the ‘angry young man’, action movies and melodious music.

‘Shaandar Sixties’ will present movies of the 1960s, a decade that saw the rise of the popular romantic genre. The golden era of ‘Black and White’ that set the foundation of the Hindi film industry will include masterpieces that will transport spectators back in time.

Highlighting this shift, will be exclusively curated movie festivals like Jhakaas Kapoor Festival, Har Din Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan B’day Special, among many others and specials like ‘Timeless Asha.’

Earlier, Zee Classic was targeted at mature adults – which served as a niche – but it attracted younger audiences too. The channel has now dissected its viewers into the connoisseurs of golden cinema, the middle-aged adults, the new-age classic as well as contemporary young adults. “From the channel’s perspective, the core, however, will be the 25- 45 years age group,” says Tiwari. “UP is the biggest market, and for us the northern belt is a priority.”

From 2004 to 2010, Zee Classic recorded a two per cent viewership share in the Hindi movie genre. This, according to Tiwari, has risen to six per cent over the past year. The idea is to now take that up to 10 per cent. “We see the channel catering to mass audiences in its specific space. It has the potential to compete with the top rated channels in the genre. It’s a strategic call that we took,” explains Tiwari. “We have to buy the films accordingly, and also plan (in that manner).”

Zee Unimedia chief operating officer Ashish Sehgal reveals, “Zee Classic contributes a massive 15 per cent revenue share in the Zee Hindi movies cluster among the SD channels – Zee Cinema, &pictures, Zee Classic, Zee Action and Zee Anmol Cinema. In the last three to four years, Zee Classic’s revenue has grown more than four times, and as it’s evolving; currently it commands a premium rate even at its existing ratings.”

The introduction of time bands is also expected to appeal to FMCG and other advertisers automobiles, mobile handsets, telecom and take revenues up further. “The Zee Classic viewer is comparatively more involved than on any other Hindi movie channel. For the brand campaign ‘Aaj Ka Classic,’ we have locked in three channel partners including SC Johnson, Hindustan Unilever and Dabur across all the time bands,” says Sehgal.

The look and property of the Zee Classic logo has been designed by Zee TV’s in-house team, while the entire Aaj Ka Classic marketing and promotional campaign has been executed by FCB Ulka. Print, TV, digital and outdoor media are to be used in an aggressive manner. The TVC has been created keeping in mind the grandeur of the Indian cinema as well as the taste of the movie buff. Iconic memorabilia comprising the friend cap, musical instruments like accordion, classic movie posters, collection of books, DVDs and many more have been used to relive the various decades of cinema.

Rights owner and film distributor Goldmines Telefilms director Manish Shah is all praise for Zee Classic. Says he: “Right now there are only two channels Zee Classic and Max 2, which are looking towards old movies. Zee Classic has a good library of classic movies. However, sometimes it resorts to airing Zee Cinema type movies to get viewership numbers.”

And, he cautions that the tack of airing too many repeats and expanding audiences through the revamp may not really work. “We need to understand that Classic reaches to a niche audience, it is not mass audience, and if you keep repeating those movies, the viewership eventually will fall.,” he explains. “Also, if it is looking for 90s and NFDC films, then these are the kinds of movies which Classic audience doesn’t want to watch.”

Be that as it may, the ZEEL team is pretty enthusiastic about Zee Classic’s shift. As is the brand ambassador Arjun Kapoor. Says he: “I am thrilled to be a part of ‘Aaj Ka Classic’. I have grown up loving cinema and classics have defined my choices as a viewer as well as an actor. My grandfather, father, and uncle have contributed to Hindi films for years, and I have fond memories of going on the sets and film trial shows. These movies will always be a reference point, always at the back of my mind. I am happy that Zee Classic gave me the opportunity to be a part of this campaign and I appreciate their initiative of introducing such time-band-led programming on their channel.”

Will Zee Classic viewers too show similar appreciation?

September 29, 2016
Ki &Ka…..And not much else!

MUMBAI: R Balki is known for bringing films way out of the ordinary formula framework. The good thing about him is his sincerity and dedication because of which he gets popular artistes to work in his films. This is a must for a maker’s film to be noticed, however good his theme may be. This time, Balki decides to trade roles between a man and a woman, both well educated. While the girl is well-placed professionally and has further ambitions, the boy hails from a huge realty developer family and shuns his family business.

Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor are on a flight from Chandigarh to Delhi, sharing the same row with the middle seat being vacant. As soon as the flight takes off, Arjun gets emotional and starts crying. He remembers how his late mother used to clutch his hands tightly while flying because she was scared of flying and today happens to be her birthday. Kareena is told the cause. Both start getting familiar.

Arjun is a topper in IIM as all film heroes are; before the IIM era, they used to stand ‘First Class First’. He is the only son of the biggest builder in Delhi. However, instead of following his father and inheriting his construction empire, he wants to emulate his mother whom he describes as an artist. His mother ran the household, cooked and that was her art.

Kareena, on the other hand, is an executive on the corporate ladder always aiming at the next rung. Her mother, SwaroopSampat, a widow, is a social worker with an open mind.

Arjun and Kareena are drawn to each other and realize they are in love. They decide to marry. Arjun’s father is not in favour of the marriage, while Swaroop blesses the couple. A deal is made. While Kareena will continue with pursuing her career, Arjun will manage the household, cooking and looking after both, Kareena and Swaroop.

This has turned out to be a life changer for all the three concerned. Arjun keeps the house, cooks, cleans, shops and generally does everything a housewife does including attending kitty parties with other housewives. Of course, he is the life of these kitty parties.

Kareena earns a promotion and as a result, media attention. She is all over the print and electronic media. Here, she is led to talk about her husband, Arjun, and what he does. Media attention turns to Arjun, as a man who runs the household. Overnight, he is a celebrity, on talk shows, on cookery shows, just about everywhere. His TRP rates much above that of Kareena.

Jealousy replaces love. Kareena feels deceived and assumes that despite being the scion of a billionaire builder, he wants to live off her! Her tirade looks rather forced and unconvincing. Her venting her anger sans logic, looks silly. But, then, the couple’s love has survived by saying sorry multiple times. It is not going to be different on this occasion. Predictably, Arjun’s big-shot father too realizes the value of having a family.

Meanwhile, Jaya Bachchan has watched Arjun talking on TV and is mighty impressed. She calls him over for dinner with Amitabh Bachchan present. What was this sequence about? It is inconclusive despite both debating Arjun’s way of life.

Balki may have tried a new story but the content ispredictable. The story lacks twists and turns and efforts are made to make it a light entertainer towards which end it works in parts. Direction is fair to say that it skips melodrama for most part, and sticks to linear treatment. The film finds no slots for music.

Although just 126 minute in length,the film surely needs some trimming. The cinematography is pleasant. The Arjun and Kareena match does not quite jell despite their age difference having been made clear in thenarration. Arjun is okay while Kareena looks good with no major scenes to steal. Swaroop provides an excellent foil to the two.

Ki &Ka is a slow opener and carries a very limited appeal for a section of the audience and the compulsive moviegoer types.

Producers: Sunil Lulla, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, R K Damani, R Balki.
Director: R Balki.

Cast: Arjun Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, SwaroopSampat, Rajit Kapoor and cameos by Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan.

April 1, 2016
Ki &Ka…..And not much else!

MUMBAI: R Balki is known for bringing films way out of the ordinary formula framework. The good thing about him is his sincerity and dedication because of which he gets popular artistes to work in his films. This is a must for a maker’s film to be noticed, however good his theme may be. This time, Balki decides to trade roles between a man and a woman, both well educated. While the girl is well-placed professionally and has further ambitions, the boy hails from a huge realty developer family and shuns his family business.

Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor are on a flight from Chandigarh to Delhi, sharing the same row with the middle seat being vacant. As soon as the flight takes off, Arjun gets emotional and starts crying. He remembers how his late mother used to clutch his hands tightly while flying because she was scared of flying and today happens to be her birthday. Kareena is told the cause. Both start getting familiar.

Arjun is a topper in IIM as all film heroes are; before the IIM era, they used to stand ‘First Class First’. He is the only son of the biggest builder in Delhi. However, instead of following his father and inheriting his construction empire, he wants to emulate his mother whom he describes as an artist. His mother ran the household, cooked and that was her art.

Kareena, on the other hand, is an executive on the corporate ladder always aiming at the next rung. Her mother, SwaroopSampat, a widow, is a social worker with an open mind.

Arjun and Kareena are drawn to each other and realize they are in love. They decide to marry. Arjun’s father is not in favour of the marriage, while Swaroop blesses the couple. A deal is made. While Kareena will continue with pursuing her career, Arjun will manage the household, cooking and looking after both, Kareena and Swaroop.

This has turned out to be a life changer for all the three concerned. Arjun keeps the house, cooks, cleans, shops and generally does everything a housewife does including attending kitty parties with other housewives. Of course, he is the life of these kitty parties.

Kareena earns a promotion and as a result, media attention. She is all over the print and electronic media. Here, she is led to talk about her husband, Arjun, and what he does. Media attention turns to Arjun, as a man who runs the household. Overnight, he is a celebrity, on talk shows, on cookery shows, just about everywhere. His TRP rates much above that of Kareena.

Jealousy replaces love. Kareena feels deceived and assumes that despite being the scion of a billionaire builder, he wants to live off her! Her tirade looks rather forced and unconvincing. Her venting her anger sans logic, looks silly. But, then, the couple’s love has survived by saying sorry multiple times. It is not going to be different on this occasion. Predictably, Arjun’s big-shot father too realizes the value of having a family.

Meanwhile, Jaya Bachchan has watched Arjun talking on TV and is mighty impressed. She calls him over for dinner with Amitabh Bachchan present. What was this sequence about? It is inconclusive despite both debating Arjun’s way of life.

Balki may have tried a new story but the content ispredictable. The story lacks twists and turns and efforts are made to make it a light entertainer towards which end it works in parts. Direction is fair to say that it skips melodrama for most part, and sticks to linear treatment. The film finds no slots for music.

Although just 126 minute in length,the film surely needs some trimming. The cinematography is pleasant. The Arjun and Kareena match does not quite jell despite their age difference having been made clear in thenarration. Arjun is okay while Kareena looks good with no major scenes to steal. Swaroop provides an excellent foil to the two.

Ki &Ka is a slow opener and carries a very limited appeal for a section of the audience and the compulsive moviegoer types.

Producers: Sunil Lulla, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, R K Damani, R Balki.
Director: R Balki.

Cast: Arjun Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, SwaroopSampat, Rajit Kapoor and cameos by Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan.

April 1, 2016
Colors’ ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi 7’ to air from 30 Jan; show-based mobile game launched

MUMBAI: Even as the buzz over the finale of Bigg Boss season 9 is yet to die down, Colors is all set to unleash onto viewers its other popular reality show format – Khatron Ke Khiladi – Kabhi Peeda Kabhi Keeda from 30 January.

The seventh season of the show, which will be hosted by actor Arjun Kapoor, will be aired at 9 pm on Saturdays and Sundays and will feature 14 celebrity contestants.

Additionally, in an attempt to make the show’s experience more personal for viewers, Colors will also unveil a game – Khatron Ke Khiladi – The Game, which will urge players to overcome their fears and dodge high-speed obstacles keeping them engaged through levels of adventure-filled game play.

With a user-friendly interface having Tilt-Based Control Scheme, the game will be available on Android and iOS platforms. Players will also be able to share their performance through social media features like Facebook sharing and Leaderboards. The game has been developed by Hungama Gameshastra.

A change in the show’s format will see the contestants being split into two teams, turning the competition into an open battlefield.

The channel has roped in Tata Motors’ ZICA as the show’s presenting sponsor and Red Chief Shoes as the powered by sponsor.

Colors CEO Raj Nayak said, “We have kicked-off the year on a high with the closure of another successful season of Bigg Boss where the choicest celebrities were camping in a house away from prying eyes. And now, with Khatron Ke Khiladi – Kabhi Peeda Kabhi Keeda, it’s time for viewers to bear witness to their favourite celebrities facing their fears and performing stunts in the same time slot on weekends.”

Colors programming head Manisha Sharma added, “This year we have incorporated a new twist in the show’s format by dividing the contestants into two teams. Their perseverance was put to test as they had to not only compete against each other but also play for each other whether or not they liked it. As a host, Arjun Kapoor surpassed all our expectations not only as an entertainer but also as a motivator at every level of difficulty. It was exciting to see the contestants fight all their fears to come out as strong performers.”

Speaking about what’s in-store this season, Endemol Shine India managing director Deepak Dhar said, “With more than 100 people working tirelessly to bring alive the ‘Kabhi Peeda Kabhi Keeda’ theme of Khatron Ke Khiladi this season, it’s one of our most promising seasons thus far. An all-new location like Argentina and an exciting gen-next host Arjun Kapoor, have served as the perfect setting for our teams to up the entertainment quotient. Keeping in tune with the theme and the 14 eager participants, we have introduced a volley of surprises to create edge-of-seat moments for viewers and the unsuspecting Khiladis alike.”

Tata Motors marketing communications & service, passenger vehicles business unit Delna Alvari said, “We continue to work with our partners to create interesting properties for our customer as a part of our Madeforgreat campaign. This is a step towards yet another offering and is delighted to work with Colors. The concept of Khatron Ke Khiladi is to push oneself to overcome new challenges, which resonates with our values as well. With the start of an exciting year for Tata Motors with new products and multiple customer engagement initiatives, planned under our #madeforgreat campaign, we have started the brand transformation journey.”

The 14 contestants this season include Bollywood actors Tanishaa Mukherji, Sidharth Shukla, Vivan Bathena and Sana Saeed, real-life television couple Jay Bhanushali and Mahhi Vij, model Parvathy Omanakuttan, Indian hockey player Yuvraj Walmiki, telly actors Aishwarya Sakhuja, Tina Dutta and Himanshoo Malhotra, and dancing stalwarts Faisal Khan, Mukti Mohan and Raghav Juyal.

On the marketing front, the channel has planned an integrated marketing campaign across mediums including print, cable and DTH, radio, electronic media, OOH and cinema. Also in the media mix are on-ground activations in sync with the Colors Golden Petal Club in nine cities across Uttar Pradesh.

In Mumbai, special Khatron Ke Khiladi announcements are being made on Western Railways and Metros. A robust digital outreach will keep the buzz surrounding the property alive on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube among other platforms.

January 28, 2016
Colors’ ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi 7’ to air from 30 Jan; show-based mobile game launched

MUMBAI: Even as the buzz over the finale of Bigg Boss season 9 is yet to die down, Colors is all set to unleash onto viewers its other popular reality show format – Khatron Ke Khiladi – Kabhi Peeda Kabhi Keeda from 30 January.

The seventh season of the show, which will be hosted by actor Arjun Kapoor, will be aired at 9 pm on Saturdays and Sundays and will feature 14 celebrity contestants.

Additionally, in an attempt to make the show’s experience more personal for viewers, Colors will also unveil a game – Khatron Ke Khiladi – The Game, which will urge players to overcome their fears and dodge high-speed obstacles keeping them engaged through levels of adventure-filled game play.

With a user-friendly interface having Tilt-Based Control Scheme, the game will be available on Android and iOS platforms. Players will also be able to share their performance through social media features like Facebook sharing and Leaderboards. The game has been developed by Hungama Gameshastra.

A change in the show’s format will see the contestants being split into two teams, turning the competition into an open battlefield.

The channel has roped in Tata Motors’ ZICA as the show’s presenting sponsor and Red Chief Shoes as the powered by sponsor.

Colors CEO Raj Nayak said, “We have kicked-off the year on a high with the closure of another successful season of Bigg Boss where the choicest celebrities were camping in a house away from prying eyes. And now, with Khatron Ke Khiladi – Kabhi Peeda Kabhi Keeda, it’s time for viewers to bear witness to their favourite celebrities facing their fears and performing stunts in the same time slot on weekends.”

Colors programming head Manisha Sharma added, “This year we have incorporated a new twist in the show’s format by dividing the contestants into two teams. Their perseverance was put to test as they had to not only compete against each other but also play for each other whether or not they liked it. As a host, Arjun Kapoor surpassed all our expectations not only as an entertainer but also as a motivator at every level of difficulty. It was exciting to see the contestants fight all their fears to come out as strong performers.”

Speaking about what’s in-store this season, Endemol Shine India managing director Deepak Dhar said, “With more than 100 people working tirelessly to bring alive the ‘Kabhi Peeda Kabhi Keeda’ theme of Khatron Ke Khiladi this season, it’s one of our most promising seasons thus far. An all-new location like Argentina and an exciting gen-next host Arjun Kapoor, have served as the perfect setting for our teams to up the entertainment quotient. Keeping in tune with the theme and the 14 eager participants, we have introduced a volley of surprises to create edge-of-seat moments for viewers and the unsuspecting Khiladis alike.”

Tata Motors marketing communications & service, passenger vehicles business unit Delna Alvari said, “We continue to work with our partners to create interesting properties for our customer as a part of our Madeforgreat campaign. This is a step towards yet another offering and is delighted to work with Colors. The concept of Khatron Ke Khiladi is to push oneself to overcome new challenges, which resonates with our values as well. With the start of an exciting year for Tata Motors with new products and multiple customer engagement initiatives, planned under our #madeforgreat campaign, we have started the brand transformation journey.”

The 14 contestants this season include Bollywood actors Tanishaa Mukherji, Sidharth Shukla, Vivan Bathena and Sana Saeed, real-life television couple Jay Bhanushali and Mahhi Vij, model Parvathy Omanakuttan, Indian hockey player Yuvraj Walmiki, telly actors Aishwarya Sakhuja, Tina Dutta and Himanshoo Malhotra, and dancing stalwarts Faisal Khan, Mukti Mohan and Raghav Juyal.

On the marketing front, the channel has planned an integrated marketing campaign across mediums including print, cable and DTH, radio, electronic media, OOH and cinema. Also in the media mix are on-ground activations in sync with the Colors Golden Petal Club in nine cities across Uttar Pradesh.

In Mumbai, special Khatron Ke Khiladi announcements are being made on Western Railways and Metros. A robust digital outreach will keep the buzz surrounding the property alive on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube among other platforms.

January 28, 2016
Eros readies pipeline of 65 movies across 7 languages in 2016

MUMBAI: Even as it has been embroiled in controversy over the last few months regarding its accounting practices, Eros International is planning to release as many as 65 movies in 2016 across seven different Indian languages like Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali and Punjabi.

Additionally, Eros is also planning to release Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani in China and other international markets in 2016.

HINDI

Eros’ Hindi films pipeline for 2016 includes R. Balki’s Ki & Ka starring Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor, the promos of which are already out. The company will also be releasing Sajid Nadiadwala’s Housefull 3 starring Akshay Kumar, and Rohit Dhawan’s Dishoom starring John Abraham and Varun Dhawan.

Baar Baar Dekho – a love story starring Katrina Kaif and Siddharth Malhotra will be releasing in association with Dharma Production, whereas Rock On 2 featuring Farhan Akhtar and Shraddha Kapoor will be released with Excel Entertainment.

After associating with producer-director Aanand L Rai on films like Tanu Weds Manu Returns and Raanjhanaa, Eros will release multiple films with Rai’s joint production company Colour Yellow Production. These include Nil Battey Sannata that has received a good response at various festivals including the 20th Busan International Film Festival, 59th BFI London Film Festival with Swara Bhaskar wining the Best Actress at the Silk Road Film Festival of China. Also in the pipeline are films like Happy Bhaag Jayegi, a comedy that will present the first-time pair of Abhay Deol and Diana Penty and Manmarziyan, a romantic drama starring Bhumi Pednekar and Ayushmann Khurrana.

Apart from these, Rai is also working on his own directorial film, which will go into production this summer.

This Diwali, Eros will release Ajay Devgn’s action drama – Shivaay.

After co-producing films like Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela and Bajirao Mastani, Eros and Bhansali Productions will be joining hands on more co-productions, details of which will be announced at a later date.

Also scheduled to go on floor this year will be Eros and Phantom’s socio-drama superhero film Bhavesh Joshistarring Harshvardhan Kapoor to be directed by Vikramaditya Motwane.

Other films slated to release in 2016 include Hansal Mehta’s critically-acclaimed Aligarh, Marathi director and National award winner Ravi Jadhav’s Hindi debut Banjo starring Riteish Deshmukh and Nargis Fakri, director Mohit Jha’s sports drama Saat Kadam and Pawan Kripalani’s psychological thriller Phobia starring Raadhika Apte.

Eros will also release Vinay Sapru and Radhika Rao’s musical love story Sanam Teri Kasam starringnewcomers Harshvardhan Rane and Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane; Do Lafzon Ki Kahani by Deepak Tijori with Randeep Hooda and Kajal Agarwal as the lead pair along with Saif Ali Khan starrer Chef, a remake of 2014’s Hollywood hit Chef.

REGIONAL LANGUAGES

The company’s regional slate includes Marathi films like Sanjay Jadhav’s Guru, National award winning director Sujay Dahake’s Phuntroo, and Prakash Kunte’s & Jara Hatke.

Eros has already released the Telugu films – Balakrishna’s Dictator on 14 January, Pawan Kalyan’s Sardar Gabbar Singh, Mammootty’s Malayalam films White and Fahad Fazil’s Nale along with 2 Penkuttikalfeaturing Tovino Thomas, Amala Paul, Anju Kurian and Anna Fathima.

Following the release of Bengali film Monchora by Sandip Ray with Abir Chatterjee and Raima Sen in January, Eros will release Prakton directed by Shiboprasad Mukherjee starring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Rituparna Sengupta paired together after a decade.

The Tamil movies’ in the pipeline include the Sivakarthikeyan starrer Rajini Murugan that released earlier this month; Suriya’s 24 directed by Vikram, Enkitta Mothathe, which is cinematographer Natarajan Subramaniam’s (Nutty) debut as an actor with Sanchita Shetty directed by Ramu Chellapa, actor Jaya Prada’s first Tamil production Uyire Uyire, Suriya’s Singam 3, Kai Neelam directed by Nalan Kumarsamy, Oru Kidayin Karunai Mamu directed by Suresh Sangiah and an untitled film starring mega star Karthi.

The company is also collaborating with Harry Baweja to co-produce the sequel to the 3D animation film, Chaar Sahibzade, titled Chaar Sahibzaade 2 (Rise of Banda Singh Bahadur) followed by another 3D animation film Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Commenting on the company’s line-up, Eros International Media managing director Sunil Lulla said, “We have seen an excellent 2015 with the resounding success of Tanu Weds Manu Returns, peaking with the multiple-record breaking Bajrangi Bhaijaan and ending the year with our crowning glory Bajirao Mastani. We are at a very exciting phase in Eros and have an equally promising slate coming up this year that will reinforce and further strengthen our leadership position in the Indian media and entertainment industry. As a strategy, we will continue to diversify our presence across difference film genres, budgets and languages with a mix of popular and content driven cinema. In a few weeks, we will showcase to the world the first set of films under our Trinity franchise banner. Also scheduled to go on floor this year are some exciting directorial ventures by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Kabir Khan, Aanand L Rai, Homi Ajadania, Sujoy Ghosh, Nishikant Kamat and Siddharth Anand. We hope and believe that 2016 will be just as magical as 2015 has been.”

January 25, 2016
Eros readies pipeline of 65 movies across 7 languages in 2016

MUMBAI: Even as it has been embroiled in controversy over the last few months regarding its accounting practices, Eros International is planning to release as many as 65 movies in 2016 across seven different Indian languages like Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali and Punjabi.

Additionally, Eros is also planning to release Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani in China and other international markets in 2016.

HINDI

Eros’ Hindi films pipeline for 2016 includes R. Balki’s Ki & Ka starring Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor, the promos of which are already out. The company will also be releasing Sajid Nadiadwala’s Housefull 3 starring Akshay Kumar, and Rohit Dhawan’s Dishoom starring John Abraham and Varun Dhawan.

Baar Baar Dekho – a love story starring Katrina Kaif and Siddharth Malhotra will be releasing in association with Dharma Production, whereas Rock On 2 featuring Farhan Akhtar and Shraddha Kapoor will be released with Excel Entertainment.

After associating with producer-director Aanand L Rai on films like Tanu Weds Manu Returns and Raanjhanaa, Eros will release multiple films with Rai’s joint production company Colour Yellow Production. These include Nil Battey Sannata that has received a good response at various festivals including the 20th Busan International Film Festival, 59th BFI London Film Festival with Swara Bhaskar wining the Best Actress at the Silk Road Film Festival of China. Also in the pipeline are films like Happy Bhaag Jayegi, a comedy that will present the first-time pair of Abhay Deol and Diana Penty and Manmarziyan, a romantic drama starring Bhumi Pednekar and Ayushmann Khurrana.

Apart from these, Rai is also working on his own directorial film, which will go into production this summer.

This Diwali, Eros will release Ajay Devgn’s action drama – Shivaay.

After co-producing films like Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela and Bajirao Mastani, Eros and Bhansali Productions will be joining hands on more co-productions, details of which will be announced at a later date.

Also scheduled to go on floor this year will be Eros and Phantom’s socio-drama superhero film Bhavesh Joshistarring Harshvardhan Kapoor to be directed by Vikramaditya Motwane.

Other films slated to release in 2016 include Hansal Mehta’s critically-acclaimed Aligarh, Marathi director and National award winner Ravi Jadhav’s Hindi debut Banjo starring Riteish Deshmukh and Nargis Fakri, director Mohit Jha’s sports drama Saat Kadam and Pawan Kripalani’s psychological thriller Phobia starring Raadhika Apte.

Eros will also release Vinay Sapru and Radhika Rao’s musical love story Sanam Teri Kasam starringnewcomers Harshvardhan Rane and Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane; Do Lafzon Ki Kahani by Deepak Tijori with Randeep Hooda and Kajal Agarwal as the lead pair along with Saif Ali Khan starrer Chef, a remake of 2014’s Hollywood hit Chef.

REGIONAL LANGUAGES

The company’s regional slate includes Marathi films like Sanjay Jadhav’s Guru, National award winning director Sujay Dahake’s Phuntroo, and Prakash Kunte’s & Jara Hatke.

Eros has already released the Telugu films – Balakrishna’s Dictator on 14 January, Pawan Kalyan’s Sardar Gabbar Singh, Mammootty’s Malayalam films White and Fahad Fazil’s Nale along with 2 Penkuttikalfeaturing Tovino Thomas, Amala Paul, Anju Kurian and Anna Fathima.

Following the release of Bengali film Monchora by Sandip Ray with Abir Chatterjee and Raima Sen in January, Eros will release Prakton directed by Shiboprasad Mukherjee starring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Rituparna Sengupta paired together after a decade.

The Tamil movies’ in the pipeline include the Sivakarthikeyan starrer Rajini Murugan that released earlier this month; Suriya’s 24 directed by Vikram, Enkitta Mothathe, which is cinematographer Natarajan Subramaniam’s (Nutty) debut as an actor with Sanchita Shetty directed by Ramu Chellapa, actor Jaya Prada’s first Tamil production Uyire Uyire, Suriya’s Singam 3, Kai Neelam directed by Nalan Kumarsamy, Oru Kidayin Karunai Mamu directed by Suresh Sangiah and an untitled film starring mega star Karthi.

The company is also collaborating with Harry Baweja to co-produce the sequel to the 3D animation film, Chaar Sahibzade, titled Chaar Sahibzaade 2 (Rise of Banda Singh Bahadur) followed by another 3D animation film Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Commenting on the company’s line-up, Eros International Media managing director Sunil Lulla said, “We have seen an excellent 2015 with the resounding success of Tanu Weds Manu Returns, peaking with the multiple-record breaking Bajrangi Bhaijaan and ending the year with our crowning glory Bajirao Mastani. We are at a very exciting phase in Eros and have an equally promising slate coming up this year that will reinforce and further strengthen our leadership position in the Indian media and entertainment industry. As a strategy, we will continue to diversify our presence across difference film genres, budgets and languages with a mix of popular and content driven cinema. In a few weeks, we will showcase to the world the first set of films under our Trinity franchise banner. Also scheduled to go on floor this year are some exciting directorial ventures by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Kabir Khan, Aanand L Rai, Homi Ajadania, Sujoy Ghosh, Nishikant Kamat and Siddharth Anand. We hope and believe that 2016 will be just as magical as 2015 has been.”

January 25, 2016
Celebrity led-VOD platform Wakau ropes in Big B, Tendulkar & others as contributors

MUMBAI: CA Media Digital and Jetsynthesys have jointly launched their first of its kind, freemium celebrity video blogging app called Wakau in India.

The app, which allows users to access unseen candid celeb moments to help them connect further with their favourite stars and celebs, was launched by Amitabh Bachchan.

Apart from Bachchan, Wakau has also roped in celebs like Sachin Tendulkar, Arjun Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana, Nirahua, Shaan, Manju Warrier, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sophie Choudry, Arman Malik and Elli Avaram, who will contribute to the platform.

The app will upload new content including landmark moments from the celebs lives, hobbies and interests and career stories, for subscribers on a daily basis. On Wakau, fans can watch, share and comment on a variety of videos categorised topically and by celebrity. The app, has a celebrity interface feature that enables celebs to upload premium video content, while allowing them to track fan comments on their videos and respond directly.

Talking about his association with Wakau, Bachchan said, “Social media is an integral part of my life today. I have always tried to stay connected with my fans and respond to them whenever possible through my blog and other social media platforms. I am glad to be associated with an interactive platform like Wakau, through which I can share some of my candid moments from my day to day life with my fans and inch closer to them.”

Freely downloadable to users across India, this freemium app allows consumers to view celebrity videos for free, with the videos being interspersed with advertisements. The app also supports an ad-free experience via its subscription service.

CA Media India EVP operations Rishi Negi said, “Wakau is a great opportunity for celebrities to connect with their fans and share personal stories, interests, sepia moments and cherished thoughts through their video blogs. The app is a celebrity hotspot that enables consumers to gain easy access to insightful videos of their favourite superstars and personal heroes on their phones.”

Jetsynthesys vice chairman and managing director Rajan Navani added, “Through constant and continuous innovation we at Jetsynthesys strive to offer the best in digital technology and Wakau is no exception. With a deep focus on creating a personal connect with the consumer through leveraging analytics, the Wakau experience will eventually pave the way towards many firsts for the world. We are excited to launch this unique world class Indian product that would become the social digital media screen of the 21st century.”

October 30, 2015
Colors promises mischief & danger in ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi;’ Arjun Kapoor to host

MUMBAI: Colors is bringing season 7 of the popular reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi in a new makeover — from the location to the show’s flavour to the host. Actor Arjun Kapoor will be making his television debut as the show’s new host. So far, the show has seen three different hosts namely Akshay Kumar (Season 1, 2, 4), Priyanka Chopra (Season 3) and Rohit Shetty (Season 5, 6).

The 20 episode season of Khatron Ke Khiladi – Kabhi Peeda, Kabhi Keeda, produced by Endemol Shine India, is expected to air in the first quarter of 2016 with the action packed and stunt heavy scenes being shot extensively in Buenos Aires, Argentina over the next couple of months.

Speaking about his television debut, Kapoor said, “I love action in all its forms. Be it daredevil stunts or intense action sequences in my films. The thrill and adrenalin rush, which accompanies a well-planned stunt is an experience that cannot be put into words. With Khatron Ke Khiladi, I’m not only going to be performing stunts, but will also be involved in designing them and watching them come alive. And with the ‘peeda’ and ‘keeda’ concept, I’m definitely looking forward to having some mad fun with the contestants in Argentina.”

Colors CEO Raj Nayak added, “With the second season of 24 also lined up around the same time, scheduling Khatron Ke Khiladi is a big challenge for us right now. The dynamics are such that we can’t keep waiting to start shooting for KKK. It’s a new location and we want to wrap up the 50 odd days shoot by the end of this year, ideally before the holiday season sets in.” Without locking in on exact specifics, Nayak confirms that the show will air in the 8 – 9 pm time slot.

Endemol Shine India MD Deepak Dhar said,“This season Khatron Ke Khiladi – Kabhi Peeda, Kabhi Keeda will be a gruelling challenge for the contestants. We are all set to design 60 different stunts for them in Argentina. With Arjun Kapoor hurling the challenges to the band of daredevils, this year, the fun, action and entertainment quotient will explode.”

This year’s 14 contestants who will face their fears headlong are Tanishaa Mukherji, Sidharth Shukla, Vivan Bathena, Sana Saeed, real-life television couple Jay Bhanushali and Mahhi Vij, model Parvathy Omanakuttan, Indian hockey player Yuvraj Walmiki, telly actors Aishwarya Sakhuja, Tina Dutta and Himanshoo Malhotra, and dancing stalwarts Faisal Khan, Mukti Mohan and Raghav Juyal.

Going by the show’s history, every time a new host has been introduced, be it Chopra for season 3, or Shetty in the last couple of seasons, they have added their own element to it. Shetty’s stunt heavy last two seasons are still fresh in our memories. So what has Arjun Kapoor to offer?

“Keeping the action part intact, we are going for more fun and mischief this season, and we think Arjun as a host completely fits the bill,” gushes Nayak. “He will bring in his quintessential sense of humour and happy-go-lucky attitude to this edition of Fear Factor India. He has already added a bit of his flavour by suggesting the term ‘Keeda,’ which we have now added to our tagline for this season.”

Nayak also adds that the actor’s endearing quality is expected to appeal to not just the Gen Z but the mothers in the family as well, thereby opening up the show to a broader demography.

Speaking of demographics, Nayak appeared unfazed by the change in ratings after the rural data has been published by BARC India, which has seen free to air (FTA) channels like Zee Anmol and Star Utsav giving stiff competition to networks’ flagship Hindi GECs.

“As far as Colors is concerned, our focus is LC1 and urban population. We are not focusing on rural India. We want to remain India’s premium Hindi entertainment channel, so the rural data hasn’t bothered us. There will be no change in our content strategy. If rural happens by default, it’s a different thing but we can’t be tweaking content for two Indias. It can only be either or and we have made our choice,” says Nayak.

From a business perspective as well Nayak informs that Colors stays unaffected by the new ratings. “Advertisers spend maximum money in LC1 and urban India, and truth be told, we are here to do a profitable business, and sticking to our current content strategy seems to be doing just that,” he stated.

Having said that he doesn’t dismiss the prospect of advertising spends going up in the rural areas either. “We will obviously have a strategy to tap in that by focusing in rural with our second channel Rishtey. We will tweak its content to meet rural requirements and strengthen it further,” he informed.

The channel will unleash a 360 degree marketing campaign with some focus on on-ground activation. “Right now, one can’t do without using all the mediums at their disposal. But the focus areas changes with the content of the show. With KKK there is a lot of scope for on-ground activations and engaging marketing. Digitally you can do a whole lot of things. Having Arjun Kapoor also gives us that advantage as he is tech savvy and social media friendly. He understands the language,” Nayak shared.

The show has also kept up with this tradition of getting big names as sponsors with the title sponsor being Tata Motors this season. The channels is also in talks with other brands for ‘powered by’ sponsor and association sponsors, which will soon be revealed.

October 29, 2015