ITV

Tag: Bh se Bhade

  • Zee hopes for a miracle with ‘Neeli Chhatri Wale’

    Zee hopes for a miracle with ‘Neeli Chhatri Wale’

    MUMBAI: From theatre to film and now the small screen, the story of a common man coming face-to-face with God one day has come full circle.

     

    Zee TV’s next weekend fiction show ‘Neeli Chhatri Wale’ is about a man who has the privilege of meeting and befriending God.

     

    Produced by Ashwini Dhir, the show which tells a story of Bhagwan Das played by Yashpal Sharma, will start from 30 August and air on Saturday and Sunday at 8 pm. Bhagwan Das, a middle-aged, middle class man based out of Kanpur is constantly torn between his personal and professional life. One day, a smartly dressed man carrying a blue umbrella emerges, a man who embodies Lord Shiva.

     

    What is noticeable is that the shows, ‘Bh se Bhade’ and ‘Gangs of Hasseepur’ aired on the same slot haven’t done well for the channel. Currently, the channel telecasts special programming and movies on weekends.

     

    “Yes, we agree that earlier shows haven’t worked and ‘Bh se Bhade’ wasn’t a good effort from our side. However, the current programme looks very promising and should be able to catch people’s attention,” says a highly placed source from Zee TV.

     

    The light-hearted drama can be compared to Akshay Kumar – Paresh Rawal starring ‘OMG, Oh My God’ where Kumar essayed the role of Lord Krishna.

     

    The show has already got presenting partner in Karbonn and promos have broken on television along with digital promotion on social media. To create buzz before it launches, the channel sent out cupcakes to journalists as well.

     

    On the marketing front, the channel is leaving no stone unturned to promote exploratory relationship between man and God as friend. Making it a complete family unifier, the marketing word is based on the philosophy that ‘God lies within us’ all we have to do is listen to our inner voice.

     

    The concept of the show is being promoted using a media mix of print, radio and a comprehensive television plan comprising a bouquet of channels spread across genres.

     

    A three phase digital campaign has been planned to engage with its digital audience. The first part of the digital campaign started with #MyInnerVoice which the channel claims was very well received by consumers.

     

    All the marketing initiatives will aim at making God accessible to one and all by spreading the message of ‘Listen to your #InnerVoice’.

     

    Through the series, the channel aims to revamp its weekend slot. However, media planners are a little apprehensive. “Earlier too the slot with fiction shows hasn’t worked well for the channel and with competition showing Yo Yo Honey Singh, it looks like a tough battle to win. Zee should continue to air movies or special programmes,” says a planner.

     

    Having said that, another planner doesn’t want to strike the new show out and feels that movies and plays on the same theme have worked well and if told properly, the series might be able to grab eyeballs.

  • ‘Gangs of Haseepur’ to replace ‘Bh se Bhade’

    ‘Gangs of Haseepur’ to replace ‘Bh se Bhade’

    MUMBAI: There was a time in the 80s and 90s that comedy shows like ‘Hum Paanch’, ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’ and ‘Zabaan Sambhal Ke’ ruled the small screen. More recently, the likes of ‘Khichdi’, ‘Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai’ and ‘Office Office’ captured the audience’s imagination.

     

    Speaking of channels, Zee TV had stopped dabbling in comedy for nearly a decade till it launched ‘Bh se Bhade’ not too long ago. While the show bombed at the television box office, Zee didn’t lose hope and is back with another comedy show titled ‘Gangs of Haseepur’, slated to replace ‘Bh se Bhade’. With the nation in the grip of elections, ‘Gangs of Haseepur’ will reflect what’s happening around us in a funny, humorous way.

     

    “Things that can make you cry will now make you laugh!” is how Zee TV programming head Namit Sharma sums up the new show. “So be it onions being expensive, our faith in our political system, corruption or mehengaai, these are the pain points in our lives, but let’s laugh at them. Since we cannot do anything about it, why not just laugh at it.”

     

    Produced by Essel Vision Productions, the show will be hosted by Ragini Khanna. Contestants like Bharti Singh, Suresh Menon, Raju Srivastav and Krushna Abhishek will perform. Actress Tanishaa Mukerji, who shot to fame with ‘Bigg Boss season seven’, along with Mandira Bedi will judge the laugh-a-thon.

     

    Nitin Keni of Essel Vision Productions says the concept is very different from other comedy shows running on television today. “It will talk about social issues, and comedians will pick an issue which the country is facing and make fun of it. It has been just 15 days since we finalized the concept of the show.” Currently in the scripting stage, shooting for the show will start from April 14.

     

    Sharma says they wanted to time the show with the polling phase so as to reflect what is happening in the country. “Our endeavour is to make a good comedy show that reflects all the issues of society currently and that can poke fun at the everyday life of our country. On our channel, there was a lack of it, and there was a desire to do a comedy show. More importantly, there was a desire to reflect the mood of the country,” he says. “We do understand that men watch more GEC television over weekends. So, we are catering to the entire family.”

     

    Won’t ‘Gangs of Haseepur’ get lost in the sea of comedy shows that have debuted on television of late? “Today, one wants to see clean comedy shows, no doubt it works as a stress buster at the end of the hard day, but good and differentiated content will be recognized,” says a media planner on condition of anonymity.