ITV

Tag: Bigg Boss

  • Colors and Balaji Telefilms gear up for ‘Naagin’ S5 with new writers, better VFX

    Colors and Balaji Telefilms gear up for ‘Naagin’ S5 with new writers, better VFX

    MUMBAI: TV viewers have finally been able to see their favourite characters on screen after unlock rules permitted shootings. Among the shows resumed is the popular Naagin on Colors. Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment chief content officer Manisha Sharma is certain that viewership will gradually pick up owing to the engaging storyline, highpoints, plot twists and intrigue around the characters.

    Sharma considers Naagin as the Game of Thrones for India. Each season of Naagin has a standalone narrative with the elements of love and revenge at its core. As per Sharma, over the years, the channel has experimented and innovated a lot with the concept. She terms it as a hero franchise and wishes to build it further.

    The show has also stood against the trend of fluctuating ratings and has constantly raked in good numbers ever since its debut on Colors and even fortified the channel’s position on the rating chart, as per Sharma. Colors’ belief in the concept of Naagin has already led the channel to work on season six.

    She further adds, “One and a half years ago, the channel was going through a tricky phase but then we launched Naagin, we were able to stabilise our numbers. For us, Naagin is like a fiction equivalent of Bigg Boss which holds everything together.”

    The channel shares a longstanding association with Ekta Kapoor, who is the mastermind behind the Naagin franchise. Sharma says, “Ekta is the master of creativity and extremely passionate about Naagin. It is owing to her passion and energy that we have been able to conclude Naagin season four and segue into season five immediately with an interesting new twist. It will highlight the secret of Naagmani and how the tussle for it originally started. We are hoping to get the viewers to tune in back into television.”

    Sharma also highlights that owing to the longstanding association with Balaji Telefilms there are no specific budget cuts introduced.


    Naagin falls under the genre of fantasy fiction – something not common on Hindi GECs. Naagin transports you to a powerful world with a novel experience.

    The other challenge in Naagin for Sharma is adequate planning. As a finite series with recurring seasons, the scripts are locked in advance. “To do that, you need to be clear about the story and a lot of thought needs to be put in while developing the characters as well,” she shares.

     

    The show is heavily dependent on VFX and so making last-minute improvisation is not always possible. While in other parts of the world the whole season is shot first and then aired, in India, channels still have some liberty to shoot it weekly. However, with current guidelines and limited number of people working on a show, the editing process also needs to be planned to meet the deadline. Hence, VFX will bear the burden of bringing good quality in the show.

    In a recent interview, Ekta Kapoor had apologised to the cast of Naagin 4 due to the mediocre script. Hence, season five of Naagin will see writers. Sharma adds, “We bring in fresh writers after two seasons as it is more feasible and we get a new perspective. Sometimes we are able to put together a storyline for 10 or 12 episodes and sometimes it even goes up to 100 episodes. While we do have a pool of writers, we stick to a select few with whom our synergies match.”

    Sharma notes that the line between primetime and non-primetime has blurred with people spending most of their time at home. While non-primetime shows are doing well, primetime shows have also picked up after initial teething issues.

    The channel has made slight changes to the way it understands viewership data. Sharma reveals that the channel now analyses the numbers, studies the overall market and maps even news channels’ performance against GEC performance. However, she thinks it is too soon to predict the change in the viewership pattern as the audiences’ daily routine has changed.  For now, the channel is focusing on strengthening timeslots to bring back viewers and give them interesting story hooks to look forward to with the fresh content.

  • Ex-Viacom18 COO Raj Nayak launches online chat show ‘Fridays with Raj Nayak’

    Ex-Viacom18 COO Raj Nayak launches online chat show ‘Fridays with Raj Nayak’

    MUMBAI: From off-screen to on-screen – that’s how former Viacom18 COO Raj Nayak envisions his future. The man behind the popularity of one of TV’s top reality shows, Bigg Boss, is now stepping into the shoes of a host with his new chat show: Fridays with Raj Nayak.

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    The hour-long live show will see Nayak speaking to people from a wide range of backgrounds including, but not restricted to, Bollywood, politics, sports, media, etc. The only criterion is that the person has to be interesting or eclectic in his/her field. It will be streamed live on YouTube and Facebook for the first episode on 24 April while viewers can catch Nayak getting up close and personal with his guests on multiple platforms simultaneously in the upcoming episodes.

    “I anyway had the intention of doing a show someday. On my show, I will converse and address aspects of people that aren’t known which is beyond just their professional lives,” Nayak says to Indiantelevision.com.

    His plan is to get 52 guests for a full year edition.

    This show is akin to testing the waters. Eventually, his aim is to try to get a show of his own on TV. “If I feel I am capable to do that and if there is an opportunity and good feedback then I think my relationship with the broadcast industry may help me achieve my aim,” he says.

    Although the launch timing coincides with the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown, Nayak doesn’t want to harp on that but rather make it more positive. While the initial timing of the show is from 5 pm to 6 pm every Friday, that may change depending on factors such as traffic, guest availability and audience research.

    Nayak’s challenge is to research about his guests on an almost stalker-ish level. “I don’t just want to know about their work. I want to know about things like does my guest have a dog and what’s the name of her dog. I want to know the person’s views on politics and many other things. That is the level of research that will go into my shows,” he says.

    Right now, it’s a one-man-army show with Nayak handling all aspects including advertising, marketing, media, guest selection, etc. However, the show is produced by House of Cheer, the media and entertainment company he launched late last year.

    Until lockdown persists, the show will be conducted virtually via Zoom app. A makeshift set in a corner of his home is ready for the live stream. The first episode will feature transformational life coach (PCC) and energy psychology practitioner Jill Majeski. Nayak says he is in the process of identifying other guests for future episodes.

  • Colors brings back four old shows to entertain viewers

    Colors brings back four old shows to entertain viewers

    MUMBAI:  Colors is bringing back four of its old shows to keep entertaining its viewers in the current challenging environment. Rightfully picked to cover a variety ranging from comedy, drama,  slice of life, and reality shows, the channel will enable viewers to enjoy their time at home. The channel will air Belan Wali Bahu and Bhaag Bakool Bhaag from 5-6 pm. Sidharth Shukla and Rashmi Desai-starrer love story, Dil Se Dil Tak, returns at 6 pm from 30 March onwards.

    The early primetime will be followed by the current fiction line-up starting with Vidya, Choti Sarrdaarni, Shakti…Astitva Ke Ehsaas Kii, Barrister Babu, Shubharambh and Naati Pinky Ki Lambi Love Story. The unparalleled leader of entertainment, Bigg Boss 13 has already started airing from 23 March at 10 pm. 

    Viacom18 Hindi Mass Entertainment  Chief Content Officer Manisha Sharma says, “We are going through unprecedented times. However, as audience’s preferred channel, COLORS wants to make sure that in these social-distancing times, we provide you with wholesome entertainment for the entire family ranging from original shows to seasoned shows across genres. To drive away your lockdown blues, we are presenting dedicated blocks for comedy, drama, romance to give you the best of the best content. As we all try to get ahead of the pandemic, we want to continue to be your companion for everything entertainment.”

  • Top YouTubers Bhuvan Bam and Ashish Chanchlani first time collaborate for VMate Holi Movie

    Top YouTubers Bhuvan Bam and Ashish Chanchlani first time collaborate for VMate Holi Movie

    Mumbai: In a bid to standout and garner more attention in this year’s Holi, India’s top YouTubers Bhuvan Bam and Ashish Chanchlani will be together for the first time, to present something new to their fans. The two YouTube stars, along with Haryanvi performer Sapna Chaudhary of Bigg Boss fame, will feature in a special Holi film, produced by VMate, a trending short video app.

    Popular for their quirky content, both the YouTubersare seen as competitors and always vying for the top position.Bhuvan Bam, the first solo Indian YouTuber to cross the 10-million and 15-million subscriber marks, tops all YouTubers’s list and endorses a few established products on television. Ashish Chanchlani on the other hand is the mass favourite, loved by audience for his hilarious and slapstick comedy.

    Talking about the association, VMate Associate Director Nisha Pokhriyal said, “Holi is celebrated in India with great fervour and to make the festival even more special for our users, we are bringing country’s top YouTubers Bhuvan Bam and Ashish Chanchlani together for the first time to make a short film together. Inclusion of Sapna Chaudhary in the campaign would be an add-on to the fun dose. We are very excited about the magic outcomes they three created together and this film is just a start of VMate’s Holi campaign. I can assure our users that VMate’s Holi campaign would be an unprecedented experience for them.”

    With similar exciting campaigns in the past, VMate has become a rage among youth across India. Users have won bumper prizes such as car, scooty, latest smartphones, etc, through their participation in the campaigns. Recently, VMate concluded its #HappyValentinesDay campaign in collaboration with Sunny Leone, which witnessed creation of more than 8.5 million videos. Even during the #VMateFilmistan campaign, over 7.8 lakh people won prizes worth Rs 2.65 crore.VMatealso gained popularity through its association with Nach Baliye Season 9. Many VMate creators, who are common people, are earning money with the help of videos and transforming their lives.

  • Hindi news genre gained growth in viewership last year

    Hindi news genre gained growth in viewership last year

    MUMBAI: Despite the overwhelming growth of digital platforms, television remains the most penetrated mass-medium in India. Although broadcasters battled worries like economic slowdown, the new tariff regime, the audience was not deprived of good programming. The entertainment segment saw returning seasons of Kaun Banega Crorepati, Bigg Boss along with popular fiction shows. Other important genres like sports and news were also full of attention-grabbing events like ICC Cricket World Cup, general election. 

    2019 has proved to be an action-packed period for the news channels leading more people to watch news. General Election, ICC Cricket World Cup, State Elections, terror strikes and counter measures,Rammandir Verdict, CAA-NRC issue – a bouquet of important events has helped the Hindi news genre to garner the highest viewership in 2019.

    In the Hindi Speaking Market (HSM), Hindi News genre has seen the highest growth in viewership, 26 per cent rise from 2018. Other than Hindi News, Sports genre has witnessed an increase of 22 per cent in 2019. While the year was eventful for the news genre, cricket content including international tournaments, T-20 leagues has definitely worked as a catalyst for the sports viewership growth.

    During the year, Hindi GEC genre has contained hit shows both in scripted and non-scripted format including Kundali Bhagya, Naagin, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Kaun Banega Crorepati, Big Boss. But despite having good fiction shows and new formats, the genre has struggled to grow its viewership in the year. According to data, Hindi GEC viewership has experienced a fall of 23 per cent in viewership.

    Overall the year was a challenging one for the broadcast industry due to implementation of new tariff regime, economic slowdown. While the two factors have affected the entire ecosystem- the niche genres have struggled most, especially due to the new tariff order. The viewership of hindi movies, hind music genre has fallen by 21 per cent and 9 per cent respectively.

    Among the leading HSM channels, Aaj Tak, Sony Max, Star Sports 1 Hindi, were able to maintain their leadership in the respective genres. However, Aaj Tak which has been leading the Hindi News genre since last 19 years, is only National channel to maintain top position throughout the 52 weeks. Star Plus has emerged as the leading channel in Hindi GEC genre replacing Star Bharat with 15 per cent growth. At the same time, B4U Music has replaced Masti to lead the Hindi Music genre with a 12 per cent growth.

     

  • Colors gears up for 2020

    Colors gears up for 2020

    MUMBAI: Colors is all set for an action packed 2020. The beginning of the year will witness the finale of its successful nonfiction property Bigg Boss. Post Bigg Boss, the channel will strengthen up its weekend slot by bringing another season of reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi. While in fiction format the channel will also launch two new shows Nati Pinky and Barrister Babu at the beginning of the year. 

    “As we prepare for a stronger year, Colors will continue presenting bold, disruptive and empowering stories as well as bring alive endearing characters. The strengthening our weekend slot will be the brand-new season of Khatron Ke Khiladi which has been shot in Bulgaria this time. The season will yet again have celebrities from all walks of life, fighting and overcoming their biggest fear while returning as the host would be the taskmaster, Rohit Shetty. On the fiction front, we have two very compelling stories Naati Pinky and Barrister Babu which will be launched in early 2020,” said Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV head Nina Elavia Jaipuria.

    “The first half of 2019 saw a lot of changes in terms of policies and norms with the implementation of NTO resulting in a paradigm shift within the industry. Not only policies but also the evolving taste preferences of the viewers created a challenging atmosphere for broadcasters. But it also won’t be wrong to say that the market is large enough to accommodate varied content. This has happened due to the growing audience as well as the diverse tastes amongst them. We had shows that worked well and resonated strongly with the audience while a few of them did not hit the right chord and were pulled off-air,” said Nina Elavia Jaipuria. 

    She further said, “But we have always believed in breaking out of the monotony and present refreshing storylines and we continued to do so right from the beginning of the year. While we started the year with the power-packed finale of Bigg Boss and launch of a phenomenal season of Khatron Ke Khiladi, we subsequently launched a strong line up of new fiction offerings including Choti Sarrdaarni, Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush, Vidya with the recent being Shubharambh and Naagin further strengthening the prime-time slots. Our focus has been to build character affinity and present stories that connect with people at every level.”

    The channel says that with two shows in top 10 fiction and Bigg Boss being number 1 non-fiction in the industry, the channel ended the year on a high note by being no 2 in all day prime time. The year started with the finale of an outstanding season of Khatron Ke Khiladi and ending with the current season of Bigg Boss being one of the top non-fiction properties in the industry. Strong fiction properties like Choti Sarrdaarni, Vidya and Shakti have propelled the channel's growth and strengthened its position by being the slot leaders. Apart from this our newly launched fiction offering Shubharambh has made a promising opening. In 2019, viewers also witnessed and enjoyed two of the biggest Bollywood extravaganzas on COLORS- IIFA and Filmfare. With the end of this year, it also brought back television’s most popular fantasy fiction, Naagin Bhagya Ka Zehreela Khel.

  • Marketing innovations help COLORS achieve 30+ accolades in 2019

    Marketing innovations help COLORS achieve 30+ accolades in 2019

    MUMBAI: As the 2019 year comes to an end, COLORS, the Viacom18’s flagship brand in the entertainment space, recounts marketing innovations that were executed to engage the audience and create a cohesive viewing experience.

    COLORS not only built and enhanced consumer engagements across platforms but also won 30 + awards across categories. It created remarkable cultural touchpoints, driving unique social media engagement along with the best use of technology.

    Viacom18’s marketing and digital head – Hindi mass entertainment Sapangeet Rajwant said: “It has been a wonderful year and we have achieved many milestones by launching path-breaking campaigns for our show. We shaped our marketing activities with the help of emerging technology, methods, and patterns to connect with consumers most effectively.”

    Rajwant further said, “We have created engagement-based campaigns with the help of AR filters, Holograms and grass-root level activities to give viewers a firsthand experience. Our success was influenced by inspiring and thought-provoking storylines that resonated with the audience.”

    COLORS  was launched on 21 July 2008, as a combination of ‘emotions’ and ‘variety’, offers an entire spectrum of emotions to its viewers. Here is a look at some of the noteworthy marketing campaigns of 2019 undertaken by brand:

    On-ground activations:

    For the launch of its mythological show, Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush, a rendition of the epic Ramayan, COLORS designed a disruptive marketing campaign integrated with technology. A closeted holy abode, Bhakti Ki Yatra, was created along with a stellar structure that gave people Sakshat Darshan of our Ram, Sita, Luv and Kush through Hologram technology.

    Led by a larger than life structure of ‘Luv Kush controlling the Ashwamegh’ made for a great photo opportunity and was flagged off in the presence of national media in Lucknow and trailed across Kanpur, Agra, Allahabad and Varanasi – giving viewers a glimpse of the show

    For its fiction offering Choti Sarrdaarni which is set against the backdrop of Punjab, COLORS brought alive the essence of heartland through its marketing innovations. In the hot summers, Sikhs gather in public areas to distribute chilled, flavoured ‘chabeel’.

    Taking a cue from this insight, a Choti Sarrdaarni branded mobile van was created to ply the streets of Punjab and NCR, distributing packaged rose-flavored lassi. LED screens were put up on the vans displaying the show's promos to generate buzz around it.  The vans were led by a bike rally of Sardaarnis dressed in traditional attire, Paranda and Kada, accompanied by Dhol beats bringing alive the theme of the show

    For the social drama, Vidya, based on a strong and socially relevant concept, the channel initiated a Vidya Daan programme wherein boxes were kept outside trade media publications’ offices and the employees were urged to donated books and stationery to the ones in need

    Building on community engagement, the channel has devised a ‘Kismat Ka Shubharambh’ life-size board game activity which was specially designed game of Sajhedaari (partnership) planned in 4 cities in Uttar Pradesh (Varanasi, Agra, Lucknow, and Kanpur). 

    The game tested the compatibility of each of the players as well as their ability to excel as business partners at various points in the game. It also had advantage points like a Double Bonanza Risk and Kismat ki Chakri which gave the players a chance to increase the price of money as well.

    The winners were gratified with exciting prizes. As a part of integration with Pinkathon, the 21-kilometer couple run was re-christened as ‘Raja Rani 21-Km Run’ after the names of the lead characters of the show

    Joining in the cricket frenzy during IPL, COLORS gave its viewers a chance to win tickets to watch Mumbai Indians play LIVE at the stadium. The fans had to participate in and score big by logging on to the interactive microsite, www.colorspremierleague.com, and answer a few simple questions daily during the match timings.

    With every right answer, they were able to score runs and win Mumbai Indians and COLORS merchandise. Also, a few lucky ones also won tickets to watch Mumbai Indian matches from the stand and an all-expense-paid trip to watch the final match of the season

    Curated to bring cinema closer to its viewers, COLORS Cineplex launched UP’s first solar-enabled theatre Electro COLORS Cineplex at the Nauchandi Mela this year. With a promise to provide unceasing entertainment, an enclosed theatre capacitated with solar panels and comfortable seating was built to facilitate non-stop and on-the-go entertainment for the viewers.

    Apart from the movie screening, the audience also got an opportunity to make complete use of the solar-powered mobile charging units to charge their mobiles while watching movies. Moreover, mobile charging units with a contextual message were installed at strategic points across the mela ground for people to avail of the benefits.

    Digital and Social Media campaigns:

    COLORS emphasized on technology as a way to drive engagement and spark conversations to make Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush relevant for the youth. For instance, it forged the first partnership between an Indian General Entertainment Channel and Google and created a ‘Twitter Setu’ – by getting influencers to reply to a single tweet and creating the illusion of a bridge or a virtual Ram Setu.

    They also collaborated with UC browser and Google Assistance to give more impetus to the overall campaign. As a part of the digital initiative for Choti Sarrdaarni, the channel along with Jam8 launched an upbeat music anthem celebrating the spirit and swag of true Sarrdaarnis featuring the lead of the show, Nimrit Kaur alongside Punjabi artist Sara Gurpal

    Taking the influencer engagement further, for its fiction offering Shubharambh, COLORS separated a pair of shoes and sent them to two different influencers. They were then asked to find their ‘sole’mate by posting an image of the shoe using the hashtag, #EkAurEkGyarah, and track that hashtag to find out their partner. The activity not only generated relevant conversation but also brought alive the concept of the show 

    For Bigg Boss’s latest season, social media content packaged to encourage conversations resulted in the show spiking the COLORS’ monthly share of voice on digital to 85% across the category, peaking at 94% during the first week of December.

    Executing weekly engagement activities like innovative AR filters, polls and sentiment tapping on digital led to over 4 billion impressions and 1 billion video views in just a month – all organic and the highest ever for any Bigg Boss season.

  • VOOT garners 7.5 billion minutes of watchtime in October

    VOOT garners 7.5 billion minutes of watchtime in October

    MUMBAI: In a world where loyalty is a diminishing commodity, Viacom18’s Advertising video-on-demand (AVOD) platform VOOT has emerged as the most preferred premium OTT service with a fiercely loyal fanbase of 80 million Monthly Active Users (across multiple platforms ), and a phenomenal 65 per cent growth in watch-time month on month.

    With 7.5 billion minutes of watch-time (as per the latest third-party source App Annie, Oct ’19) on the app, VOOT’s watch-time is more than the combined watch-time of its nearest AVOD competitors. Not just that, as per the report, the platform engagement of VOOT at 29% (as measured by the average Daily Active Users to Monthly Active Users ratio) and time spent of 50 mins per day per user makes it the No. 1 premium AVOD platform in the OTT category on engagement. This shows that when it comes to brand love & viewer loyalty, viewers in India have made a clear choice.

     “Driving consistent engagement is the holy grail that we all at VOOT constantly focus on. And our fundamental belief is that in this age, businesses need to converge data and technology with impeccable storytelling to drive consumer engagement – and do it every single time – to earn, not buy, loyalty. Everything else is noise. And our persistence and single-minded focus on driving this ambition has created a unique and a superlative experience for our consumers on our platform. The massive 7.5 billion minutes of watch-time on app last month is a testimony to the success of this belief and is sure to help establish a long-lasting relationship with the audiences.” VOOT AVOD business head Akash Banerji said.

    The stupendous growth in the scale of this loyalty has come on the back of Voot’s consistent focus on offering a massive depth of premium content across genres, languages, formats and content duration.  Vernacular content in particular has played a pivotal role in driving this massive growth, growing at more than 2X over last year and contributing close to one-fourth of total consumption on the platform.

     Driving share of attention on the back of blockbuster reality content has always been VOOT’s forte and Bigg Boss this year, across languages, has packed an even bigger punch. The latest season of Colors’ Bigg Boss Hindi on VOOT that offers a plethora of interactivity features, first time a live magazine show right from the studios  and a massive roster of exclusive not-seen-on TV content, has led to the creation of a strong & loyal  ‘Asli Fan’ base on VOOT. The show with a nearly 1 billion views, has become the biggest digital entertainment property, India has ever seen.

    It is this reach and loyalty that has ensured that advertisers have made VOOT an integral part of their outreach and engagement plan.  Enhanced and immersive user experiences and continued audience patronage is driving VOOT towards new echelons of growth.

  • How ‘Bigg Boss’, ‘Chhoti Sardarni’ are driving Colors to the top

    How ‘Bigg Boss’, ‘Chhoti Sardarni’ are driving Colors to the top

    MUMBAI: Reality TV shows have practically dominated television in recent years, but do channels really benefit by airing cost-intensive, star-studded, high-impact shows?

    Colors Hindi – the GEC from the Viacom18 stable – seems to know the answer. And the answer is Bigg Boss.

    In its thirteenth season, the Salman Khan-hosted show has once again helped the channel reclaim the top position in BARC India week 45 ratings in HSM urban prime time slot, with decent help from Chhoti Sardarni, which that completed 100 episodes earlier this month.

    Launched on 29 September, Bigg Boss opened with a viewership of 6.9 million, making it the second-best launch in the category (year to date FY20 – YTD FY20). However, as the show progressed and viewers got familiar with the new contestants in its latest edition, its viewership saw a positive rally. Within six weeks of its launch, Biggg Boss has already reached 139 million viewers across India, according to data provided by the channel team.

    In the latest two weeks – BARC week 44 and week 45 (26 October to 8 November) – data for which is available, Bigg Boss has emerged as  the number 1 non-fiction show on weekends and the undisputed slot leader on weekdays with 27 per cent market share in HSM Urban 2+ and 29 per cent market share in AB 15+ category.

    Bigg Boss is not only leading its slot  (weekdays 2230 to 2330; weekends 2100 to 2200) but its huge-viewership during the last two weeks has also helped Colors regain the much-coveted number 1 spot in the crowded Hindi GEC market, according to channel data. 

    On the weekends, however, as seen in the picture above, Bigg Boss is facing stiff competition from Sony’s Indian Idol and The Kapil Sharma Show.

    Speaking on the success of Bigg Boss Season 13, Viacom18 chief content officer Hindi mass entertainment Manisha Sharma says: “Bigg Boss is doing very well – its popularity has only increased with the years. It opened with a viewership of 6.9 million on HSM Urban and has already reached over 140 million Indians, which is a very big number. On digital as well, the show is getting amazing numbers.  It’s the second-best launch this year in non-fiction shows.”

    Notably, Bigg Boss has also helped Viacom18 in getting more eye-balls on Voot. “Voot had nearly 60 million monthly users. But since the launch of Bigg Boss, that number has shot to 80 million. Bigg Boss Kannada is also getting a lot of traction on Voot,” reveals Sharma.

    She is also upbeat about reality shows despite the high-input capital required in their production.

    “Reality shows are high-impact properties and almost every network in the world is investing in them. They generate a lot of impact and grab eyeballs, which attract big sponsors. Colors is doing very well with its impact properties. There is Bigg Boss, Fear Factor – Khatron ke Khiladi, Rising Star, and Dance Deewane. All these shows are doing very well.”

    Colors ratings, however, have also been helped by a decent performance by Chhoti Sardarni. Based in a small village, Choti Sardaarni narrates the story of Meher, who is fighting for the rights and safety of her child. It has emerged as the number 1 show on Colors and is also a slot leader (weekdays 1930-2000), cornering a whopping 40 per cent market share in HSM Urban during BARC India week 42 – week 45. The show consistently features in the top five  fiction shows and became the number 1 fiction show in BARC India week 43 (17 October to 25 October).

    “Chhoti Sardarni has become the slot leader in its category within a short span of four months. It has finished 100 episodes but it feels like we have just started. The lead character, Meher already features in Ormax’s Top five loved characters and it happens to be the fastest character to enter the top 10 most loved characters across India on the Ormax characters India loves study. This is a testament to how much its characters are being loved by the viewers,” Sharma adds.

    Together, these two shows have helped Colors reclaim the top spot in Hindi GEC in week 45. Overall, from week 38 to week 45, Colors was the number two channel in Hindi GEC Urban category. 


     
    The Hindi GEC is a crowded space with the likes of Sony Entertainment, Sony SAB, Zee, Star Plus and Colors slugging it out for the top spot. While Colors was at the top spot in week 45, Sony and Star Plus aren’t much behind. In fact, all three channels (Sony, Star and Colors) have been at the top in Hindi GEC during the last two weeks, a testament to the tough competition in this category.

    Sharma has no qualms in acknowledging the tough competition in the Hindi GEC category.

    “Competition is tough in Hindi GEC but the stakes are even higher because of the size of the market. In a category like infotainment, the competition might be less, but then, revenue generation is also limited. On the contrary, Hindi GEC, despite being a highly-competitive and sometimes scary space, is a fun place to work as the size of the market is such that just the success of two to three  shows can guarantee you RoI,” she adds.

    For now, Bigg Boss and Chhoti Sardarni, are proving to be just that. And while Bigg Boss can only run for a limited time, Sharma is clear that Chhoti Sardarni has a long way to go.

    “Good shows like Kumkum and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai have run over 1000 episodes. We have similar plans for Chhoti Sardarni,” she adds. “The Hindi speaking market is very aspirational and I think our shows will be able to capture that sentiment.”

    Her tack seems to be working so far. And it can only mean a more colourful time for Colors in the days ahead. 
     

  • VOOT brings non-stop new entertainment from India’s biggest reality show “BIGG BOSS”

    VOOT brings non-stop new entertainment from India’s biggest reality show “BIGG BOSS”

    MUMBAI: 13 celebrity contestants, 1 House, 15 weeks, 1 winner and memories galore! Nations biggest entertainment show vivo V17 Pro presents BIGG BOSS is back on COLORS and India’s second largest premium AVOD platform VOOT is all set to make it bigger and better for its fans this year.  After the stupendous success of the last season on VOOT, the platform all set to once again unleash the power of fandom and garner a phenomenal billion plus views by bringing to life a diverse and immersive digital exclusive content slate around the national phenomena – BIGG BOSS.  As they say – “Asli fans hote hain fan se badkar, dekhte hain Bigg Boss sirf VOOT par.”

    This year asli fans of BIGG BOSS Season 13 is in for an enhanced digital viewing experience with a phenomenal mix of unseen content, new magazine shows, newer interactivity formats where they can stay connected with the show 24 X 7.  Fans can now stream several exclusive show extensions like UNSEEN UNDEKHA, CUTLESS, BIGG BUZZ and the all new VOOT NIGHT LIVE along with full episode of the show while also voting for their favourite contestants.  Staying true to its promises of entertaining viewers VOOT will present unlimited week– end fun with BIGG BUZZ featuring playful moments like MISHEARD CONVERSATIONS, INTERVIEW THAT WASN’T, BB BUZZ-ER and FAMILY’S TAKE, capturing every detailed insight on the show.  Further upping the entertainment quotient for BIGG BOSS’s asli fans will be VOOT NIGHT LIVE – BIGG BOSS EDITION, a first of its kind show that will be streamed live from the sets immediately post the episode on COLORS.

    The diverse and engaging content slate will see over 3500 exclusive content stacks across key Bigg Boss being created providing an augmented viewing experience for the VOOT user.  The BIGG BOSS experience will be made further special for fans with   a slew of new and fun interactivity formats like voting, Video Vichar, VOOT Chugli Booth, pulse meter and others that will them to be a part of their favourite show. The slate has also received significant patronage from a slew of advertisers, who have joined the chorus of Bigg Boss on VOOT through partnering across various content around content properties.   The current edition of Bigg Boss on VOOT has an array of Digital Sponsors ranging from online platforms like Ace2Three, Swiggy, Flipkart and Revv Cars, to varied advertisers across categories like beverage (DSP Black), packaged food  (Doritos) and QSR (KFC),  helping drive engagement and build resonance and reach for  each of these brands. With a host of interactive solutions and customized, scalable brand associations across VOOT exclusive shows like Bigg Buzz and VOOT Night Live etc, offering is larger than life experience this year.

    Commenting on the popularity of BIGG BOSS, Akash Banerji, Head – AVOD Business, VOOT said “BB over the multiple seasons has managed to create a massive fandom in this country and the fans wait for the new season with bated breath. This year’s edition on VOOT is an extravaganza for the asli fans with a slew of exclusive content clips, new magazine shows, unique interactivity formats all with the aim to drive satiate their appetite. The 100-day festival on VOOT is equally compelling for advertisers & brands across categories as the show on the platform will see massive scale and exponential increase in watch time. Partnering with COLORS, this heady mix of crazy fans, exciting brands & new-age advertisers on the back of unique & exclusive offerings around the show is going to make Bigg boss bigger than any other entertainment property in India. Our exclusive fan-anthem around ‘alsi fans’ created by Orchard encapsulates this unbelievable spirit around the show for the next 100 days.”

    The exclusive segments, over and above the full episodes, curated for BIGG BOSS on VOOT include:

    UNSEEN UNDEKHA: An exclusive space of unheard conversations, games and a close eye on the contestants, which didn’t appear on TV. UNSEEN UNDEKHA offers a daily, exclusive view into the lives of the contestants as they survive their journey in the Bigg Boss house.

    CUTLESS – A favourite with the loyal Bigg Boss fans, CUTLESS provides complete access to watch the unedited action and drama around the game changing events inside the Bigg Boss house. With the show exploring larger boundaries this year, this segment will keep you at the edge-of-your-seat.

    VOOT NIGHT LIVE – The viewer’s opinions will not go unheard. The newest LIVE segment – BB NIGHT LIVE around Bigg Boss will air every night, right after the show telecast. BB NIGHT LIVE will be a fun and casual banter between 2 ex-contestants or social media influencers will have converse on the current episode. Fan’s take on the episode will also be integrated in the live interaction.

    HELO PRESENTS BIGG BUZZ –The intensity around the show will increase with all new BIGG BUZZ presented by Helo, a fun weekend social media round-up show. Showcasing a creative spin-off around the show, the segment – ‘Interview that wasn’t’ will feature a cartoon caricature of a celebrity being interviewed about their views on Big Boss. Another segment will include a Bigg Boss footage creating with a humorous twist when the different situations from the show are dubbed and featured under the label – ‘Misheard conversations.’ There also be – ‘BB Buzz-er’ – where a recurring humorous character will come every episode with exclusive insights about the show. Lastly, the segment – ‘Family’s Take’ will reveal the opinions of family members of the contestants right after they indulge in a controversy or a fight on the show.