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Tag: Comedy Nights with Kapil

  • Colors regains it second position by dislodging Zee TV

    Colors regains it second position by dislodging Zee TV

    MUMBAI: In the week 07 of TAM TV ratings, most of the general entertainment channels (GECs) have witnessed a drop in its ratings. However, Colors has a reason to rejoice as it has regained its second position after being at number three for few weeks. In fact, the channel crossed the 500-million mark and recorded 503,993 GVTs, up from 424,431 GVTs last week.

     

    The two differentiated programmes on the channel – India’s Got Talent and Comedy Nights with Kapil (CNWK) saw a huge rise in the number of viewership with 6,559 TVTs (5,876 TVTs) and 9,088 TVTs (7,300 TVTs) respectively.

     

    Star Plus strongly stood at number one. Though it maintained its 700-million mark for the second consecutive week, it saw a drop as it scored 701,715 GVTs (728,231 GVTs). Apparently, Star Plus’ epic series Mahabharat saw a drop in its viewership with 7,489 TVTs (7,850 TVTs). The channel aired Star GIMA Awards on 9 February (Sunday), which received a decent response and fetched 4,275 TVTs.

     

    Zee TV slipped to number three with 457,282 GVTs down from 495,313 GVTs in the previous week. Its fiction properties saw a fall in its ratings. While Aur Pyaar Hogaya reported 4,918 TVTs (5,129 TVTs), Bh se Bhade scored 1,171 TVTs (1,492 TVTs) a week earlier.  

     

    Life OK remains at the fourth position with 327,726 GVTs (343,882 GVTs). Sab, at fifth, scored 297,178 GVTs (291,599 GVTs).

     

    Sony, at the sixth place, registered 274,603 GVTs, up from 251,650 GVTs a week earlier. Its kids dance reality show Boogie Woogie Kids Championship seems to be doing quite well as it marked 2,390 TVTs (1,721 TVTs).

     

    Sahara One fetched 37,219 GVTs, down from 35,896 GVTs last week.

     

    In the movie genre, Zee Cinema had 191,065 GVTs in week 7, up from 135,896 GVTs; Star Gold 188,923 GVTs, down from 193,648 GVTs; Movies OK 139,482 GVTs, up from 134,400 GVTs; &pictures 74,452 GVTs, down from 83,200 GVTs; Zee Anmol 65,506 GVTs, down from 79,408 GVTs and Max 205,926 GVTs, down from 206,080 GVTs.

  • Star Plus to extend weekday fiction to Saturday?

    Star Plus to extend weekday fiction to Saturday?

    MUMBAI: There’s heaps of buzz going around leading Hindi General Entertainment Channel (GEC) Star Plus that, many say, is all set to offer an extra dose of fiction to its viewers. It has been learnt that once the curtains come down on its weekend dance reality show – Nach Baliye 6 – the channel will extend its primetime weekday fiction band as its replacement on the weekend too.

     

    Thus viewers will be in a position to watch episodes of its hugely successful shows which air between early prime (6:00 pm) to late prime time (11:30 pm) on Saturdays too.

     

    This, sources say, is going to continue till the channel comes up with another weekend show. Last year, its rival Colors too had extended its weekday programmes (between 7:30 and 9:00 pm) to the weekend once its singing reality show Sur-Kshetra ended.

     

    Sunday nights will, however, see the debut of standup comic Sunil Grover with his own hour-long show with a character called Chutki. Sunil’s character Gutthi on Colors’ Comedy Nights with Kapil had become a phenomenon of sorts, and hence he decided to break away and produce his own show – something which caused a lot of heartburn to Colors and Kapil. Chutki – which will see Sunil once again in drag – is being produced by Keylight Productions. Filming has begun in Trombay, close to the television production capital of Mumbai.

     

    The shows that are being extended till Saturday include Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon, Ek Ghar Banaunga, Saath Nibhaana Saathiya, Saraswatichandra, Meri Bhabhi, Mahabharat, Diya Aur Bati Hum, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyara Pyara, Veera and Ye Hai Mohabbatein.

     

    While most Star India’s producers have agreed to churn out extra episodes, it is learnt from an industry source that those producing early prime time series, have yet to sign on the dotted line, for reasons best known to them.

     

    Producers of popular shows – Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and epic series Mahabharat – Rajan Shahi and Siddharth Tewary respectively confirm to indiantelevision.com that they now have to start producing one extra episode every week. They say that it is going to be hectic, but are geared up for it.

     

    Star Plus business head Gaurav Banerjee was unavailable for comment, but industry experts say the move will help Star Plus add big bucks straight to its bottomline, as costs for fiction are a fraction of non-fiction reality shows. Hence the returns on its investment are quite likely to be big for Star Plus.

     

    Media professionals are, however, divided on whether extending fiction to the weekend will give a boost to Star Plus’ viewership as during the weekend the audience wants to break away from the monotony and experience something different. Lodestar UM vice president Deepak Netram remarks: “The audience during the weekend is different from the week days. More male members and kids are among the viewers and they may not be open to the idea of watching the daily soaps. There are chances that the channel will lose out on its audience. But the regular audience of the daily soaps will continue watching their favourite programmes.”

     

    However, another media planner and buyer looks at it differently. On condition of anonymity, he says: “This should see Star Plus’ TVTs going up on a weekly basis. Remember, fiction shows have the highest stickiness, even higher than non-fiction, which comes in as tent-pole properties to generate spikes in viewership. The fiction shows already have a loyal group of viewers who will undoubtedly tune in even on Saturdays as they will want to stay connected with what’s happening with the story lines.  Therefore, it will be easy for Star Plus’ sales team to rope in the existing advertisers on these shows over the weekend telecast too. I see it as a win-win situation for the channel.”

  • The character of a channel

    The character of a channel

    Producing a television programme in India is strange business these days. A channel’s research and development team comes up with an idea/concept and asks a producer to develop it further into a show which can be put on air. The production house’s creative directors and writers then do a lot of brainstorming and pitch the developed idea to the channel’s creative and commissioning team. The latter then give inputs to the producer and his team, who then go on to further fine-tune it to what the channel wants. There’s a lot of give and take of creative ideas between the two teams before the show goes on air.

    It gets even more interesting after the show starts airing: more often than not, the channel’s creative folks start directing the producer’s team to make changes based on what is working with viewers based on TRPs. Frequently, the production house ends up being a glorified line producer with the title of producer. Normally, he or she surrenders all the rights and IPR inherent (read: copyright) in the programme to the channel for a fixed one time per episode production fee. This is unlike in other more mature television markets where creation or co-creation entitles you to some royalties of fees – often times in perpetuity. 

    With this background in mind, let us take a look at the recent case of involving Viacom18’s Colors. It issued a public notice in the newspapers earlier this week saying whosoever attempts to launch or be associated with its show, Comedy Nights with Kapil’s comic character ‘Gutthi’ will be taken to court.

    Sources say Sunil decided to part ways because of creative differences and his remuneration, because he thought he deserved more. And another channel was willing to give him what he wanted. Colors took this extreme step because there were rumours, nay even talks going on between Sunil Grover and another rival Hindi channel to develop a show with a similar character as the comedian portrayed in Comedy Nights with Kapil. Produced by Kapil’s K9 Productions along with the Fazilla Allan-Kamna Menezes run SOL Productions, the comedy with its fresh feel and look and gaff lines had taken the nation by storm. In fact, it had given Colors a powerful shot of TVTs, and made both Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover who plays Gutthi household names. 

    Not surprisingly, Colors’ fired a notice in the newspapers. It read: “A certain artiste and a stand-up comedian associated with the programme Comedy Nights with Kapil aired on Colors television channel is planning to launch or be associated with other shows, wherein the said artiste is likely to perform the character of ‘Gutthi’ or use the mannerisms and characteristic features of ‘Gutthi’ or any other character played by the artiste in the said programme.”

    Ever since, many in the industry have been drawing parallels with numerous instances wherein television channels, particularly entertainment, have been overtly possessive about their actors when moving from one channel to the other or quitting a show mid-way.For instance, when actor Giaa Manek, who rose to popularity with her portrayal of Gopi bahu in Star Plus’s Saath Nibhana Saathiya, decided to participate in a reality dance show on Colors, Star Plus revoked her contract and replaced her with another actor.

    Ditto with Ratan Rajput, who made it big as Laali in Zee TV’s Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo. She decided to be part of Imagine’s reality show Ratan Ka Rishtaa even before Agle Janamwrapped-up. While the producers of Agle Janam, Swastik Pictures, had extended the series for a few months, Rajput landed in trouble as she had already accepted the proposal for Ratan Ka Rishtaa. It snowballed into a fight with Zee TV threatening to slap a case against Rajput if she left Agle Janam before it ended as she had signed a contract with the channel.

    Most of the time, the law comes into play much later but channels and production houses prevent their popular characters/actors from venturing into any other show. Like Mohit Raina, who plays the titular character in Life OK’s Mahadev, is not allowed to act in any other series as ‘the audience would lose interest in his character’. Even Karan Singh Grover, who plays Asad Khan in Qubool Hai, is given an exclusivity fee by Zee TV to discourage him from bolting to any other channel. 

    TV channels also resort to prohibiting their actors from revealing their true identity in public. For example, Mona Singh, who played Jassi in Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi, for months made public appearances in braces and a pair of obsolete spectacles just to keep audience interest in ‘Jassi’ alive and ticking. In a similar vein, there were reports about actor Gurmeet Choudhary’s early ouster from a dance reality show in 2012 as he wasn’t performing too well and prolonged participation would have hampered his popularity on another fictional show.Then again, there have been instances in the past where popular characters have reprised their acts in other shows across channels without anyone taking exception. For example, Bharti Singh, who rose to fame with her Lalli act in Star One’s Laughter Challenge, has frequently revisited her character on other shows and no one’s made a noise about it.

    Ditto for child comic Saloni Daini, who has repeated her Gangubai act on various platforms. For that matter, even Kapil Sharma, who has reprised Shamsher Singh from Sony’s Comedy Circus on Colors’ Comedy Nights with Kapil. 

    As far as specialised events like awards airing on a rival channel go, at times the Hindi GECs have insisted that actors go dressed in the character garb that they wear on screen. On other occasions, they have simply refused to let any of their actors even be seen on the awards show, thinking they would increase the TVTs of a rival channel.

    Clearly, broadcasters and creators have sent out mixed signals: at times they have been firm about how much they are willing to yield; at others they have not done anything and watched mutedly as actors have gone about doing as they please. 

    Hence, the Colors vs Sunil ‘Gutthi’ Grover case could end being a landmark one. That is if Colors pursues what it believes in to the end.

  • Will the new Gutthi work?

    Will the new Gutthi work?

    Even as Sunil ‘Gutthi’ Grover’s recent exit from Colors’ popular show, Comedy Nights with Kapil, continues to be grist for rumour mills, the latest development flies in the face of all speculation that ‘Gutthi’ will no longer be part of the series.

    Promos doing the rounds since last week on the channel show Palak, Gutthi’s on-screen sister, searching high and low for the missing Gutthi didi, leading us at indiantelevision.com to believe that while Grover is out, Gutthi may return, with some other actor playing the part.

    This wouldn’t be the first such instance when a popular TV character has been replaced. But examples from the past such as Smriti ‘Tulsi’ Irani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kavita ‘Inspector Chandramukhi Chautala’ Kaushik in FIR go to show that whenever actors who play important characters walk out from the show, they are either brought back on public demand or the show’s popularity dips because they are no longer part of it.

    With this background in mind, we spoke to a cross-section of industry to understand whether the new ‘Gutthi’ would fill the void left by Grover’s ouster.

     Said Big Synergy director Anita Kaul Basu: “The original is the original. You might do variations to it, but it is actually the original that stays. It is how a person as an actor plays that character. He brings in his own individuality. One can bring ten other people with the same name, but it is this guy who has made the difference with a personal and intimate approach. There is only one ‘Gutthi’ and that is Sunil Grover. You can get 10 other ‘Gutthi’s’ but that is not going to cut ice.”

    On the other hand, media planners are of the view that the show is more important than its characters. They spoke of actress Ketki Dave, best known for her turn as Daksha ‘a ra ra ra’ Virani and how Kyunki… survived for eight long years even after she quit the soap.

    Madison Media COO Karthik Lakhsminarayan echoed similar views. “This kind of female character never lasts long. Lots of cases keep on happening but consumers keep such cases aside and move on. Finally, the show is larger than any individual. People do not worry about all this; of course, they are affected for some time, but that is not the end of the story. It is the show that holds audiences and not the character,” he said.

    But won’t Comedy Nights with Kapil, currently clocking 7,000-8,000 TVTs, lose its charm without Grover? “It all depends on who the new actor is. You cannot predict it at all. But it is not even impossible; anybody can take anybody’s place. It definitely depends on who’s doing it and how he plays with the character. Of course, nobody can copy him; nobody can do whatever he has done. By contrast, you never know the one who comes might be better than him or as good as him. In the past too, we have seen a lot of characters being replaced – all established performers,” reasoned Sunshine Productions producer Sudhir Sharma.

    Drawing a parallel to another chart-leading Colors’ show,Baalika Vadhu, he said: “In Baalika Vadhu, when Anandi was replaced, people thought the show might go off-air, but if you look at the show now, it is doing extremely well. It is the chart-topper. Add to that, Ganga too has now been replaced so it all depends on a case-to-case basis.”

    Comedy Circus, producer Vipul D Shah exults: “I always believe that it is the combination of an actor and the character. The show can get somebody better than Sunil. I am confident that the new actor will also be able to take ‘Gutthi’ to another level. Sunil has played this kind of role even Comedy Circus and he is fantastic. At the end of the day we are talking about mannerism, dialogue delivery and characterization. If the new character has all these elements, it will grow as popular as Sunil. You know that nobody can do better than ‘Gutthi’, but suddenly you realise that there is a replacement to the character and as an audience you have to accept whatever comes along our way.”

    According to sources, Grover, who charmed his way into audiences’ hearts as the original ‘Gutthi’ of Comedy Nights with Kapil, quit the show over creative differences and Colors’ refusal to give him the remuneration hike he felt he deserved. When rumours surfaced that he was planning to launch a show on a rival Hindi GEC woven round ‘Gutthi’, Colors’ panicked and fired a public notice in leading newspapers saying whosoever attempted to launch or be associated in any way with ‘Gutthi’ would be dragged to court. The channel’s claim over a character from one of its shows attracted much debate till Grover went public saying he had every right over the character as he had created it in the first place.

    While we cannot comment on whether Colors is right or Grover, we can certainly wait and watch to see who fits into Grover’s rather large ‘Gutthi’ shoes…

  • Colors’ Kapil comedy turns to tragedy

    Colors’ Kapil comedy turns to tragedy

    MUMBAI: He’s been making waves with his unique brand of comedy on Colors and has emerged as an incomparable standup comic ever since his show Comedy Nights with Kapil broke on Colors a couple of months ago. But Kapil Sharma made news of a different kind on 25 September: the set on which his show was being filmed was burned to ashes on the Filmcity lots in Goregaon, Mumbai. As reports of the disaster spread, it sent chills down TV producers, directors’, actors’ and fans’ spines.

    Sharma is co-producing the series which has been generating substantial TVTs for Colors under his banner K9 Productions along with Zodiak group firm SOL Productions.

    Says the Indian Film and Television Producers Council co-chairman JD Majethia: “For the most part, we at the council have been urging our TV producer members to have adequate safety measures on the sets on which they are filming. Taking an insurance cover is essential, which I believe was taken in this case. We have also been telling our members that electric wiring should be done properly and checked periodically, right from the main switchboard, so that chances of sparking and any fire hazards are reduced. The unit has to ensure that there are adequate functional fire extinguishers in place. Thirdly, the electric cabin has to be very well-guarded. Fourthly, the light and the electric boys who are dealing with all this should be well-trained and extremely alert.”

    Adds Swastik Productions promoter and maker of one of India’s most expensive TV shows currently airing on Star Plus Mahabharat Siddharth Tewary: “When we make a set, lot of things are at stake and we firstly insure all the people who are working, we also insure the whole set in its entirety. We have to take care of all this sensitive things because we shoot on generators; we have to keep a check if it does not over-heat. Also keep a check at the security guards who are monitoring those things.”

    In the case of the fire on the Comedy Nights with Kapil set, only one of the two fire extinguishers was functional, which made all efforts by the filming crew to douse it pretty futile, reports say. By the time the fire engines and fire fighting crew arrived, the set was burnt to cinders. It was not the first time that a TV show’s sets have been destroyed in the whirlwind TV production that Mumbai has become. Recently, the sets of Zee TV’s Housewife Hai Sab Jaanti Hai were totaled thanks to a blaze.

    Estimates are that the Comedy Nights with Kapil calamity could lead to a production loss of anywhere from Rs 1 crore to as much as Rs 8-10 crore, depending on what was standing on the set when the fire broke out. The lower estimate takes into consideration that only the stage, set, wiring, cabling, costumes and long-used par-cans and moving head lights and other light fixtures were affected. But the losses number would climb if it emerges that HD cameras, the TV control room, and other fixtures were damaged in the fire. 

    Says a TV non-fiction producer: “Anyway the cameras would have been insured by Prime Focus or whosoever else they rented the cameras from. Even the lights and fixtures would have been similarly insured.”

    Adds a media expert: “TV producers have recently taken time to insure their productions for sums ranging from Rs 2 crore to as much as Rs 15-20 crore too. Premia for such insurance, ranges from as low as Rs 1 lakh to high as Rs 10 lakh depending on how high the insurance is going and for how long. Now the producers, the vendors and suppliers will have to put their claims before the insurance companies and cross their fingers hoping their claims will be honoured and they will get their dues. The insurance companies will investigate the accident thoroughly through their investigators, before coughing up.”

    The very popular Kapil seems to have taken the mishap in his stride. Speaking to Indiantelevision.com he says: “Jo Bhagwan ki marzi...(It is God’s wish) I was in Kolkata for a show on Tuesday. I was supposed to report for shooting for Comedy Nights with Kapil at noon on Wednesday. I decided to drive straight from the airport to the sets to avoid delay. Socha gaadi mein shooting ke beech mein sow loonga…Lekin yahan to maamla hi kuch aur tha. (I thought I would catch forty winks in on the drive to the sets…But fate decreed otherwise) . We will work harder and we’ll make sure we don’t miss a single episode.”

    What makes life easier for Kapil and SOL is that the episodes for this weekend are already in the can, thanks to the bank that the duo and the channel have been building. And what’s helping is that the number of episodes per week for the show have been halved to make way for the Anil Kapoor blockbuster 24.

    Both the SOL and Colors teams will have to quickly find an alternative set on which they can start filming for the weeks ahead. Or build a new one. Hectic times lie ahead for them. As they say there’s no business like show business!

  • Stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma is in Forbes India celebrity 100 list

    Stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma is in Forbes India celebrity 100 list

    MUMBAI: In a short span of time, stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma has made a place for himself in the industry and in the hearts of many Indians. Now, it is time for him to celebrate his success as the artiste whose show Comedy Nights With Kapil has kind of become a phenomenon in the country, has been listed in Forbes India’s “celebrity 100” list.

     

    Sharma has secured the 93rd position in the list while other popular TV stars like Ram Kapoor, Ronit Roy and Sakshi Tanwar have been placed below him, said the magazine’s official website.

     

    Kapil came in to the limelight after winning season three of the reality show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge. He has also featured in various seasons of Comedy Circus before starting his own production house K9 Productions under which he produces Comedy Nights with Kapil, aired on Colors.

     

    He has also been nominated alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Deepika Padukone for CNN IBN’s Indian of the Year (Entertainment).

     

    “Thank you god and my fans for making it possible…” Kapil posted on Twitter after the announcement.

     

    The show is India’s highest rated serial in the non-fiction category garnering viewership rating greater than reality flicks like KBC and Big Boss.

  • Spuul joins hands with IndiaCast

    Spuul joins hands with IndiaCast

    MUMBAI: Spuul, an online streaming service for Indian cinema and television shows has joined hands with IndiaCast, a Viacom18 and TV18 venture, to offer shows from Colors, MTV India and the ETV bouquet of channels to its subscribers.

    The deal allows Spuul to showcase hits like Comedy Nights with Kapil, Balika Vadhu, Uttaran, Sanskaar, Bani, Madhubala and Sasural Simar Ka from Colors and Timeout with Imam and Webbed from MTV India.

    Reaffirming Spuul’s brand promise of providing premium entertainment anytime, anywhere, Spuul CEO India Prakash Ramchandani said, “Colors and MTV are leading channels across the general entertainment and youth space in the Indian television market. By bringing shows of Colors, MTV India and ETV channels to our platform, we plan to give our users an instant and continued access to their favourite shows at their convenience. This association with IndiaCast only highlights our proposition of providing entertainment on the go.”

    Spuul users can now have unrestricted access to shows of Colors, MTV India and ETV channel on their PCs, iOS and Android smart phones and tablets.

    IndiaCast Media Distribution group CEO Anuj Gandhi said, “Spuul makes popular Indian entertainment content available on internet-connected devices through its platform. We are pleased to partner with Spuul to offer consumers our premium TV content and movies at their convenience, anytime, anywhere.”

    Spuul has consistently been expanding its content offering by partnering with leading entertainment houses. The platform also has popular shows from Star Plus like Mahabharat, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai among others along with a premium library of movies, evergreen TV shows and the latest blockbusters.

  • TV’s Diwali Dhamaka

    TV’s Diwali Dhamaka

    This Diwali, there’s enough and more to keep audiences entertained, with television channels set for a firecracker of a weekend.

    At Star TV, the celebrations started on 27 October and will reach a crescendo on 3 November; kicking off with a repeat of Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning film Life of Pi at 1pm, followed by a repeat of Star Diwali at 5pm, and Indian Television Awards 2013 from 9pm.

    Not to be left behind, Zee TV will telecast Diwali Dhamaka on 2 November, 7pm onward.

    The highlights of the show include: the Ram Leela act presented by child participants – Praneet, Zenith, Chinamay, Nihar, Aditya, Tejaswini and Honey – of the reality show India’s best Dramebaaz and DID Lil Masters – Jeet, Om, Shreya, Shalini and Rohan performing on numbers like Lungi Dance from Chennai Express, among others.

    Says ZEEL content head (Hindi GECs) Ajay Bhalwankar: “This year, we will wish our viewers a happy, healthy, prosperous and successful Diwali and New Year with Diwali Dhamaka. It aims to get every member in the family to have a smile on their face with its amazing and diverse line-up of acts. It’s a fitting celebration on the occasion of Diwali with all actors from Zee TV shows presenting performances to give an all new fresh dose of entertainment as the New Year is brought in.”

    Colors will run Diwali tracks across its shows including Balika Vadhu, Sanskaar, Comedy Nights with Kapil and Bigg Boss with actors wishing viewers a happy Diwali.

    Sab TV will telecast SAB Ka Diwali Mela – Andekha, Adbhut, Albela on 1 November, 9 pm onward.  

    The fun show will feature everyone, from the residents of Lapataganj to the courageous cops of Iman Chowki, from Gokuldham Society wasis to Chidiya Ghar’s humble Narayan family.

    Says Sab EVP & business head Anooj Kapoor: “We have always endeavoured to provide entertaining and engaging content to our viewers. This year, our two big initiatives SAB Ki Holi and SAB Ke Anokhe Awards garnered an overwhelming response resulting in high viewership. Continuing with our brand promise, Asli Maaza SAB Ke Saath Aata Hai, we are confident that SAB Ka Diwali Mela will offer our viewers an extravagant celebration that they can enjoy with their families.”

    If you thought GECs were the only ones in the fray, think again.

    Movie channels like MAX have changed their colour palette from 25 October, to be on-air till 9 November.

    1 November will see MAX’s Pataka Weekend with the telecast of Talaash (morning), Bajate Raho (afternoon), Yamla Pagla Deewana (evening) and Robot (prime time).

    2 November will see Bajate Raho (morning), Chak De India (afternoon), Mohabbatein (evening) and Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbaai Dobara (prime time).
    It’s a full plate on 3 November as well with Aashiqui 2 (morning), Rowdy Rathod (afternoon), Band Baaja Baraat (evening) and Dhoom 2 (prime time). 

    MAX aside, Zee Cinema will host the world television premiere of Phata Poster Nikhla Hero at 9 pm on 2 November while UTV Movies will telecast newbies like Race 2, ABCD, Himmatwala and Khiladi 786 while revisiting classics like Sarfarosh, Swarg, Aankhen and more.

    Coming to English movie channels: Movies Now will have blockbuster-packed days, starting 11am, 3 November. Some of the titles include Karate Kid, X-men Last Stand, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Unknown.

    Zee Studio is ready for its Diwali best with hits like Real Steel, I am number four, Pearl Harbour, Goal II, Pirates of the Caribbean– on Stranger Tides among others.

    From 1-3 November, ‘Studio Dynamites’ will bring action flicks 8 pm onward whereas Diwali day will see ‘Studio Binge’ – a marathon 8 am to 8pm day with five great movies back to back.

    On the digital front, Zee Studio plans to bring its #StudioDynamite campaign, where viewers have to watch out for explosions on their TV screens during the film, decode the message and tweet the correct answer with #StudioDynamite to win prizes.
    If GECs and movie channels are prepping to celebrate the festival of lights, kids’ channels aren’t far behind.

    Hungama TV’s Dusshera to Diwali special started on 14 October and will be on-air till 2 November, with movies including Shinchan Bungle in the Jungle, Luv Kushh and the Ghost Army, P5 – Pandaavas, Impy’s Wonderland and The Incredibles among others.

    Disney meanwhile will have a special episode of Best of Luck Nikki season 3 with the Singh Family on 3 November.

    POGO’s Diwali treat includes movies like Chhota Bheem Aur Ganesh In The Amazing Odyssey!, Kaalia Ke Chele Special, Gol Mol Gongol, Chhota Bheem Dholakpur To Khatmandu, Chatur Chetan and Hanuman & Friends Special every day from 28 October to 3 November at 12 pm.

    Says Turner International India senior director & network head Krishna Desai: “Chhota Bheem and the Shinobi Secret is a brand new special to air on POGO from 3 November at 12pm. This is not it; the channel makes this season absolutely spectacular by giving kids the chance to win amazing prizes by participating in Zabardasti Diwali Contest every day, 10am onward. The prizes include Digi-cams & smart phones.”

    On Cartoon Network, children can watch movies like Kid Krrish, Tom and Jerry in the Wizard of Oz, Oggy ki Olly and Krish Trish Baltiboy: The Battle of Wits, etc every day from 28 October to 3 November at 12pm.

    Adds Desai: “Oggy: I Love India is a brand new special that will premiere on 1 November at 12pm.”

    The Nickelodeon cluster (Nick, Nick Jr./Teen Nick and Sonic) too has a dhamakedar treat lined up for kids, promising a crackling yet safe Diwali.
    Nick will run new episodes of its shows Motu Patlu and Pakdam Pakdai apart from calling Diwali ‘Nickwali’ and bringing its popular Nicktoons together to sing Diwali jingles titled ‘Diwali Fungoli’.

    Like they say, music is the food of life, so play on… music channels too have jumped onto the Diwali bandwagon in a big way.

    9XM has launched a special video based on the concept of ‘light writing’, displaying trails of light in different forms, with a message to boot: ‘This Diwali Light it Up!’

    This apart, one of its animated characters Bheegi Billi will be seen in a new avatar called Billi Don while Bade Chote will open  their special Kaun Karega Bakwaas Season 3.

    Coming to Bollywood gossip channels like Zoom, it is ready with a string of new and exciting shows.

    A bevy of Bollywood stars including Sonakshi Sinha, Shahid Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Imraan Khan, Chitrangada Singh and Vivek Oberoi will grace the Zoom show, Planet Bollywood News, with episodes aired between 1-3 November at 7pm.

    Diwali eve will see the launch of a new show called 100 Crore Club at 8 pm. Starting 1 November, watch out for Zoom’s on-air lead contest called – ‘Watch More. Talk More’ powered by Freecharge. There are mobile free charges worth Rs 1.5 lakh to be won by viewers.

    UTV Stars will telecast special interviews with stars including Aditi Rao Hydari, Prateik Babbar, Tusshar Kapoor, Amrita Rao, Vivek Oberoi, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, Imran Khan, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone.
    On AXN, audiences can catch the all new series of Sherlock, Chosen and So you think you can dance season 10.

    With TV channels all set, the question remains are you ready for the bombarding of programmes.

  • Colors and Zee TV: close fight for no 2

    Colors and Zee TV: close fight for no 2

    MUMBAI: In week 41 of TAM TV ratings, all the Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) have seen a drop in their ratings. What was interesting though, was the close fight between Colors and Zee TV for the number two position in the TV ranking. Colors, won the race, with a slight margin, to claim its number two position with 407,337 GVTs after it shed 68,726 TVTs from last week’s rating. Not so far is Zee TV that recorded 406,987 GVTs (415,793).

     

    Star Plus continues to lead the panel with 464,989 GVTs (501,683). At number four is Life OK that maintains its stability with 344,750 (347,291) GVTs. Sony Entertainment Television ranks fifth this week with 313,411 GVTs (323,337). Sab goes to number six with 291,781 GVTs (317,170). Sahara one continues to be at the bottom with 33,705 GVTs (33,222).

     

    Star Plus, the chart topper, has seen a drop in the ratings for all its fiction shows. Thus, its popular show Diya aur Baati Hum scored 9,243 TVTs (9,911), Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai scored 6,032 TVTs (7,614), Pyar Ka Dard Hai reported 6,250 TVTs (7,708) and Saathiya registered 6,314 TVTs (7,237). Epic series Mahabharat too witnessed a drop in its fourth week and scored 4,523 TVTs (4,909).

     

    Second placed, Colors’ long running fiction series Balika Vadhu saw a slight drop in its ratings and marked 6,624 TVTs (6,759), Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon scored 4,157 TVTs (4,519) and Uttaran reported 3,252 TVTs (4,056). Comedy Nights with Kapil reported 6,518 TVTs (4,462). Much hyped reality show 24, too saw a drop and scored 2,625 TVTs (3,134).

     

    Third placed, Zee TV’s fictional offering Qubool Hai witnessed a drop and scored 5,676 TVTs (6,003). Pavitra Rishta generated 4,196 TVTs (4,646). Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke secured 5,085 TVTs (6,490). The channel’s historical show Jodha Akbar noted 8,777 TVTs (9,337). Drama series Do Dil Bandhe Ek Dori Se registered 5,104 TVTs (5,696). Its dance reality DID – Dance ka Tashan took its tally to 3,172 TVTs (3,870) on a Saturday and 3,056 TVTs (3,707) on a Sunday.
    Fourth placed, Life OK’s top mythological series Mahadev scored 3,416 TVTs (4,009). Do Dil Ek Jaan stood at 1,669 TVTs (1,884), Savdhan India rated 2,566 TVTs (2,479). Shapath generated 3,470 TVTs (3,637). Ek Boond Ishq noted 2,551 TVTs (2,635).

     

    Fifth placed, Sony’s long running crime series CID witnessed a drop and recorded 5,292 TVTs (7,048), Crime Petrol too saw a drop and registered 3,423 TVTs (3,882). The channel’s historical show Maharana Pratap generated 2,772 TVTs (3,057). KBC has maintained its score and garnered 3,960 TVTs (3,911). Other fiction shows either held on to their viewership or dipped marginally during the week.

    Sixth placed, Sab’s fiction show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah continues to be the channel leader with 6,945 TVTs (8,485). Chidiya Ghar saw a drop as it rated 3,096 TVTs (3,817). Lapataganj reported 2,090 TVTs (2,380) and Baalveer registered 2,600 TVTs (2,925). It was a roller-coaster ride for other fictional shows as well.

     

    In the movie channel genre, Zee Cinema reported 196,371 GVTs (198,401); Star Gold witnessed a rise taking its tally to 192,339 GVTs (174,671) and Movies OK scored 115,017 GVTs (126,462). On the other hand, &pictures garnered 62,839 GVTs (61,530), Zee Anmol notched up and rated 47,173 GVTs (38,080) and Max scored 177,170 GVTs (220,318).

    Seems like the festive season has not proved too fruitful for the channels! We wonder if Navratri has eaten away on the TVTs.  
     

  • Comedy man Kapil now gets tax notice

    Comedy man Kapil now gets tax notice

    MUMBAI: Bad news continues to dog India’s funny man Kapil Sharma. The set of his show Comedy Nights with Kapil got burnt to nothing on 25 September, with losses being estimated at between Rs 1 crore to 8 crore.

    Now the standup comic who has put Colors on the comedy show map has been slapped with a service tax evasion notice of Rs 65 lakh by the service tax department.

    Kapil is the creative producer of the show that bears his name along with the Zodiak Entertainment group company SOL Productions and the service tax department says that his production house has collected the tax but not deposited it with the authorities.

    Sharma is reported to have said that he will make good the payments at the earliest after a five hour grilling at the service tax office in Mumbai.