ITV

Tag: Gurmeet Choudhary

  • Shaadi, shots and showdowns as colors serves up a spicy new reality dish

    Shaadi, shots and showdowns as colors serves up a spicy new reality dish

    MUMBAI: Move over roses and violins Colors is gatecrashing dinner with a side of drama, as it unveils its first ever real-ationship reality show, Pati Patni Aur Panga – Jodiyon Ka Reality Check. Premiering on 2nd August, this shaadi-meets-showdown series will air every Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 pm, promising a generous dollop of laughter, love, and ludicrous household fights.

    Fresh off the finale of Laughter Chefs, the channel has traded spoons for squabbles, roping in seven celebrity couples to bring their private quirks to primetime. These aren’t rehearsed roles, they’re raw, real, and ready to air their laundry (possibly quite literally) in front of the nation.

    The show features a power-packed lineup of couples, Debinna Bonnerjee–Gurmeet Choudhary, Hina Khan–Rocky Jaiswal, Rubina Dilaik–Abhinav Shukla, Avika Gor–Milind Chandwani, Swara Bhasker–Fahad Ahmad, Geeta Phogat–Pawan Kumar, and Sudesh Lehri–Mamta Lehri. From love to laughter and every little panga in between, these jodis bring their quirks, chaos and chemistry to the screen.  

    The show’s glossy, high-energy finish owes much to the behind-the-scenes crew that stitched it all together. Director of photography Tribhuvan Babu lends a vibrant visual grammar to the episodes, while Swapnil Patole, Chief Colourist at the Independent Colourists Guild (ICG), ensures every frame carries emotional weight and tonal harmony. Technical finesse is handled by DI Technician Sachin More, Line Producer Sameer Shaikh, and DI Colour Assistant Kiran Gulgule, with Famous Studios Ltd leading post-production duties. Together, the team brings a cinematic sheen to the dinner-table chaos that unfolds in every episode.

    On the brand front, the show has attracted a wide swathe of consumer-facing names as sponsors each with a strategic reason to align with a format rooted in everyday intimacy and relatability. Nivea, as presenting sponsor, ties in seamlessly with themes of care, comfort, and authenticity, reflecting the emotional subtext of the show. Sugar Free Green, Rajdhani Besan, Cadbury Dairy Milk, and Pour Home Air Fresheners are all brands woven into the domestic fabric of Indian households just like the show’s celebrity couples navigating real-life love and laundry. Supporting brands like Envy Perfumes, Vikram Tea, Colgate, and Catch Masale see the high-engagement, weekend primetime slot as a direct route to the hearts and kitchens of Indian families. For these partners, ROI isn’t just about impressions or TRPs; it’s about cultural salience, brand recall, and showing up where the emotion is most real right between a laugh, a fight, and a plate of hot pakoras.

    Hosting this panga-packed party are Sonali Bendre, bringing poise and patience, and Munawar Faruqui, the designated “towel crime” police and chaos coordinator. Dubbed The Sonu-Monu Show by the crew, their repartee is already the stuff of reality-TV legend, a mix of zingers, comebacks, and cringe confessions.

    Behind all the glam, the show peels back layers of public personas to reveal unfinished sentences, kitchen fails, love languages, and one-word replies that spark weeklong sulks. Viewers are invited to peek behind the velvet curtains of celebrity marriages from ridiculous pet names to strategic foot rubs and witness the delicate art of surviving, thriving and occasionally fighting in love.

    To up the stakes, family members and housekeepers also chime in with their versions of truth bombs, making this not just a couples show but a full house of fun and friction.

    Speaking about the channel’s pivot to deeper emotional territory, Alok Jain of JioStar said, “We’ve always led from the front in non-fiction formats, and Pati Patni Aur Panga is our next big bet. This isn’t just content, it’s connection, showing the real, raw parts of celeb relationships that mirror our own homes.”

    Shweta Dalal, Marketing Director of Nivea India, added, “This show mirrors the same values we believe in care, trust, and authenticity. We’re thrilled to be part of a format that speaks so honestly to everyday companionship.”

    Sonali Bendre, returning to TV in a more emotionally hands-on avatar, shared, “This is not just about tasks or points. It’s about catching those in-between moments the real stuff that makes or breaks a relationship. And Munawar brings the madness to my method!”

    Munawar Faruqui, never one to hold back, quipped, “Main hoon yahan ka certified panga maker. I say what most husbands are thinking but are too scared to say out loud and I love every awkward second of it.”

    So if you’re ready for a hearty laddu of shaadi reality, not just the goals, but the gaffes too mark your calendars. Pati Patni Aur Panga is not your average reality show; it’s reality in all its messy, mushy, magnificent glory. Premieres 2 August, Saturdays & Sundays at 9:30 pm only on Colors.

     

  • Dangal’s mytho epic ‘Ramayana’ back on TV screens

    Dangal’s mytho epic ‘Ramayana’ back on TV screens

    MUMBAI: Hindi general entertainment channel Dangal has brought back its mythological epic Ramayana starring Gurmeet Choudhary and Debina Bonnerjee in lead roles. This epic tale of promises and ideologies is being telecast daily at 7.30 pm followed by its repeat telecast at 9.30 am. The mythological series went on air from 26 April 2020.

    A Dangal spokesperson said, “At Dangal, we are committed to keeping our discerning viewers entertained especially during unprecedented times like these. Over the years, our viewers have supported us and it is now upon public demand that we have brought back one of India’s most followed epics and revered shows of all times, Ramayana. By showcasing a culturally rooted show like Ramayana with traditional ideologies and strongly entrenched lessons, we are sure that viewers will stay engaged while staying safe indoors. Moreover, while Ramayana will invoke nostalgia among the older generations, it will be a new and beautiful experience for the younger audience.”

    Ramayana is one of the major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. It is an Indian television mythological series depicting the story of lord Rama based on the classic Indian literature which narrates his exile of 14 years along with Sita and Lakshman.

    Dangal is available in all leading cable networks and DTH platforms – DD Free Dish (CHN NO 27), Tata Sky(CHN NO 177), Airtel (CHN NO 133), Dish TV (CHN NO 119) and Videocon D2H (CHN NO 106).

  • Zing launches new talk show ‘Bad Company’

    Zing launches new talk show ‘Bad Company’

    MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises’ youth entertainment channel Zing is all set to launch a talk show called Bad Company that will bring Indian television stars closer to the viewers. Starting 10 October, the show will be aired at 7 pm, every Saturday.

     

    The no-holds-barred talk show will be hosted by Vikas Gupta. The show will feature television stars like Ranvijay Singh, Gurmeet Choudhary, Karanvir Bohra, Kushal Tandon, Divyanka Tripathi and Prathyusha Banerjee amongst others.

     

    Zing channel head Vishnu Shankar said, “Bad Company is a never seen before concept on television. With fresh, edgy and bold content in store, it will surely take viewers by storm. For the first time on TV, your favourite small screen stars will be exposed. Their real and humane fun side will be the USP of the show. We, at Zing are confident that the viewers will lap up this new talk show with great enthusiasm and fan following.”

     

    The viewers will get a chance to know the real side of the celebrities revealing some candid insights with conversations revolving around their lives, relationships, regrets and work. The excitement doesn’t end here, as there are fun games and quiz rounds to look forward too.

     

    To engage with the core audience, besides an all-encompassing marketing plan, Zing has a media strategy in place ranging from hosting contests to creating endless conversations across its digital platforms. A special contest will be hosted on the channel’s Facebook and Twitter pages where viewers can share their views and tag it to #BC.

  • Zee’s new reality show to bring celebs out of comfort zone; Farhan Akhtar to host

    Zee’s new reality show to bring celebs out of comfort zone; Farhan Akhtar to host

    MUMBAI: The popularity and success of reality shows showcasing various skills and talent on Indian television was a harbinger of sorts for Zee TV to bring the international non-fiction format show I Can Do That to India. What’s more, throw in a few celebrities as contestants and the show’s appeal increases manifold. 

     

    Developed by Israel’s Armoza Formats, Zee TV will launch the Indian version of the show on 17 October. What’s more, the channel has also roped in Farhan Akhtar as the host of I Can Do That. The weekend show will be aired on Saturdays and Sundays in the 9 pm primetime slot and has a run time of only six weeks. 

     

    I Can Do That will have 12 celebrities from different walks of life, who will be seen performing jaw dropping acts. The show will challenge them to outdo each other in a wide range of tasks, from intricate dance choreography to magic and illusion, from flair bar tending to daredevil stunts and more.

     

    The 12 celebrities that the channel has roped in for the show are Dino Morea, Gauahar Khan, Gurmeet Choudhary, Rithvik Dhanjani, Madhurima Tuli, Mandira Bedi, VJs Bani and Andy, Shibani Dandekar, Meiyang Chang, Ranveer Brar and Bharti Singh.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com on the reasons for investing in an established worldwide format, Zee TV business head Pradeep Hejmadi says, “It’s a format, which is very close to what Zee TV stands for. Zee has always celebrated formats, which identifies the talent in people. The show at its core matches with what we have done so far with our other shows like Dance India Dance (DID) and Saregamapa, which focus on talent. In this show, we aim to pull out the hidden talent from celebrities and take out them of their comfort zone. I Can Do That is a format, which is very close to our DNA in the non-fiction space.”

     

    Throwing light on the reason for choosing Zee’s platform for the international format, Armoza senior creative director – development department Elwin Vizetelly De Groot says, “We are very excited to work with the biggest entertainment channel in India that is Zee Television. India is such an important market for us. I travelled across India and spent a few days working with the team. The basic format of the show is that it’s a story of your favourite celebrities, who will perform amazing acts on stage. We are working very closely with the team of Zee to launch this show here in India.”

     

    Groot further adds, “People will see celebrities doing something different.  They will watch them dancing, singing, sometimes cooking and other things. Our aim was to combine all that we wanted in a show. I Can Do That is a platform where we can showcase amazing talent and something that Indian audiences has never seen before. Zee and Armoza are very excited with the prospects of the show and we believe that it can do really well. It has done very well in other territories and we believe that India is next.”

     

    While there are multiple reality shows on television today, which showcase, celebrate as well as hone various talents, I Can Do That will be different. Talking about the USP of the show, Hejmadi says, “The difference comes in the show from the contestants because automatically the players are people, who come with certain talent. On this platform, people will be seen performing certain kind of things that they have never before done in their lives. It is not just a show, which has celebrities. Usually other shows focus on the strengths of celebrities but in this show, the audience will see them performing unbelievable tasks. And therein lies the difference.”

     

    With the multi-talented Akhtar as the show’s host, Zee TV is banking on his popularity to take the show a notch higher than the rest. “Farhan is a great embodiment of the format. He is multi-talented and has always pushed boundaries to do multiple things. He is great guy, who can stand up with the format and can say I Can Do That,” Hejmadi says.

     

    To push the show at multiple levels, Zee TV will be adopting a 360 degree marketing approach. Hejmadi informs, “There is always an on-air television based campaign and along with that we will go with off-air marketing as well. There is huge digital campaign that we are mounting. The format is such that everyone from kids to very elderly people can enjoy the show, so the campaign is designed to appeal to the masses.”

     

    With Vaseline as the presenting sponsor for I Can Do That, Hejmadi says that advertisers’ response to the new show has been encouraging so far. “We have received an excellent response from them. While we have almost closed all the positions of sponsorship, we are still in discussion with a few advertisers,” he adds.

     

    Speaking on the research carried out for the show, Hejmadi says,  said, “Even as we met the contestants, we were parallelly evaluating the stunts done in the international format. We also looked at different kinds of talent that we should evaluate for each of the players, who were coming on board. So a series of evaluations were done in terms of the kind of acts that people would like to see.”

     

    The reality show format I Can Do That has been popular in countries like the US, Italy and Israel amongst others.

  • Nach Baliye 6 to take a bold turn this season

    Nach Baliye 6 to take a bold turn this season

    MUMBAI: Come 9 November, Star Plus’ viewers are going to get to witness the flavours of love, passion and romance amongst reel and real life TV star couples once again as the channel flags off Nach Baliye Season 6. The 13-week long series will air every weekend at 9.00 pm, coming in as a replacement for Junior Masterchef which is coming to a close.

    With a brand new season, the channel, says it plans to make Nach Baliye bigger, better and bolder this year, though with the same format and the seductive campaign line “Hadh se badhega romance…is bar hoga Aisa dance.”

    Produced by Frames Productions, Nach Baliye season six brings together 11 celebrity couples that include: Raju and Shikha Shrivastava, Rakesh Vashisht and Ridhi Dogra, Kanika Maheshwari Ghai and Ankur Ghai, Gurmeet Choudhary and Debina Bonnerjee, Ripu Daman Handa and Shivangi Verma, Yash Sinha and Amrapali Gupta, Kiku and Priyanka Sharda, Bruna Abdalah and Omar Farooque, Sanjeev and Lataa Seth, Rithvik Dhanjani and Asha Negi and last but not the least Vinod and Raksha Thakur.

    “After making successful seasons of four and five, this season, we plan to take it to the next level. Our endeavour is to sustain this legacy of success achieved so far and bring viewers much closer to their favourite stars. Behind every couple there is a unique story not known to the public. We will strive to bring out each of their unique stories to engage Nach Baliye fans,” says Frames Production producer Hemant Ruprell.

    “Normally, these TV couples are so busy with their day to day schedules they may not give each other so much time. Participating in the show enables them to come together and explore more than what they know about each other over three months of competition. Nach Baliye is based on the principle that dancing together will bring you closer and it serves to reignite romance between couples,” Star Plus non-fiction head Ashish Golwalkar exults. “And of course on top of this there is a strong layer of entertainment in terms of comedy and moments that get played out on TV. People sitting at home will enjoy the journey.”

     

    The channel has retained the judges this season. Viewers will get to see Bollywood’s yummy mummy and dancing diva Shilpa Shetty, celebrated choreographer Terrence Lewis and director Sajid Khan. Hosts Gautam Rode and Karan Wahi are expected to add their brand of humour and banter to this drama filled dance show. Interestingly, the shooting has already begun with two episodes been canned in Filmistan Studio, Mumbai even as this story is being penned.

    “There is nothing subtle about this season,” asserts Star India EVP content strategy Gaurav Banerjee. “Each act will be conceived to show you a vibrant and exciting expression of love.”

    The Star Plus programming team is quite sanguine that Nach Baliye 6 will have no problems in getting in the TVTs once again.

    “Last year our content was pure and because of that purity of content, we were the No 1 show from the launch day till the end,” asserts Golwalkar. “There is going to be competition in any slot and at any given point of time on TV. But viewers have really appreciated and supported us. We have done our bit, and have really worked hard to put it together and it will be bigger, different and better than any other show.”

    Even though an announcement of the presenting sponsor was not made at the time of writing, the show’s season 6 facebook page, has Vaseline associated as presenting sponsor once again with Babool being the powered-by sponsor. Last year, LR Active Oil was the powered-by sponsor.

    The channel is really pressing hard on the marketing pedal in a bid to get the viewership numbers it hopes to achieve. For starters, there’s TV. A series of promos revealing the main contestants, Gurmeet and Deblina, and Raqesh and Riddhi Vashist has already hit the Star Network channels. Secondly, its facebook page has attracted around 6,500 likes, a fortnight before launch.

    Then the various couples’ online fan clubs have been encouraged to talk about them on twitter, apart from the handle #NachBaliye6 being flashed on its @StarPlus account to generate the buzz.

    Thirdly, activities revolving around traditional media (hoardings, television spots, radio, cinema) are already being rolled out. According to an estimate, close to Rs 2 crore has been set aside as marketing spend for the show.

    With that kind of muscle being put behind Nach Baliye 6, it is quite likely that it could well match its main rival Dance India Dance Season 4 step for step on the performance front.