ITV

Tag: Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin

  • Sony shuffles prime time shows; ‘Idol’ now at 9 pm

    Sony shuffles prime time shows; ‘Idol’ now at 9 pm

    MUMBAI: Its prime time reshuffle at Sony Entertainment Television (SET) India. In a bid to get some traction going for its tent pole property Indian Idol, Sony has now pushed the season two of the one hour reality talent hunt to the 9 pm slot from the earlier 8:30 pm slot. The change will be effective from 13 February.

    The first season of Indian Idol was aired in the 9:30 pm time slot. However with the second season, the channel had hoped to encash on the strong cachet in the 8:30 pm band that Fame Gurukul had managed to make and hence Indian Idol 2 was positioned in that time slot.

    The official reason given for the time slot shuffle is that viewers in the metros were unable to catch the show at 8:30 pm and hence the change.

    Deal Ya No Deal, which at present airs from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm from Wednesday to Friday has also been shifted to the 9 pm slot. As a result of this, Ek Ladki Anjaani Si, which aired after Indian Idol (Mondays and Tuesdays) and Deal Ya No Deal (Wednesday to Friday) at 9:30 pm has been pushed back to the 8:30 pm slot.

    However, the serials Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai at 8 pm, Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin at 10 pm and CID Special Bureau at 10.30 pm will continue to air in their old time slots.

  • ‘We see ourselves tilting the scales this quarter’ : Albert Almeida – Max executive vice president & business head

    ‘We see ourselves tilting the scales this quarter’ : Albert Almeida – Max executive vice president & business head

    After a 14-year stint with JWT, Unilever Business, Albert Almeida took up his first job in television as Sony Entertainment Television senior vice president marketing. In the two-year period, Almeida established himself as a strong marketeer and accomplished strategiser in the industry. He has been widely applauded for the impressive marketing and communications campaigns behind successful shows like ‘Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin’, ‘Indian Idol’, amongst others.

    In 2005, he moved up to join Max, the movies and special events channel, as executive vice president & business head. In his new portfolio, Almeida is spearheading the channel’s business strategy.

    In a conversation with Indiantelevision.com’s Bijoy A K, Almeida talks about how the journey had been for Max in 2005 and what could be expected from the channel in 2006.

    Excerpts:

    You were made business head in January 2005. Now it is almost a year. How has the experience been?
    It has been vastly different from my last assignment at Sony Entertainment Television. Having completed a year and a half marketing Sony – which was a challenging as well as rewarding stint – it was time to move on. An opportunity to work as the business head of Max sounded exciting. For me, it is an opportunity to leverage my skill sets to strengthen Max and also for personal growth.
    Max is a powerful brand, which is built on strong pillars. My task was not so much as to re-invent Max but to build on the existing strengths of the channel. We tried to live the ‘Passion’ in everything we did.

    How would you analyse Max’s journey in 2005. Milestones achieved? Lessons learnt?
    In terms of programming, it is clear that people come to watch movies and cricket on Max. And therefore, we presented and promoted these properties with passion. One of the initiatives taken in this direction was re-launching the Mahamovies with innovative wrap-around programming using a movie jockey in June 2005.

    Secondly, having established the evening and primetime slots, we then identified the afternoon slot and built it via movie titles that would resonate with female audiences. An example is the Madhuri Dixit Film Festival we launched in the second half of 2005.

    We have now established this slot and have a festival taking place in every alternative month. Then we launched Sunday Houseful wherein we show contemporary blockbuster films between 9 am and 9 pm. This Sunday slot today delivers 1+ TVR over a 12-hour period on an average. Thus, Sunday Houseful has turned out to be a huge revenue opportunity also.

    You have to keep running faster if you want to stay in the same place. What worked yesterday may certainly not be relevant today. In the entertainment space, you are competing for a viewer’s share of mind, and also fighting to retain him for a larger period of time. It is therefore very imperative that your content and marketing efforts are both very powerful and engaging. Max has built this capability and will continue to demonstrate this time and again.

    With too many channels across various genres and languages launching, dealing with the changing distribution environment has been a challenge. It is a significant barrier that channels have to address to grow. We have to play the game equally aggressively.

    Compared to 2004, Max kept a low profile in 2005. Please offer your comments.
    2005 may appear to be a relatively quieter year for Max. While you compare it with 2004, Max didn’t have very big spikes either on cricket or in movies in the first half of 2005. But with the advent of Super Series and then the premiere of movie Lucky, we managed to create a buzz in the market. Now, we have intensified our efforts with the ongoing Saal Ke Sab Se Bade Blockbusters campaign.

    What’s your gameplan to get the channel on top with a stress on both cricket and movies? How do you look at competition?
    Max, being a movie and special events channel, has got a very unique positioning. This channel reflects the passion of the nation be it movies or cricket. This passion comes alive in everything we do, be it big acquisitions, the unique way in which we programme the content or our innovative marketing and promotion efforts.

    While 2004 was clearly a year where Max challenged and woke up the leader, 2005 has seen a resurgent competitor (Zee Cinema). This has shown through in all their efforts. Having said this, the last quarter – October to December 2005 – has seen us changing the status quo once again. And with our plan for the next quarter, we see ourselves tilting the scales yet again.
    ‘Dealing with the changing distribution environment has been a challenge‘

    According to you, what’s the strength of Max as a movie channel?
    Our library of big contemporary blockbuster hits and then our ability to market our properties efficiently.

    Which are the new time bands you are coming up with for movies? Please offer the nature of the marketing campaigns?
    What we have lined up is a very aggressive calendar of blockbuster movies. This will be the channel’s driver activity for the January to March quarter period of 2006. Max will unleash a slew of blockbuster movies through the Sunday 1 pm slot. Some of the hit movies the channel has lined up include Mangal Pandey, Veer-Zaara, Parineeta, Kaal, Iqbal, Dus and Waqt. The campaign has already begun with Yash Chopra’s Veer Zaaraon Christmas Day.

    The Saal Ke Sabse Bade Blockbusters campaign, covering on air promos, radio, print and outdoors, kicked off in the last week of December. On ground activities are being held in towns and cities through van promotions. We have also initiated lots of activities to create buzz in multiplexes and cinemas.
    Which are the other big titles Max has acquired this year?
    Bunty aur Babli, Salaam Namaste, Neal N Nikki, Mughal-e-Azam, Tango Charlie, Supari, Zeher, Charas, Rakhtand Socha Na Tha.
    Throughout 2005, Zee Cinema has been banking on Amitabh Bachchan. Has Max zeroed in on any particular star to conduct a similar campaign?
    We have created various special properties based on interesting themes. The Madhuri Dixit Film Festival and then the 5 Baje 5 Superstar series are examples. I believe, if you are banking on a single star, sustaining the growth over a long period is doubtful.

    What is your plan for Hollywood Hungama? Which are the properties you have acquired of late?
    We have made some significant investments in the last six months for Hollywood movies. We have acquired titles from studios including Fox, BVTI in addition to our own Sony Pictures International Limited.

    Did the movie acquisition costs go up this year? Please offer your comment?
    Acquisition has been very aggressive in 2005. Bollywood witnessed lots of box office hits. There has been an increase in the number of players acquiring movies.

    The cricketing properties Max has lined up include the ICC Championship Trophy 2006 (to be played in India), and the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007 (in the West Indies). What are your plans to promote and package these properties?
    While it is still early to share our plans on how we promise to make people echo the sentiment Max Deewana Bana De, you can be sure that we will keep re-inventing the way cricket is presented and watched.

    How will you be playing the Mobile platform for promotions as well as content delivery? Any plans to get into mobisodes or related stuff?
    Max has been using its short code 2525 to do an array of marketing and promotion activities. We have generated significant revenues through our mobile activities. A latest example being the mobile-based Lucky promotion contest which generated about 850,000 responses in a 10-day period. Singtones is another strong property we have developed on the mobile front and is a huge revenue earner.

    No comments on mobisodes at this stage, but I would say Max has a lot of plans.

    What goals have been set for the channel in terms of ad revenue? Revenue-wise, what’s Max’s contribution to the Sony kitty in the 2005 calendar year?
    We have grown significantly on the revenue side in the last year. We have aggressive plans to maintain the momentum.

    All I can say is that we have grown significantly in absolute numbers and our share of revenue be it in the Hindi movie genre or as a percentage contribution to the network kitty have both shown a positive growth.

    How much has Max spent on marketing in 2005?
    Although we cannot divulge the amout in figures, you could assume a 15 per cent to 20 per cent hike in the marketing spends in 2005 as compared to 2004.

    Which countries are you targeting next for launching Max international and what is the timeline? What are the challenges involved in distributing Max abroad?
    We are already available in US / UK / Europe / Middle East and South Asia. The content we have on Max makes the channel a much sought after one in markets where there is a large Indian diaspora. Besides we have an establised platform in Sony that is already present in these markets. This helps us market Max effectively to the Indian audiences.
  • Sahara One aims ‘Kituu…’ at prime time

    Sahara One aims ‘Kituu…’ at prime time

    MUMBAI: November sure seems to be a month for new launches. Hardly has the dust settled on the announcement of new shows from the Sony and Zee stables, comes the news that Sahara One is launching a programme on 14 November in the 9:30 pm slot.

    Kituu Sabb Jaantii Hai, based on the life of a young middle class girl who goes on to become a face to reckon with in the broadcast media, is being pitched against Star One’s new show India Calling. Both shows launch on the same day in the same time slot.

    With the arrival of Kituu the prime time line up on Sahara One has seen a slight reshuffle. Dial One Aur Jeeto, which used to air from 8 – 9 pm, will go back to its original half hourly format from 14 November and will be aired from 8 – 8.30 pm. The repeat telecast of Hare Kkaanch Ki Choodiyan, which used to air at 9.30 pm, will shift into the 8.30 pm slot. The channel’s flagship show Woh Rehne Waali Mehlon Ki stays put in the 9 pm slot and Kituu comes in at 9.30 pm.

    Apart from India Calling, Kituu has also been pitted against Kavyanjali on Star Plus, Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin on Sony (until it moves into the 10 pm slot later this month to give way to the new show Ek Ladki Anjaani Si at 9.30 pm) and Saat Phere on Zee. Says Sahara One Television COO Purnendu Bose, “We are not going to get bothered by what competition is doing or is going to do. We know what we are doing.”

    The marketing and interactive activities around Kituu, which has been produced by Siddhanth Cinevision, starts tomorrow (10 November) with a unique campaign called Kituu Dikhi Kya. The channel is inviting people to call in or SMS them the number of times they have spotted Kituu – be it on outdoor hoardings, television or print campaigns. “The person who sends in the most number of correct responses gets to win a prize,” said Bose. The channel has tied up with Radio Mirchi to promote the contest and listeners can call in to tell the RJ where they have seen Kituu.

    People can also send in an SMS to the Sahara One short code 9090 with their responses. “We came up with this idea of letting people tell us where they have seen Kituu because by doing that we can also gauge how many people are actually aware of our campaign and new show. The idea is to let people do the talking,” said Bose.

    Apart from this, the protagonist of the show (in her role as a journalist) will have a say in everything that is going on in and around the country. Kituu will make appearances on Sahara One and also on radio and give her views on any current topic of conversation. “We are looking at making Kituu a brand name, which every household in the country will relate to,” said Bose.

    Besides this, the outdoor, print, television, internet and radio promotions will also run simultaneously.

    IN THE PIPELINE

    Some of the other shows that are in the pipeline on Sahara One are a makeover non-fiction show called Doli Sajaa Ke Rakhna, which Bose informs is still in the conceptualisation stage. Apart from that, the weekend version of Dial One Aur Jeeto, which is tentatively titled Dial One Aur Khelo, is also likely to be rolled out in the near future. The weekend version will essentially be a package of the best episodes of Dial One Aur Jeeto.

    MOVIE PREMIERE STRATEGY

    Having a line up of blockbuster Hindi movies, Sahara One has decided to build the 12 noon band on Sundays. The channel will premiere movies in this time slot. It will kick off with Pyaar Mein Twist starring Dimple Kapadia and Rishi Kapoor on 13 November instead of slotting it in the primetime band. After Pyaar Mein Twist, the channel has lined up Jimmy Shergil starrer Yahaan, which will be premiered towards the end of the month.

    Explaining the logic behind this, Bose said, “According to a research conducted by us, we found that there was a huge television viewership on Sunday afternoons. And going by that, we decided to experiment with our premiers by slotting them on Sundays.” The Amitabh Bachchan starrer – Sarkar will also premier on a Sunday in December at 12 noon.

    It is interesting to note here that Star Gold premiered Swades in a similar fashion on Sunday at 1 pm in September. What remains to be seen here is whether Sahara One can garner eyeballs with this new strategy for movie premiers.
     

  • Red FM 93.5 to exclusively air live aarti at Siddhivinayak Temple

    Red FM, India’s fastest growing Radio Station and “The Voice of the Common Man”, will daily air LIVE Aarti of the Siddhivinayak Temple in Aamchi Mumbai at 5:30 am upto 6:10 am for 10 days.

    Ganesh Chaturthi, the most popular festival in Maharashtra, is held over a 10 day period in honour of Lord Ganesha. His blessings are invoked at most religious ceremonies as he is the God who can remove all obstacles to success. He is the giver of fortune and prosperity and can help to avoid natural calamities.

    Said Jassi aka Mona Singh of Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, “It is great to see that Red FM is airing the Siddhivinayak Aarti LIVE from the temple. Ganapati Bappa Morya!”

    Said Vidya Balan, lead actress of the film, Parineeta, “It is truly touching to see that Red FM is airing this LIVE Aarti from Siddhivinayak temple.”

    Said Abraham Thomas, COO, Red FM, “Red FM wanted to be part of Mumbai’s biggest festival and what better way than airing the Live Aarti of Siddhivinayak Temple for our devout listeners.”

    About Red FM:
    Red FM, India’s leading Radio channel and part of the India Today Group is a radio station with attitude and plays Hindi popular music. The channel offers an interactive platform with non-stop music along with regular updates on traffic, weather, city specific events and the latest buzz on everything current. The channel is present in Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.

    For further information please contact:
    Sai Vaidya, Euro RSCG PR & EVENTS, Mob: 9892217649, Tel: 022-56424242 Ext 247

  • ‘Indian Idol’ showcase to precede ‘Masti’ premier on Sony

    ‘Indian Idol’ showcase to precede ‘Masti’ premier on Sony

    MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television will telecast Indra Kumar’s Masti on 10 October at 9 pm. Also there is this show Dhoom Macha De which showcases the Indian Idol fever on 10 October at 8 pm, prior to the movei premier.

    Shows Hum 2 Hain Na, Ayushmaan, Kkusum, Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin and Ye Meri Life Hain will be incorporated to the Indian Idol fever show as lead characters of these soaps Kareena, Pooja, Mandy, Ayushmaan, Rohit, Sonia, Kumud, Jassi, Pari are all shown taking part in the contest, informs an offical release.

    Masti stars Vivek Oberoi, Aftab Shivdasani, Ritesh Deshmukh, Ajay Devgan, Lara Dutta, Amrita Rao, Tara Sharma and Genelia.

  • “I don’t know why Sony is NOT the top most channel today. It may be because crap sells” – Sandhya Mridul

    “I don’t know why Sony is NOT the top most channel today. It may be because crap sells” – Sandhya Mridul

    Proud folks, hefty pay packets, and a huge fan following all over the country-the pretty side of fame. The ugly side-back stabbing, false tales, snubbing, double dealings. Sandhya Mridul, who played twin sisters in the serial Hubahu, was a rage among television audiences. She also got her claim to fame with Extraaa Innings on MAX during the World Cup last year. But her detractors say she is rude and arrogant.

    Indiantelevision.com’s Vickey Lalwani caught up with this babe who has been added as a hot thing in Sony’s dearest serial on date Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin to find out whether she is indeed arrogant… and lots more. Read on to understand that frankness and honesty are often misconstrued as arrogance.

    Excerpts from a tete-a-tete:

     

    After ‘Hubahu’, we didn’t see you on television. Why?
    Yes, my last serial was Hubahu on Sony, almost two years ago. After Hubahu, I received a number of offers, but I was bored. A trend had started which I didn’t approve of. Television was getting monotonous and boring. At the same time, I started receiving offers in films, theatre, events… I really wanted to explore other media, which is why I took a break from television. Plus I think that Hubahu had allowed me to portray a gamut of emotions and there wasn’t anything beyond that happening on television that time.

    How has your tryst with films been? And what else is happening in your career?
    It’s been a good experience in films so far. I am a newcomer in the filmi world and am still finding my feet. I did Saathiya purely to see whether I fit into the fray, whether I have the same presence on the silver screen which I do on television. I enjoyed the experience but after the subsequent offers I received, I realised that I am more suited to offbeat, crossover films rather than hardcore, commercial cinema. I did Waisa Bhi Hota Hai – Part 2, which received quite a bit of appreciation. Then, I did Strings, another crossover film, which is being shot start to finish at the Kumbh Mela. Madhur Bhandarkar’s Page 3 just got over.

    I am experimenting with different scripts and will soon start shooting for international VJ Luke Kenny’s directorial venture titled 13th Floor and an English play Zen Katha with Lilette Dubey which would open in July/August. There is a lot of martial arts involved, hence I am undergoing formal training in this aspect.

    After ‘Saathiya’ I wasn’t interested in playing the same old role all the time. I don’t want to get slotted“

     

    Saathiya, even though a major hit, didn’t help you to get noticed and bag commercial films?
    I did get noticed, in fact, I guess I was liked so much that everyone thought that I am the eternal sister (laughs). All my subsequent offers wanted to cash in on the role I did in Saathiya and I wasn’t interested in playing the same old role all the time. I don’t want to get slotted. That is why I rejected those offers and have consciously given my assent to offbeat scripts. I am open to good roles in commercial films though, may I add.

    Do you find the two mediums- films and television- vastly different? Also, has television changed in its style of functioning from the time you left?
    Yes. There are so many factors, time for one. While shooting for a film, we do a scene a day, on an average. For a television serial, on the other hand, it is more than seven-eight scenes daily as the episode has to be completed in time.

    Things have changed in the last few years. Everything is very frantic, there is a lot of pressure. Due to the deadline, quality suffers as well, everything is so rushed. The cassette has to go at the end of the day, dialogues are jotted down hastily on the spot. Quality and creativity take a backseat. Films are much more relaxed and you have plenty of scope to experiment and innovate. I find TV to be a very stressful medium.

    Also, television is a repetitive medium. Apart from the lack of scope of variety of roles, once you start playing a character, that particular character becomes a part of you for years. I get really peeved when serials go on and on. Conversely, in films, once you finish playing a certain character, you detach from it and concentrate on playing a totally different role.

    How did ‘Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin’ happen?
    It happened out of the blue. Tony Singh gave me a call and I was delighted when he mentioned his offer. I know him since the days of Banegi Apni Baat when I made my debut on TV. Tony and Deeya Singh had given me my first break with Banegi Apni Baat (she appeared as Sakshi, assistant to Girish Mullick, in the last 100-odd episodes before the serial winded up) and I have known them to be efficient and creative. I gave an instant nod of approval to Tony without even listening what he wanted me to do. You can say that my second coming to television was an emotional decision.

     

    By the same yardstick, would you accept an Ekta Kapoor offer – considering you were a part of ‘Koshish… Ek Asha’?
    No. I am not emotional about Ekta at all. I have no reason to be.

     

    Are you hinting that ‘Koshish Ek Asha’ was not a good experience?
    Koshish… Ek Aasha was an experience. Period.

    Please elaborate…
    No experience is good or bad because you come out learning something. Koshish Ek Asha gave me a lot of what I am today. Balaji Telefilms is not the easiest production house to work with. I know that’s what you want to hear, but I never said that they are. But they know how to make stars. However, I must say that my director and the cast were a gem. Hmmm… think of it, I wouldn’t term it as a bad experience.

    You raved about the Singhs. What is so special about them?
    When they talk to you, they know what they want. Plus their involvement is very high, they’ll take interest in your costumes, jewellery, et al, they have an eye for detailing; but at the same time, they respect your character. Top of all, they don’t have scripts which beat around the bush, saying ‘Tune Meri Zindagi Tabah Kar Di’ and those kid of things, but rather real kind of situations and colloquial language which appears so very natural.

    I remember asking Shefali in my early days in Banegi Apni Baat that how could she cry so easily, but I soon felt undergoing the same feeling, which means their scenes are written extremely well. Importantly, they know how to make a good project in a simple manner.

     
    “Tony & Deeya Singh are one of the few people in the industry who care for their actors“

    Considering that you are an add-on to Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, have you seen the earlier episodes to facilitate your understanding of the characters you will interact with?
    My entire family are ardent fans of the show. My mom has regularly followed the show and she is there to give me the required inputs. I do not have the time and inclination to dedicatedly follow television, but I have watched individual episodes. From whatever little I have seen, I have found the show to be extremely endearing, without any pretensions. There are no caricaturish characters and everyone are projected as normal human beings.

    Tell us about your character.
    I play Yana, a high-flying business tycoon, who has put the fashion world in a tizzy with her deals. She is blunt, no-nonsense and at the same time a trifle bizarre. Armaan falls for Yana and she and Jassi both compete for his affections. For the moment, this is the sketch of my character. This is a special appearance, small yet impactful and I had the dates to offer, so I thought ‘Why not?’. At this stage, due to other commitments, I cannot devote myself to a lead role in a serial.

    What do you mean by ‘special appearance’? Hope you know where it is headed for…
    (Interrupts) I haven’t sat down and discussed the future path the character takes. As I said, I trust Tony and Deeya completely. They are one of the few people in the industry who care for their actors. So far, I have shot for four episodes. The shoot took place in Singapore. It’s good fun, shooting with a new bunch of people. I’m meeting most of them for the first time, except Parmeet Sethi, whom I know since quite some time. Frankly speaking, I don’t know how much stress I really want to take on.

    If you are game to take on stress, I feel you can acquire a lot of fame in television where many actors have become more famous than films stars have.
    Fame does not matter to me. If it had, I wouldn’t have quit television. And maybe by now, I would have joined politics and made so much money that I had a personal bungalow by now. But… I want to go home with a calm mind. I don’t want to keep asking on the sets ‘Pack up kab hai yaar?’ If fame was my trip, I would have also been chasing commercial cinema in any avtaar – be it even sister or bhabhi – and not cross-over, small budget films like I am doing now.

    Going back to Yana. Any specific homework you have done for Yana’s role?
    Absolutely nothing. I don’t believe in doing any specific homework for a rich entrepreneur’s role. I just read the script and subconsciously allowed the character’s personality to merge with my own. So far, my role isn’t very difficult. It is a grey character – either you’ll like her or hate her. She is hot, attractive, cocksure and in her own way, bizarre, she’s got a magnetic personality. At times, she is arrogant. At times, she is friendly. But at the end of the day, she is indifferent. Either you are hooked are you are repelled (Smiles).

    If you say hot, your outfits must be special?
    Very special. The outfits are ultra-modern and hi-fashion.

    “I had been offered Mandira’s studio job during the World Cup last year but I had refused it“
     

    As ultra as this (she is wearing a shoulder revealing top)?
    Oh, this is understated. Yana can be far more more bizarre this.

    Is your character there in the original ‘Ya Soy Betty La Fea’?
    I have no clue. I have not seen the original and I just trusted my instincts when I signed the role.

    Tell us about ‘Extraaa Innings’ you did for Sony.
    Well, I have always loved sport. But, cricket has never been my forte, I am more of a tennis freak. But then they explained to me the kind of concept they had in mind with me. I pondered over it and decided to give it a try. After all, it was a great chance to soak in the carnival atmosphere of a World Cup!

    Surely, you must have envied Mandira Bedi because the spotlight was on her…
    I did not envy but felt sorry for Mandira Bedi. The studio job she did was not a piece of cake to be eaten. If she had the spotlight on her, she deserved it. Actually, I had been offered the studio job, but had refused it, informing them that I wouldn’t be comfy talking to the legends about the game which I didn’t know in detail.

    You’ve done TV, films, plays. Any plans of direction?
    None whatsoever. Technically, I am zero.

    ‘Choti Si Asha’, ‘Hubahu’, then the ‘Extraaa Innings‘, now ‘Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin’. You have acquired the reputation of being a Sony girl. Comment.
    It isn’t about partiality, but I have got the best offers from Sony TV. At the time of endorsing, I see the project and not the channel. Their’s is a channel which believes in true variety and my last three shows have been for Sony. The last one, Hubahu, in my opinion, has been my best serial, to date and it took guts for the channel to bring out such a serial which was so different from the mundane stuff on tube.

    Yet, Sony is not the topmost channel today. Your take on this?
    (Shrugs) Well, I cannot comment on this (pauses). I really don’t know. Maybe because crap sells. For me, Sony remains a far more interesting channel because it tries to genuinely experiment.

  • Sony readies Devi in new one-hour ‘avtaaar’

    Sony readies Devi in new one-hour ‘avtaaar’

    MUMBAI: If a serial shows a dip in viewership, the best way is to reinvent it and then re-evaluate it in terms of its continuity. This trial and error strategy seems to be followed by most channels today. The latest serial to go in for a similar facelift is Sony TV’s weekend thriller Devi.

    Devi will now be presented in an one-hour format, telecast every Friday from 9 pm to 10 pm with an added attraction- Amman Verma (note the spelling change in his name Aman Varma).

    Apparently, the actor himself wasn’t aware of the change till he had a look at the press release handed out by the channel. The new format of Devi seems to have done the rounds of the astrologers as well!

    Verma will play the character Vasu, earlier played by Rajesh Khera, the flamboyant gay designer Maddy in Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin.

    Vasu, Vikram’s brother-in-law, had not only encouraged Vikram for his misdeeds in the past but also harboured evil designs to take over Vikram’s family business by deceit. After his true colours come to light, Devi gets him expelled from the Sharma family.

    After being disowned, he vows to take a revenge and returns after acquiring mystical powers. His sole motive now is to prevent Gayatri and Vikram from bearing an offspring who is destined to be the ultimate nemesis of evil.

    Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Varma started on a light note, “I think Sony wanted someone who had lots of hair.” (Khera is bald, out of choice).

    Further, Varma revealed that he was very keen to play a negative role since a long time. “I was actually bored of the positive roles and the game shows. I wanted to do something powerful. Though my role in Kehta Hai Dil is powerful, it is quite melodramatic. Over a period of time, I have evolved as an actor and I am sure that the people will accept me in my new ‘avtaar’.”

    Varma makes an entry on 20 February, which will incidentally coincide with the release of Aruna Raje directed film Tum (co-starring Manisha Koirala, Karan Naths) where he plays the role of an I-care- a-damn police officer.

    While the serial was earlier directed by Anant Mahadevan, a new director will probably be roped in to assist him. With Mahadevan likely to get busy in his second directorial venture Dil Maange More… starring Shahid Kapoor, Soha Ali Khan (Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi’s daughter), Raima Sen and Ayesha Takia (the girl who gyrated in the Shake it Daddy remix), from June onwards, the new director could take on the reigns for some time.

    Let’s wait and watch if the change in storyline, new addition and so called powers of astrologers can do the trick for Sony as well.

  • ‘Plain Jane’ Mona to play Jassi?

    MUMBAI: Mona who? That could well be the question on everyone’s lips when Sony Entertainment Television India unveils on Monday the face it hopes will spell TRP magic for its big ticket item for 2003 Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin.
    And even as SET is keeping the girl well under wraps (with just a peek of her hair and eyebrows in a front page cover photo in today’s Bombay Times), indiantelevision.com learns that the lead in the series is a fresh face named Mona (Singh?), an unknown who is having her first exposure to television. Going by the way the sneak peek was offered today, expect a picture of the girl in Monday’s edition of Bombay Times, the day the show launches in the 9:30 prime time slot.
    But a caveat here. indiantelevision.com had earlier missed the mark on who plays the lead Jasmeet ‘Jassi’ Walia in the show so we may again be proved wrong. However, the name has been given to us from multiple sources so the odds are that we’re right this time round.
    The rumour mills have been fed with a number of possible names from the showbiz world but in the end SET and show producer Tony Singh opted for a genuine “plane Jane” to play Jassi, according to industry sources. Of the names that were thrown at indiantelevision.com, it was model and MTV veejay Nafisa Joseph that had the strongest buzz around it. But in the end it proved a red herring. Among the other names that came up were Rakshanda Khan (who plays Mallika in the series) and even recent UK import and Bollywood aspirant Katrina Kaif.
    So what is Mona aka Jassi like? Informed sources say the most striking feature of the character is that she is not at all striking. She is no bombshell who is going to have a pair of spectacles and braces to “uglify” her but your regular girl next door who is tomboyish to boot.
    The message driven home as the series develops will be that beauty lies within. A line that is reinforced in the banners across the city advertising the show: “Beautiful women are easy to find, but there is only one Jassi.”
    The choice of lead appears to reaffirm just that.

    Also Read:
    Will Jassi turn the prime time tide for Sony?

  • SET plans novel use of STBs

    NEW DELHI: With the conditional access system (CAS) gone for a six at least in Delhi and Mumbai, Sony Entertainment TV (SET) India is looking at offering special packages of programmes and services to those subscribers who already have set-top boxes (STBs). This will be in association with multi-system operators (MSOs).
    Pointing out that this is the best time for the industry to “move the boxes” in a market-friendly manner, SET India CEO Kunal Dasgupta today said, “We are looking at the business opportunity of supplying content on demand to subscribers through STBs, now that the uncertainty over CAS has almost been removed.” Dagupta was interacting with journalists on the sidelines of a press conference here to announce the launch of Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin.
    Dasgupta was of the opinion that the broadcasters, MSOs and other stakeholders can come together at this time to take advantage of the situation. He said some boxes have been seeded in the market, in anticipation of CAS. His plan can now be leveraged to “move the boxes in the market faster”.
    Dasgupta also confirmed that Sony would be part of Zee Group Cable arm Siti Cable’s headend in the sky (HITS) plan for CAS delivery as well as Zee’s direct-to-home (DTH) programme.
    His comments are pertinent in the light of the strong assertion made yesterday by Discovery-SET India president Shantanu Aditya refuting a report on indiantelevision.com that the “Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) had directed Star, Sony and ESPN Star Sports to provide signals to the Zee-promoted HITS platform till the next hearing, which is scheduled for 10 September.”
    With Dasgupta’s confirmation that SET would be on the HITS platform, the question of the MRTPC issuing a directive becomes superfluous.
    Coming back to the subject of supplying content to subscribers through STBs, though SET hasn’t opened up talks with other broadcasters on this, Dasgupta feels that his company would start work on this plan as soon as possible, probably “as soon as next week”.
    As an illustration, Dasgupta cited Sony’s acquisition of telecast rights of the blockbuster Hindi movie Saathiya, starring Vivek Oberoi and Rani Mukherjee. “Ideally I would like to premier Saathiya as part of this special package over cable for those subscribers who would like to pay to watch this film through their STBs. Later the movie can also be shown on Max or Sony,” he explained.
    The special packages of programmes and services that SET India is looking at include movie package, classic music concerts like those of Lata Mangeshkar, sports, and even gaming solutions and music for downloading from the digital cable head-end servers.
    “The box, in the absence of CAS, would sit idle. So why not make use of them to provide suck packages and services. I am also looking at introducing gaming packages and this is the way to move the (boxes) market,” Dasgupta said.
    He opined that the gaming packages can be sourced from SET India’s parent company Sony, which is a big player in the computer gaming sector worldwide with the likes of Playstation series.
    According to Dasgupta, SET India can be ready with such special packages and services “within three months” as Sony is already in the process of digitalising its content.
    Meanwhile, Dasgupta feels that with the Shiv Sena staunchly opposed to CAS in Mumbai, addressability issue now would get deferred to after the general elections late next year.

    Also Read:
    MRTPC directs Star, Sony, ESS to join HITS?

  • Will Jassi turn the prime time tide for Sony?

    MUMBAI: Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin is not just Sony’s hope for the latter half of 2003. The Indianised version of the Hispanic show Yo Soy Betty La Fea is timed to help the channel consolidate its position in the number two position.


    Jassi…, a drama on life in the fashion world, will be unveiled at the end of the Lakme India Fashion Week programming on the channel. SET is leaving nothing to chance here as it aims to push its programming envelope further.
    SET India executive vice president Sunil Lulla claims that the last quarter saw Sony climbing 36 per cent in viewership in the 25-34 age group, SEC A, B and C, both male and female. An overall 20 per cent growth in viewership, a lead in the 8 pm band on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and a consequent hold on weekend programming have buoyed morale at the channel, says Lulla.


    Parmeet Sethi
    Jassi, the story of a plain Jane with extraordinary good sense and a sense of humour who learns to deal with and triumph over the glitzy world of fashion is targeted at the Indian woman. The Indian woman, according to Sony’s research, needs a character to relate to, accompanied by fanciful settings. The Indian woman is also looking for an alternative to shows with kitchen politics and Jassi works towards strengths of this woman and fulfils her needs. Jasmeet ‘Jassi’ Walia’s strong values will appeal to the middle class while her career goals will draw the modern Indian woman, believes Lulla. The setting of the fashion house where Jassi lands a job, will provide the requisite glamour and glitz so essential to the present day television soap


    Apurva Agnihotri
    Taking its association with the Fashion Week a mite further, Sony has roped in designers Satya Paul and Pria Kataria Puri to design the wardrobes of the artistes, provide consultancy for the show and help in the window dressing. Paul does the dresses for Mallika (Rakshanda Khan), the ambitious part owner of the fashion house, while Puri has helped with the other elements. While online programming head Anupama Mandloi says it is indeed a form of product placement, Lulla insists it is a mutually beneficial platform for both the designers and the channel. In the next few months, a few more well known designers will make their presence felt on the show, says Singh. 
    Rakshanda Khan

    The serial is scheduled to run for over 300 episodes, but will have a finite run of within a year and a half as it is confined to a pre-determined script, says producer Tony Singh. Unwilling to reveal the show’s cost, he only says that the fashion house set has been constructed on 9000 square feet of land within a studio in Powai. The original Betty had a conventional finale when it wound up its run in mid 2002, showing the plain Jane Betty to have been converted into a conventional pretty girl to suit society’s modes. Will Jassi… take the same course? Singh says that since he cannot tamper much with the original script, the show will run along the same lines as Betty La Fea. Film actor Apurva Agnihotri faces television cameras for the first time as the lead in Jassi…, while veteran Parmeet Sethi and Rakshanda Khan add their screen presence.
    While the late evening programming has thus been changed, the afternoon band, when Jassi will be re-telecast the following day, is also to be rejigged shortly, say officials. The marketing approach of Jassi… too is radical, according to Lulla. Designed to intrigue and invoke curiosity about the still under wraps artiste who portrays Jassi, it has been differently packaged with a multi media campaign that teases the viewer with Jassi’s attributes.


    The original Betty La Fea (Picture courtesy salon.com)
    A special one hour preview show has been scheduled for 31 August, and a one hour inaugural episode on 1 September, which is when viewers will finally realise that Jassi is none other than model and MTV veejay Nafisa Joseph (or so indiantelevision.com believes). But the catch here of course is is that if the original is anything to go by, Nafisa will be sporting thick glasses and braces.
    But before anyone gets the idea that this is a radical new twist to the way soaps are treated where the lead heroines have to be way up there on the looks department, think again. As the Jassi story develops, she will shed her ugly duckling image and transform herself into a beautiful executive.


    A reworked Cinderella tale is what Jassi will ultimately be. But treated in a unique manner not seen before in India.