ITV

Tag: Naagin

  • Colors Rishtey back on DD FreeDish, bringing TV classics to the masses

    Colors Rishtey back on DD FreeDish, bringing TV classics to the masses

    MUMBAI: Hold onto your remotes, India! JioStar’s Colors Rishtey has slithered back onto DD FreeDish, popping up on channel 50. After a three-year hiatus, the channel is returning with iconic shows, all for free, kicking off on 1 April That’s no April fool’s joke.

    The channel management has lined up a string of  its hit soaps  and drama series in the hope of pulling in the eyeballs.. Expect the serpentine shenanigans of Naagin, starring Mouni Roy and Arjun Bijlaani, and Naagin – Insaaf Ki Jung,  featuring Surbhi Jyoti, Anita Hassanandani, and Karishma Tanna. Family feuds and kitchen sink dramas abound in Sasural Simar Ka, with Avika Gor and Dipika Kakar, and Sasural Simar Ka – Ek Naya Adhyay,  starring Radhika Muthukumar and Avinash Mukherjee. For a dose of social drama, there’s Doree, featuring Amar Upadhya and Sudha Chandran, and for a laugh, Khatra Khatra Khatra, with Haarsh Limbachiyaa and Bharti Singh. And for those seeking a touch of the divine, Mahakali-Ant Hi Arambh Hein and Mahaveer Hanuman are on hand to deliver some timeless devotional sagas.

    Colors Rishtey head of linear TV business Arnab Das is over the moon. “We’re thrilled to reintroduce the magic of iconic shows, all for free!” he exclaimed. “We’re bringing back the golden days of TV – full of drama, family stories, and moments that everyone in the family can enjoy.”

    The return of Colors Rishtey is a major win for DD FreeDish viewers, who’ve been missing their fix of classic television. Now, they can settle in for hours of free entertainment, proving that even in the age of streaming, good old-fashioned television still packs a punch. It’s a proper telly tale. 

  • Hitchki X Naagin Sauce unveil their ‘Uff Uff Mirchi Wings Challenge’

    Hitchki X Naagin Sauce unveil their ‘Uff Uff Mirchi Wings Challenge’

    Mumbai – Hitchki is thrilled to announce its exciting collaboration with Naagin Sauce. From 15 July to 30 July, all Hitchki outlets in India will host the ‘Uff Uff Mirchi Wings Challenge.’ This unique partnership aims to take your taste buds on a thrilling adventure with a specially curated menu that celebrates the love for fiery and flavorful chicken wings.

    The ‘Uff Uff Mirchi Wings Challenge’ invites all spice enthusiasts to join and test their courage against the spiciest chicken wings. The challenge will showcase a variety of hot wings, each more tempting than the last, all prepared with Naagin’s special sauces. Participants who successfully finish the chicken wings challenge within the time limit will triumph and secure a place on the leaderboard, along with exciting rewards from Hitchki and Naagin Sauce. At the end of the 15-day contest, the participant with the fastest completion time will be crowned the ultimate winner and receive an exciting prize.

    Expressing his excitement on the collaboration, Hitchki head chef Ajay Thakur said, “We are thrilled to partner with Naagin Sauce for the ‘Uff Uff Mirchi Wings Challenge.’ This collaboration will allow us to showcase the vibrant and bold flavors of Indian chillies through our specially curated chicken wings menu. Our mirchi wings promise an exhilarating flavor journey, combining intense spices with creative culinary techniques to deliver a dining experience that our guests won’t forget. We invite everyone to indulge in this fiery fiesta and discover the unique burst of flavors that Hitchki has to offer.”

    The special menu features five uniquely crafted chicken wings dishes, each highlighting a different aspect of Indian spice. The ‘Naagin Meri Priyatama’ offers chicken wings marinated in Karnataka’s Byadgi chilli and a 65 Masala spice blend, lightly batter-fried and pitched in Naagin’s The 65 Hot Sauce, with a mild heat level of 3/10. Also, a fun fact, the oil extracted from Byadgi chillies are used in the preparation of nail polish and lipstick! Next, the ‘Thumkeshwari’ brings an aromatic spice blend with Sankeshwari chillies, featuring Kentucky-style breaded chicken wings pitched in Naagin’s Original Sauce, with a moderate heat level of 4/10. Try this dish if you can as Sankeshwari chilli are also known as Kolhapuri Lavangi Mirchi!

    For those who crave a bit more heat, the ‘Kanta Laga’ presents black peppered chicken wings tossed in Naagin’s blend of Kantha Bomb Sauce, offering a spiciness level of 6/10. Dare to try ‘Bhoot Bhulaiyaa’ with Bhut Jolokia in Smoky Bhoot Sauce with a heat level of 8/10, certified as the world’s hottest pepper. Finally, for the ultimate spice lovers, ‘Mai Nagin … Nagin’ dares you to indulge in ghostly-crazy-fiery-spicy chicken wings made with a limited-edition hot sauce created exclusively for Hitchki in collaboration with Naagin. This dish boasts a scorching heat level of 10/10, as the Hitchki X Naagin Sauce is mercilessly hotter than Bhut Jolokia chili, which is known to be 170 times spicier than Tabasco Sauce.

    Commenting on the association, Naagin co-founder Arjun Rastogi said, “We are incredibly excited to partner with Hitchki to celebrate Chicken Wings! Our sauces are crafted with a deep respect for Indian chillies and flavors, and this collaboration allows us to showcase their versatility and intensity in a fun and engaging way. The ‘Uff Uff Mirchi Wings Challenge’ is set to be an unforgettable experience for all spice lovers.”

  • Too Yumm! Introduces BHOOT Chips in a fiery collaboration with Naagin

    Too Yumm! Introduces BHOOT Chips in a fiery collaboration with Naagin

    Mumbai: New Age snacking brand Too Yumm! from Guiltfree Industries, a part of the FMCG division of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group bids to rekindle the spirit of innovation and taste in the snacking category with this tantalizing and exhilarating new flavour – Too Yumm! BHOOT Chips. Infused with the searing heat of India’s spiciest Chilli, Bhut Jholokia, Too Yumm! attempts an exceptional collaboration that marks an industry-first; teams up with India’s pioneer hot sauce brand, Naagin, to deliver an unparalleled snacking experience that tantalises the taste buds and ignites the senses.

    Too Yumm! and Naagin, both catering to the preferences of today’s vibrant and dynamic youth, have united to create an exceptional product that not only boasts intense heat but is also astonishingly delectable, making it impossible to resist. Not content with revolutionising just the product, Too Yumm! has infused innovation into every aspect of BHOOT Chips. From its distinctive flavor and eye-catching packaging to its evocative name and holistic digital-first approach, the brand has orchestrated an immersive snacking experience. 

    Brand ambassador Varun Dhawan, also shared his experience with their followers – “Fiery on the outside and equally spicy on the inside. BHOOT Chips ka jhatka sach me yaad raha.” 

    KL Rahul, an Indian cricketer, has also joined Dhawan as the brand ambassador for Too Yumm! Chips. He has also expressed his delight for the product through a reaction video, “Too Yumm! Has struck gold again with Bhut Jholokia Chillies – a truly exceptional creation, BHOOT Chips indeed!”

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by KL Rahul (@klrahul)

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cv7dAxwrnYB/

    Embracing a comprehensive digital-first strategy, Too Yumm! has harnessed a myriad of digital platforms to connect with its audience on their preferred channels – including influencer collaborations, engaging AR filters, vibrant Twitter conversations, and more. 

    Commenting on the launch, Guiltfree Industries Ltd. vice president – marketing Yogesh Tewari said, “Too Yumm! Being a new age brand always aims to cater to the needs of today’s dynamic youth, and it is this passion to disrupt the category that has birthed this innovative flavour. The team has worked out such a wonder with BHOOT Chips that once tasted, you cannot resist them. The taste and spice blend of these BHOOT Chips is just perfect.”

    Naagin co-founder Mikhel Rajani also commented on the launch, “Innovation and originality is at the heart of all our products at Naagin. When we got the opportunity to work with Too Yumm!, an Indian brand that shares the same values as us, a successful collaboration was inevitable. Adding our twist to their amazing product has led us to the oh-so-wonderful BHOOT CHIPS!”

  • Irony Inc launches fiery gaming battle with Naagin – ‘Free Fire Original Fierce League’

    Irony Inc launches fiery gaming battle with Naagin – ‘Free Fire Original Fierce League’

    Mumbai: Irony Inc, a community-first e-sports platform and GamerzArena, India’s one of the leading e-sports platforms have partnered with Naagin, the original Indian hot sauce to organise ‘’Free Fire Original Fierce League’ for the gaming enthusiasts.

    The tournament began on 24 November and winning teams from each round will progress towards the final game, scheduled to be held on 9 December. A record 1500 teams will battle it out to bag the highest winning amount of Rs 1,00,000 and the coveted championship title.

    “The Gen-Z consumer is one of the most authentic and self-aware audiences. With Gen Z, passion and true connection supersede vanity metrics such as likes, views and impressions,” stated Irony Inc founder and CEO Tushaar Garg. “We are thrilled to have a brand like Naagin aboard which realizes the need to embrace this new-age and emerging esports landscape with an open mind.”

    According to the latest report published in October by Sensor Tower, Garena Free Fire became the most downloaded mobile game worldwide with 30 percent downloads coming from India that happens to be its biggest market. Intending to connect with Gen-Z audiences, Naagin, India’s first homegrown hot sauce brand has marketing initiatives to include Free Fire mobile esports tournaments.

    “Naagin places two traits at the centre of everything they make – fire and passion. Our love for Gen Z is evident for the fire they possess to pursue their passion,” said Naagin co-founder Arjun Rastogi. “This association will reinforce our target to make Naagin a product to pair their match-time-watching snacks and foods with. At Naagin, we pride ourselves on making products that hit the spot, similar to Free Fire players who hone their ability to hit their mark.”

    The ‘Free Fire Original Fierce League’ will be hosted on GamerzArena, India’s leading esports platform for everyday gamers. “Once Irony Inc brought this proposal to us, we were immediately intrigued to work with Naagin as it gives us a giant opportunity to cater to our core target group Gen-Z,” said Alpha interim CEO Matthew Schmidt. “This partnership only further enforces the importance of E-sports in India and Naagin will help Alpha and Irony Inc grow this community.”

    “Irony Inc is known for their work with Intel Gamer Days (IGD) and Coda Shop Global Series (CGS) and endeavors to build highly engaged e-sports-based communities for brands that have zeroed in on mobile E-sports to engage and expand their relationship with Gen-Z,” Irony Inc’s Garg further added.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

     

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

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

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

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

  • Supernatural genre gives writers most creative liberty

    Supernatural genre gives writers most creative liberty

    MUMBAI: Writers of the popular TV show Naagin, Mukta Dhond and  Mrinal Jha, explored the scope of the supernatural genre at The Content Hub 2020 organised by indiantelevision.com.

    Dhond said that the most exciting thing about fantasy is that it gives creative liberty to writers. As they say, anything is possible in the fantasy world which usually is not possible in other human stories. Human situations give you certain amount of possibilities but in fantasy there is so much more that is possible. There are some real stories; outside of that there is a whole world of small creatures who have power. Naagin is a female superhero; there are very few female superheroes worldwide, especially here in India.

    “Naagin is a woman who does what she wants to do. She is a woman who has power. She is able to fight back and take revenge, but the world doesn’t hate her. The character can do unimaginable things that we cannot think of. She tells people that they are wrong and the Indian audience accepts it. Naagin is somebody like just you and I. But they are able to speak their mind. The funniest part of doing Naagin is that there is no limit, anyone can turn around and do anything. You are free to write what you want. You can just close your eyes and think something, the fantasy world takes you there. That is the beauty of supernatural shows,” said Dhond.

    According to the panelists, for several years the supernatural genre was missing on Indian television. Aahat was the only show that continued for a long time. Otherwise no one  wanted to venture into it. And later Naagin and Nazar happened which opened the door for plenty more shows.

    They believe that the most exciting part for writers working on fantasy is the thought of coming up with unique ideas. It gives you the liberty to think out of the box.

    Jha said that the supernatural genre also demands pace in writing which sometimes is a challenge. "The events of each minute are very high generally and you cannot borrow from the real life around you. You have to imagine constantly and keep creating. The plots and twists have to be new every time. That is the exciting part. But the struggle is to find something new to tell every week,” she said.

    Sharing the same sentiments, Dhond said: “People in India have less patience. They want romance, action, drama, and revenge – all in one episode. The story that I finish in six months in a daily soap, it is over in its fourth week in Naagin. So, the volume of content generation that happens in fantasy shows like Naagin or Nazar becomes high. It is like surprising yourself and the audience every day.”

    India’s obsession with knowing the future and foretelling gave birth to their new show Divya Drishti. The story is about a girl who can see the future.

    “Also, what happens while writing shows like Naagin, Nazar and  Divya Drishti is that you discover the classification of what is called supernatural. For example, Nazar is a creature horror. Why is it a creature horror and why isn’t it a superhero is an interesting classification because they dictate how you tell the story. This is the key part of doing supernatural, you are able to identify sharply as to what is the template of the story that you are portraying,” said Jha.

    While answering the question of picking a genre while making a career in writing, Dhond said, "I started my career by writing for a supernatural genre. The first book which I did was called "November Rain" which later went on to become a series on Zee TV called Tum Bin Jaaoon Kahaan. I wrote lot of Mano Ya Na Mano at that time. It just came my way. Eventually I discovered my interest in that genre.”

  • Fantasy gives creative liberty to writers

    Fantasy gives creative liberty to writers

    MUMBAI: Writers of the show Naagin, Mukta Dhond and  Mrinal Jha, explored the scope of supernatural genre at day two of The Content Hub 2020 organised by indiantelevision.com.

    Dhond thinks the most exciting thing about fantasy is that it gives creative liberty to writers. As they say, anything is possible in the fantasy world which usually is not possible in other normal stories. There are some real stories; outside of that there is a whole world of small creatures that have a power. Naagin is a female superhero and there are very few female superheroes worldwide, especially here in India.

    “For example, Naagin's biggest attraction when we started was that here is a woman who does what she wants to, who has a power. She is able to fight back and takes revenge, but the world doesn’t hate her. The character can do unimaginable things that we cannot think of. That is the beauty of supernatural shows.”

    Mrinal Jha said, “Supernatural genre also demands pace in writing which sometimes is a challenge. The struggle is to find something new to tell every week.”

    Sharing the same sentiments, Mukta said: “People in India don't have patience. They want romance, action, drama all in one episode. So, the volume of content generation in supernatural genre like Naagin or Nazar becomes high. It is like surprising yourself and the audience every day.”

    The panelists also agreed that the one good thing about supernatural genre is that you can discover finer sub-classifications which make one show different from the other.

  • COLORS brings back television’s most popular, Naagin

    COLORS brings back television’s most popular, Naagin

    MUMBAI: The much awaited Naagin is back! She is back to seek vengeance, to deceive you with her beauty, to either love you or fight you for what she’s lost. Owing to its massive popularity and consecutive successful seasons, COLORS biggest fiction franchise ‘Naagin’ is here with another captivating season titled Naagin-Bhagya ka zehreela khel. This season’s story revolves around Brinda and Nayantara whose lives are intertwined due to their scarred past and that has a bearing on their future. This highly mythical offering will witness a new ensemble star cast of entertainment’s most popular faces like Nia Sharma, Jasmine Bhasin, Vijayendra Kumeria, Sayantani Ghosh among others. Produced by Balaji Telefilms, Presented by Odonil Zipper and powered by Boroplus Doodh kesar body lotion, Naagin Bhagya ka zehreela khel will premiere on Saturday, 14th December 2019 and will air every weekend at 8:00pm only on COLORS.

    The fictional fantasy is based on Indian folklore which entails family drama, revenge, romance, and suspense with inconceivable twists. Love is the strongest emotion and it has a significant place in a Naagin’s life. An imperative part of our folklore has been the belief that if Naagin’s love is snatched away from her, she neither forgives nor forgets and surely returns with a vengeance. Synergising mythological ancient beliefs and the modern-day fantasy series, Naagin- Bhagya ka zehreela khel will enchant viewers with a mysterious story that revolves around two women Brinda and Nayantara, their past which deeply affects their future and fate that brings them on crossroads. While, Nayantara is filled with rage and waiting to seek revenge from everyone who hurt her parents, Brinda is a simple, genuine and kind girl who loves her family. As the story progresses, the audiences will ponder as to how a heartbroken Nayantara, daughter of a Naagin filled with rage, will seek her mother’s revenge. Will she spare anyone who comes her way? Will she be able to seek her revenge and how will Brinda become a part of her vendetta?

    Speaking about the launch Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head, Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV network Viacom18, said, “At COLORS, we are extremely delighted to have a franchise that has been consistent in all forms be it the popularity, captivating storyline or endearing characters. We have a gamut of shows across genres especially on weekends that have had a series of successful seasons and have connected so strongly with the audience. As far as Naagin is concerned, it is undoubtedly the most successful fantasy fiction property on television. Slotted at 8:00 pm, the show will be back to enthrall viewers and strengthen our weekend prime time viewing. A success story, this season too promises to be edgy and action-packed.  Further she added, “We are extremely happy to partner with Odonil Zipper and Boroplus Doodh kesar body lotion as our sponsors for this season.”

    Commenting on the concept of the show, Manisha Sharma, Chief Content Officer, Hindi Mass Entertainment, Viacom18 said, “It’s always a proud moment to bring back a refreshing season of one of the most watched supernatural shows in India. For the upcoming season of Naagin, we have worked on some key aspect likes tweaking its pace, storytelling, casting and the graphics, making it more engaging than ever. Indian viewers continue to enjoy folklore as a genre, and with Naagin we present an unsettling story fueled with thrill. It will be interesting to watch how Nayantara is filled with rage and waiting to spew venom on everyone who hurt her parents while Brinda who is innocent and unaware is tagged along Nayantara’s venomous journey.”

    Elaborating further, Producer Ekta Kapoor of Balaji Telefilms said, “Over the years, COLORS and Balaji have successfully created a strong line-up of fiction shows, Naagin being the most popular one. The show has become a brand in itself and we hope to continue receiving the same kind of love and support from our viewers. The season presents a compelling journey of Brinda and Nayantara and how their paths cross. Adding to the experience, the storyline will be backed by never seen before visual effects and graphics to allure the audience. I am delighted to have Nia Sharma (Brinda), Jasmin Bhasin (Nayantara) and Vijayendra Kumeria playing a pivotal role in the show.”

    Nia Sharma essaying the character of Brinda commented: “For the first time I am trying my hands in fantasy fiction that has become a very strong brand. Naagin demands commitment, versatility and I am so grateful to COLORS and Ekta Ma’am for trusting in me. I am playing the role of Brinda, simple and soft spoken in nature who avoids fights even when people are harsh towards her. She loves the family she works and is very submissive towards them.”

    Jasmin Bhasin portraying the character of Nayantara said, “Ichachadari Naagin is a proven concept and the show has received a lot of love since its inception. I essay the role of Nayantara, who is bold yet broken and wants to avenge her father’s death. She is fearless and extremely ambitious when it comes to attaining her goal. With revenge on her mind she believes in her fight and can go to any extent for retribution.”

    Vijayendra Kumeria essaying the character of Dev Prakash commented, “This genre is a completely new territory for me, and I am more than excited to be a part of the Naagin legacy. My character of Dev Prakash has an extravagant lifestyle but hates to show-off and respects people around him unlike his affluent cousins. An absolute gentleman, caring and loving he is absolutely against superstitions and doesn’t believe in its power either. Many twists will unfold as the story progresses and I’m thrilled to be part of a show that is already loved.”

    With the pitch-perfect cast of Jasmin Bhasin, Nia Sharma, Vijayendra Kumeria and Sayantani Ghosh in the lead roles, the show also has Shaleen Bhanot, Supriya Shukla, Geetanjali Tikekar and Rakhi Vijan who will be seen playing key roles. Presented by Odonil Zipper and powered by Boroplus Doodh kesar body lotion, Naagin-Bhagya ka zehreela khel, promises to give viewers the best visual experience with a gripping storyline.

    Inspired by the famous memory game, COLORS has introduced, ‘Bhagya ka khel’, where images of all actors across seasons will be used. Users are supposed to open one card and match the same with actors who have been a part of the same season. This should be done in a stipulated time frame. On matching the cards, either BTS videos or bytes of the cast will be played for the users. The game will be hosted on https://www.colorstv.com/in/ and can be played more than once.

  • Take out masses from media, and you will have no media left’, says 21st Century Fox president Uday Shankar

    Take out masses from media, and you will have no media left’, says 21st Century Fox president Uday Shankar

    MUMBAI: "You cannot take out mass from 'mass media', because then there will be no media left", said Uday Shankar, President of 21st Century Fox and former chairman and CEO of Star India at "TV Ka Dum", a daylong conclave organized by India TV in Mumbai, attended by top Bollywood and TV stars, last weekend. 

    Participating in a panel debate with Raj Nayak, COO of Viacom-18 and N. P. Singh, CEO of Sony Pictures Networks, Uday Shankar said: "Television shows are made to get ratings, because the viewers are the ultimate arbiters. TV shows are not made for private viewing. Whether TV shows, newspapers or films, unless the masses read or watch them, you cannot judge their popularity."

    Uday Shankar added: "Ratings are only the output to judge the content that is produced. Ratings is the sum of how many number of people watched a particular show. No astrologer can predict the ratings of a show. Producers are interested only in what viewers would like to watch or know, whether it is horror, comedy or love story."

    On the issue of why more and more TV shows based on superstition and horror are being produced, Uday Shankar replied: "There are serious TV shows too, like Satyamev Jayate, but to cater to a nation of 125 crore people, you cannot have a single size boot. One has to make shows according to the size of the foot of different types of people."

    "TV networks have a broad spectrum of shows that include entertainment, and shows which are serious and some light. which the viewer can enjoy. When a person returns home tired after daylong work, and sits with his family to watch TV, he or she needs entertainment.  You can't go on hectoring him or her all day with speeches.  Give some time to speeches and some to entertainment, in the language which he or she can understand and accept. 

    "If a car or bicycle manufacturer can want more and more people to buy vehicles,  then why not a TV producer can want more and more people to watch the show. There is nothing wrong in it. " 

    "Some vested interests, including some politicians, do not like to watch certain TV shows. My answer is: if the people of our country have become more conscious and they are asking questions from those in power, it is not because of consciousness spread by the political class. TV programmes, whether entertainment or news, have spread awareness among the people."

    Viacom-18 COO Raj Nayak said: "My question is why do those who raise objections watch TV programmes that are negative? If some TV shows get good numbers it is because they are in demand. But one should also know that people watch shows like Satyamev Jayate, Balika Vadhu, Shakti (on transgenders), Udaan (on bonded labour). These shows entertain and also try to bring about social changes. 

    Nayak said: "The Star Plus show Saathiya was on women empowerment, and shows like these educate people. Shows are made to care to different tastes of viewers. If more people watch the TV show Naagin, let me say, television did not create Naagin. Already there were four Bollywood films on Naagin.

    Nayak added: "Television and cinema reflect what is happening in society, they reflect what people want. Whenever we launch a new show, we never look at the TRP. No channel makes shows after watching TRPs. Shows are made only when there is good content. TRP is only a byproduct. Of course, at the end of day, the channels want TRPs because, after all, we have to run our company."

    N.P. Singh, CEO of Sony Pictures Networks, said: "I agree that television is an important medium for creating social impact.  Our shows did create a positive impact on society. Kaun Banega Crorepati is a very powerful and successful format, and its success was a given. It is a vehicle to create a positive and social change impact. 

    "We showcased stories of small town people whose work inspire others. That is why we decided that we will show the life journey of KBC participants so that it can inspire viewers."

    Asked by hosts Maniesh Paul and Charul Malik as to why TV shows are pulled off the air abruptly by GEC networks, Uday Shankar replied: " It's natural that when viewers do not like a show, it is pulled off the air. What can we do? We are not running an autocratic regime where shows will continue to run by government diktat, even if viewers like it or not. Here you have to respect the wishes of the people. For us, shows are a commercial enterprise. If viewers do not watch the show, how can we sell it (to advertisers)?

  • Kumkum Bhagya, spinoff, SaReGaMaPa help Zee TV dominate Hindi GECs across genres

    Kumkum Bhagya, spinoff, SaReGaMaPa help Zee TV dominate Hindi GECs across genres

    BENGALURU: Two family soaps and a homegrown reality show have been time and again propping up Zee TV’s ratings in 2017– one soap – Kumkum Bhagya did it for the channel in the previous calendar year also. The other soap, a spinoff of the same – Kundali Bhagya has been rocking the ratings for the channel right from the time of its launch on 12 July 2017. And Zee TV’s home grown reality show is the music talent hunt Amul Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs. These programmes, along with other programmes on the channel seemed to have done a fair bit in helping viewership stickiness/enhancement in week 44 of 2017 (Saturday, 28 October 2017 to Friday, 3 November 2017). So much so that Zee TV topped the ratings amongst the Hindi GEC in Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) weekly data for top 10 channels across genre: All India (U+R) : 2+ Individuals. Zee TV was ranked second after the Sun Network’s flagship Tamil GEC Sun TV in week 44 of 2017. This time around for Zee TV, it was the spinoff that had a larger viewership in the Hindi GEC HSM (U+R) and Hindi GEC HSM (U) market than the original.

    Three channels from Sony Pictures Network, two channels each from Network 18, Star India and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) and one channel from the Sun Network made up the top 10 channels list for week 44 of 2017. From the genres perspective, seven Hindi GEC channels and one channel each from the Hindi Movies, Tamil GEC and Telugu GEC space made it to BARC’s weekly list of top 10 channels across genre.

    In week 44 of 2017, Sun TV was the leader across genres with 1,014.077 million weekly impressions. All the five programmes in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Tamil programmes (TN/ Puducherry (U+R) : NCCS All : Prime Time (1800 – 2330 hrs) : 2+ Individuals) were from Sun TV. Among Sun TV’s programmes that made it to the top five, Tamil programmes is a multilingual (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada) supernatural television drama – Nandini claimed to be the second biggest budgeted series on Indian television after Naagin and the biggest in South India.

    Sun TV was followed by Zee TV with 795.129 million weekly impressions at second place. Star India’s recently renamed and free to air (FTA) channel Star Bharat was at third place with 707.563 million weekly impressions. At fourth place was Zee TV’s FTA Hindi GEC sibling – Zee Anmol with 678.924 million weekly impressions followed by Network 18 (Viacom 18) flagship Hindi GEC Colors with 614.118 million weekly impressions.

    Women focused Hindi GEC Sony Pal from the Sony Pictures Network India (SPN) stable was at sixth place in week 44 of 2017 with 597.676 million weekly impressions. SPN’s Hindi movies channel Sony Max was at seventh place with 573.083 million weekly impressions followed by Star India’s flagship Hindi GEC Star Plus at eighth place with 565.534 million weekly impressions. The Network 18 associated Telugu GEC ETV Telugu was at ninth place with 537.726 million weekly impressions in week 44 of 2017. Helped along by the Amitabh Bahchan anchored Kaun Banega Crorepati or KBC was SPN’s flagship Hindi GEC Sony Entertainment Television (SET) with 491.791 million weekly impressions at tenth place in week 44 of 2017.