ITV

Tag: Prashant Bhatt

  • SPNI onboards Prashant Bhatt as head of programming for Sony SAB

    SPNI onboards Prashant Bhatt as head of programming for Sony SAB

    Mumbai: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has appointed Prashant Bhatt as head of programming for Sony SAB. He will report to Sony SAB business head Neeraj Vyas.

    In his new role, Bhatt will be spearheading the content and programming division for the channel and will be responsible for managing the content lineup and the channel’s creative strategy. “With an in-depth audience understanding and a master at content creation for the Hindi entertainment ecosystem, Prashant comes in with a rich and diverse experience in the entertainment genre,” said the company in a statement on Monday.

    “I am confident that Prashant’s expertise and his deep understanding of the industry will help us further strengthen our programming capabilities. Prashant will play a key role in ensuring we devise and execute a standout premium slate with ground-breaking narratives and high-quality content for our viewers,” said Neeraj Vyas.

    With a career spanning over 27 years, Bhatt has held key leadership positions across broadcast media, creating new show concepts and also headlining innovation strategies for Dangal TV, Zee Punjabi, Colors, etc. He commenced his career in television as a writer and creative director before going on to lead content teams across the industry.

    “As a brand, Sony SAB has been consistently making an endeavour to cut through the clutter of television content and offer narratives that are innovative, well-crafted and in alignment with their larger philosophy of delivering happiness. In my role at Sony SAB, I will be spearheading further developments in this space and ensure that we continue to push the envelope in impactful and entertaining storytelling,” said Bhatt on his new assignment.

  • Dangal TV forays into kids genre with fantasy show ‘Nikki Aur Jadui Bubble’

    Dangal TV forays into kids genre with fantasy show ‘Nikki Aur Jadui Bubble’

    MUMBAI: School’s out and summer vacations are around the corner. Due to the second Covid wave tearing through the country, children have no choice but to stay cooped indoors. Like last year during lockdown, kids TV viewing is expected to rise again. In an attempt to reach out to capitalise on this opportunity and reel in a new set of viewers, Dangal TV is all set to debut Nikki Aur Jadui Bubble – a fantasy show that will take viewers on a magical journey. Nikki Aur Jadui Bubble will narrate the story of a young orphan named Nikki, who sets off on a quest to find her missing parents, along with her fun-loving magician friend Bubble. 

    The show will premiere on Tuesday, 20 April 2021 at 6.30PM and will thereafter air from Monday to Friday exclusively on Dangal TV.

    Produced by Creative Eye, Nikki Aur Jadui Bubble will entertain viewers with its power-packed and visually appealing storytelling. With Maisha Dixit as Nikki and Tanmay Rishi as the quirky and mischievous Bubble, the show will also have Himmanshoo Malhotra as Nikki’s magician father Shiv, and Lavina Tandon as evil magician Jhanjharika. Gulfam Khan, Sheetal Dabholkar and Sriniwas Kale will be seen playing pivotal roles.

    Intrigued by magic, and separated from her parents, Nikki desires to follow her father’s footsteps of becoming a magician someday. It is only when Nikki lands up in the orphanage does she meet her secret magician friend Bubble. It is along with Bubble and his magic that Nikki sets out to become friends with the rest of the kids while continuing her quest to find her missing parents while encountering Jhanjharika, the evil sorceress.

    Enterr10 Television MD Manish Singhal said, “At Dangal TV, we believe it is our audience who is responsible for our success. Original content is the core of the entertainment sector and at Dangal TV, we plan to scale up our original offerings and be the go-to destination for our audience. We look forward to further strengthening our position, as we introduce another captivating original story.”

    Dangal TV  programming head Prashant Bhatt added, “Nikki Aur Jadui Bubble is truly a visual treat that will take viewers on a journey filled with the goodness of magic. The launch re-affirms our commitment to provide differentiated content that appeals to a wide range of audience. By strengthening our prime time, this new show will further deliver non-stop entertainment to our viewers. We are sure that it will go on to become a kids' favourite and also bring families together.”

    Nikki Aur Jadui Bubble promises to be a visual treat not only for kids but for the family as a whole. Nikki Aur Jadui Bubble will premiere on Tuesday, 20 April 2021 at 6.30 pm and will thereafter air from Monday to Friday exclusively on Dangal TV. Currently, there are no sponsors onboard for the show.

  • ‘Crime Alert’ on Dangal TV gets all new episodes as Dangal Original

    ‘Crime Alert’ on Dangal TV gets all new episodes as Dangal Original

    MUMBAI: Dangal TV, has always been at the forefront of creating meaningful and engaging stories with shows like Aye Mere Humsafar, Prem Bandhan and now Ranju Ki Betiyaan.  Building on this, Dangal TV in its original new avatar of Dangal Original is all set to re-launch its crime show Crime Alert. Crime Alert aims at creating awareness amongst viewers, from means of protecting themselves to recognizing crime and criminal activities.  Having received immense appreciation for showcasing true events in a dramatic and exceptional manner, the show successfully achieved its purpose of alerting citizens against criminal activities. Crime Alert a Dangal original will premiere on March 15 at 12.30 pm Monday to Saturday exclusively on Dangal TV.

    Hosted by Sudha Chandran, each episode will showcase a story based on a real incident or crime from across the various parts of India, through different human perspectives. In addition to simply playing the host, Sudha Chandran will take the viewers through various instances and guide viewers to speak up, report and fight against crime and violence.

    Dangal TV programming head Prashant Bhatt said, “At Dangal TV, we are constantly working towards showcasing content across genres for our discerning viewers. With Crime Alert, we shall continue to bring about some kind of a conceivable change in society by educating our viewers and creating awareness to help further and encourage them to take action against crime and criminal activities. We are presenting all new episodes as Dangal Original on public demand, which will be in all new avatar and are hopeful to make a positive difference to people's lives and in our society.”

    Dangal TV has partnered with top leading production houses in India for each episode thus showcasing the best of stories. The show will lay emphasis on women centric stories, kidnapping, theft and interpersonal relationships. The show will urge people to break their prevailing attitude of letting the powerful in society get away with crime.

    Tune into Crime Alert starting 15 March, 2021, Monday to Saturday at 12.30 pm only on Dangal TV.

  • Dangal to tap its regional channels for Prem Bandhan promotions

    Dangal to tap its regional channels for Prem Bandhan promotions

    MUMBAI: Hindi GEC Dangal TV, a part of Enterr10 Television, is all set to entertain viewers with its latest offering, Prem Bandhan. Produced by Balaji Telefilms, the show stars Chhavi Pandey and Manit Joura as the protagonists. Prem Bandhan is a story about an independent girl who has the responsibility of her family on her shoulders, how she comes to a crossroads and ends up marrying a businessman with a mysterious past. The show has a very optimistic outlook on how one can convert a disadvantage into an advantage. Prem Bandhan will debut on 30 November 2020, and air Monday to Saturday at 7:30 pm only on Dangal TV.

    It is directed by Vikram Ghai, while Nikita Dhond and Sambhav Khetarpal are the screenplay writers. The story is written by Srinita Bhoumick and the director of photography are Dinesh Sinha and Alamghir Sheikh.  
     
    Dangal TV programming head Prashant Bhatt was of the view that now is the best time for the channel to come up with original content. The idea of the show was conceived by Ekta Kapoor. She was keen to create a story where disability is not looked down upon by society and how a person emerges stronger even in trying times. Bhatt shared that his association with Kapoor dates back to 1995. He started his career as a writer for Balaji Telefilms’ Captain House which aired on DD Metro. Once again collaborating with Ekta Kapoor for Prem Bandhan was like working on home ground for Bhatt. 

    For Prem Bandhan, the channel has formulated robust marketing initiatives to drive the brand experience across locations. The show will be simulcasted across the network.

    Enterr10 Television marketing communications head Vishesh Verma added, “We have an integrated marketing plan in place that will further push the show in the right direction and amplify its reach. While we are strong in our digital space, we will also be looking at other mediums as well. We will also focus on innovative communication given the current scenario to maximise reach and drive engagement.”

    Social media will play a key role in creating more buzz around the show. 

    Verma has clarified that the network is not cutting down marketing budgets for marketing and promotional activities. However, considering the pandemic, the channel will not look at OOH medium for promotions. Instead, it will utilise the network’s strength and seek help from Enterr10 Television’s regional channels to create buzz. “Most of the innovations will happen through promos and our radio spots will be unique,” he added.

    As far as content strategy for the channel is concerned, Bhatt revealed that data and surveys just act as a guiding tool but what really works for him is gut instinct. The main focus is to create an engaging story that reaches out to the masses. It has to strike a chord with the audiences. According to Bhatt, more than consumers or viewers, broadcasters should refer to them as people, who have their distinct lifestyles and viewing patterns. It is very important to understand the person behind the viewer and that is what Dangal exercises. The basic strategy is about showcasing a story about the country and the people of that country.

    A major chunk of Dangal’s audience belongs to tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and the dedicated target audience is 15 to 35 years old including both male and female. He shared that the channel’s recently launched show Devi Aadi Parashakti is witnessing an upward trend, whereas Aye Mere Humsafar – which lies in the very competitive time slot of 7 pm – is also doing fairly good in terms of viewership.  

    “Amidst all the challenges, Dangal has positioned itself quite well in 2020, we have a very enviable reach and a loyal viewer base. We wanted to entertain audiences by providing them original content. The responses for both our shows Aye Mere Humsafar and Devi Aadi Parashakti are very positive. As compared to other broadcasters, we have only two originals. We are taking baby steps but yes, we are moving in the right direction,” concluded Bhatt.

  • This Diwali awaken the spirit of divinity with ‘Devi Adi Parashakti’ only on Dangal TV

    This Diwali awaken the spirit of divinity with ‘Devi Adi Parashakti’ only on Dangal TV

    MUMBAI: With the festive season just around the corner, Dangal TV is all set to uplift the divine spirit of its viewers with the launch of a new show. Living up to its promise of entertaining and bringing meaningful content for its viewers, Dangal TV strengthens its primetime viewing with the launch of magnum opus, mythological show- Devi Adi Parashakti on 9 November at 9pm Monday to Saturday on Dangal TV.

    Featuring Rati Pandey in a titular role of Devi along with Tarun Khanna, Dangal TV is bringing in a new narrative of Goddess Parvati and her incarnations. Creatively pieced together through extensive research into India’s deep culture, rituals and traditions, the epic tale, laden with visually spectacular grandeur and opulent themes, has been produced by Swastik Productions.

    Enterr10Television programming head Prashant Bhatt said, “At Dangal TV, we are committed to keep our viewers entertained with exciting and meaningful content. With Diwali being about spending quality family time, it is our earnest endeavour to provide our viewers with a storyline that further ignites their divine spirit. With a strong appeal towards mythological shows and the upcoming festive fervour, the launch of Devi Adi Parashakti aims at strengthening our primetime programming that will resonate with our viewers and make an impact in the 9:00 pm primetime slot.”

     Swastik Productions founder and creative director Siddharth Kumar Tewary  said, “At Swastik Productions, we strive to present compelling storylines from the pages of our scriptures. We are grateful to Dangal TV for bringing the show back. The show is very special to us as it carries an important message of how women are the most important and integral part of everyone's lives.  it couldn’t have been a better timing to bring this show back to our viewers with positivity and divinity being the need of this time.”

    Dangal TV is available on leading cable networks and DTH platforms – DD Free Dish (CHN NO 29), Tata Sky (CHN NO 177), Airtel (CHN NO 125), Dish TV (CHN NO 119) and Videocon D2H (CHN NO 1).

  • Colors ropes in Deepak Chhabria as fiction programming head

    Colors ropes in Deepak Chhabria as fiction programming head

    MUMBAI: Colors has brought on board Star Plus creative director Deepak Chhabria as fiction programming head. 

     

    It was in October last year when Indiantelevision.com first reported about Colors weekday programming head Prashant Bhatt putting in his papers and non-fiction head Manisha Sharma being awarded with extra responsibilities of the entire programming department of the channel. 

     

    Chhabria joined Colors almost a month back and reports directly to Sharma. 

     

    When contacted, Colors CEO Raj Nayak as well as Chhabria confirmed the development. 

     

    Chhabria, who had been associated with Star for eight long years, was heading the creative aspect at Star Plus.

     

    For the record, in the year 2012, Colors had split its programming unit into two separate teams to bring more focus on content for weekdays and weekends. Wherein, Bhatt was in-charge of the weekday fiction programming and Sharma was responsible for non-fiction content.

  • Prashant Bhatt to launch production outfit – Studio B&M

    Prashant Bhatt to launch production outfit – Studio B&M

    MUMBAI: It might come as a surprise to many but the brain behind unconventional shows like Madhubala and Udaan on Colors, Prashant Bhatt is now starting his own TV production company. Bhatt’s new venture, christened – Studio B&M will launch by end of this month.

     

    Confirming the news to Indiantelevision.com, former Colors weekday programming head Bhatt says, “I was getting offers to start up my own production company even before I joined Colors. But, then Colors happened and after three years serving with Colors, I wanted to venture out in something new and setting my own production company was there in the pipeline and in my thought process for a very long time.”

     

    Bhatt will launch the new production house along with his business partner and cinematographer Sanjay Memane, best known for the Marathi movie Lai Bhaari.

     

    In the company’s name – Studio B&M – B stands for Bhatt and M stands for Memane. The idea was germinating in his head for quite some time and the two were in talks even before Bhatt joined Colors.

     

    Studio B&M’s team comprises people Bhatt has worked with over the past 18 years. As of now the company has 12 writers, six directors, five editors and seven music composers on-board.

     

    Bhatt realised that in order to have a very strong production company, one needs to have a very strong technical people on-board. “As far as creative part of the company is concerned, I know I can very well take care of it, but one area where I thought I might need input and advice is from technical aspects to run an efficient production house,” he informs.

     

    Getting well-versed people on-board was Bhatt’s main aim so that visually the product from his company can look different compared to other shows on television.

     

    While the duo has not yet started approaching the broadcasters on the same, they have begun their research on the kind of content that each channel requires.

     

    “I really want to be in a position where I can turnaround the entire concept in a maximum of three days,” says Bhatt.

     

    Talking about his past experiences, Bhatt says that being with a channel as a programming head for three years, he realised what it takes to tailor make content as per the channel’s briefs and requirements.

     

    “In the last three years I had production companies landing up with 10 concepts and surprisingly I had turned all of them down saying that presently Colors is not looking for such kind of content,” he says.

     

    “It’s very easy for me to say that like any other production house we will make and create things differently, but different and new doesn’t necessarily work always. On the other hand, chances are that if we dish out something that has been seen before but with a different story-telling style, it will work,” he concludes.

  • Prashant Bhatt to join Sony Pal as programming head?

    Prashant Bhatt to join Sony Pal as programming head?

    MUMBAI: It was in early January this year when Indiantelevision.com was the first one to report that Sony Entertainment Television’s (SET) sister channel Sony Pal would soon be undergoing a revamp. 

     

    And it seems that Pal has already taken the first step towards it. If sources are to be believed, the former Colors weekday programming head Prashant Bhatt will take in charge as the programming head for Pal. 

     

    It was in October 2014 when this website broke the news of Bhatt had put down his papers at Colors. When contacted Colors CEO Raj Nayak, wished him luck for his future and said, “He is a good guy and I sincerely wish him all the best.”

     

    Recently, the network also got on-board a new commercial head in Raaj Gupta who would be taking care of SET’s sister channels – Sab and Sony Pal. 

     

    However, when contacted, Bhatt denied the development and said, “I will definitely keep you posted about my next step latest by next week.”

  • Colors elevates Manisha Sharma; Prashant Bhatt to move out

    Colors elevates Manisha Sharma; Prashant Bhatt to move out

    MUMBAI: The Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC), Colors, has been witnessing many exists lately.

     

    Late last month, came the news of the channel’s commercial and digital head Vivek Srivastava quitting and moving to Times Television Network to head the English Entertainment channels.

     

    Now, highly reliable sources within the industry have confirmed to indiantelevision.com that Prashant Bhatt, who heads the weekday programming head, has been asked to put down his papers. Meanwhile, the current non-fiction head Manisha Sharma has been awarded extra responsibilities of the entire programming department of the channel.

     

    In the year 2012, Colors had split its programming unit into two separate teams to bring more focus on content for weekdays and weekends.

     

    The official spokespersons of the channel were unavailable for comment.

     

    With inputs from tellychakkar.com

  • Colors ‘Sasural Simar Ka’ achieves the millennium mark

    Colors ‘Sasural Simar Ka’ achieves the millennium mark

    MUMBAI: After enthralling viewers for over three years, Colors’ most-loved family drama Sasural Simar Ka has now achieved the 1000-episode milestone. The completion of this landmark marks a hattrick for Colors whose shows like Balika Vadhu and Uttaran have also reached the million mark.

    Celebrating this achievement, the team of Sasural Simar Ka has joined hands with Hong Kong Tourism Board to present a special shoot and audience engagement initiative which brings about an incredible twist in the lives of the lead protagonist Simar and her estranged husband Prem. The 1000-episode festivities commence on the channel starting 13 October0 at 7.30pm.

     

    The series has received constant ratings since the show first launched in April, 2011. The show has raked in an average of 4.6 TVTs with 86 weeks as the leader in the 7.30pm time slot. The success of the show has ensured that the show has been syndicated across domestic and international markets in over 10 languages.

     

    To thank the audience for their endless support, the channel has introduced a contest that promises to enhance viewer engagement. The contest questions will be put forth before viewers during the 1000 episode celebratory week. The winner will win an all-expense paid trip to Hong Kong courtesy Hong Kong Tourism Board.

     

    Speaking about reaching the millennium mark, Colors weekday programming head Prashant Bhatt said: “The response that Sasural Simar Ka has received consistently over the past three years from viewers across the globe has been gratifying. We have focused our efforts on identifying the pulse of the audience who have showcased their support through the spectacular ratings that Sasural Simar Ka has garnered. The show started off as the journey of two endearing sisters and has today become an iconic property that forms the learning ground for family values. The show’s success reiterates our belief in our partners, for not only Sasural Simar Ka but also Balika Vadhu and Uttaran, whose faith in us has paved the way for some blockbuster television offerings.”

     

    As the Sasural Simar Ka team heads to Hong Kong along with the lead cast members Simar (Deepika Samson), Prem (Dheeraj Dhoopar), Surbhi (Neha Iyer) and Vikrant (Aadesh Choudhary), they have shot in the most scenic and exotic locales which promise to create magic on the small screen.

     

    Some of the locations that the team has filmed at include Hong Kong Airport, Park Hotel, Harbour Grand, Times Square, Virgo Cruise, Big Bus, Victoria Peak and Lantau Link Viewing Platform among others. What transpires during their sojourn in Hong Kong promises to increase audience anticipation while raising the quintessential ‘Will They? – Won’t They?’ question amongst viewers.

     

    Speaking about their experience while hosting the team of Sasural Simar Ka, Hong Kong Tourism Board spokesperson said, “We are absolutely thrilled to host the team of Colors’ leading show, Sasural Simar Ka in Hong Kong as they celebrate the advent of a new journey while completing 1000-episodes. We would like to congratulate the team and thank them for allowing us to partake in the special milestone. Hong Kong is the ideal family destination for tourism and business and through our association with Sasural Simar Ka, we would like to showcase the best of both worlds to Indian travellers.”

     

    Adding to this Rashmi Sharma Telefilms producer Rashmi Sharma said: “Since the time Sasural Simar Ka first launched, the show and its characters have become household names. We are grateful to see the support that the audience has showered us with that continues to keep us among the top-rated shows on television even today. As the story shifts focus to Hong Kong, we hope to continue bringing quality entertainment to viewers as the lives of Simar and Prem, and Roli and Siddhant experience more twists and turns.”

     

    The show’s rise to the top has led to the growth in popularity of integral characters such as Simar (Deepika Samson), Roli (Avika Gor), Prem (Dheeraj Dhoopar), Siddhant (Manish Raisinghani), Mataji (Jayati Bhatia), Sujata (Nishigandha Wad), Manoranjan (Nimisha Vakharia) and Vikrant (Aadesh Choudhary) among others.