ITV

Tag: Raavi

  • Big Magic: Carving a niche for itself

    Big Magic: Carving a niche for itself

    MUMBAI: From comical line up to festive specials and blockbuster films, it is a channel which tags itself as the one stop destination for humour. Big Magic, initially launched in Uttar Pradesh in 2011 but spread its wings as it gained popularity in the Hindi speaking belt, boasts of creating clutter breaking and fresh content for the viewers in the humour space.

     

    In the general entertainment channel (GEC) space, it might be a new entrant but has been able to make inroads through its popular shows like Har Mushkil ka Hal and Akbar Birbal. So much so, that in week 45 of TAM TV ratings, the channel recorded a growth of 22 per cent.

     

    So what has helped the channel achieve these heights? It is its wide variety of three hours of original programming. From India’s first historical comedy Akbar Birbal to Uff! Yeh Naadaniyaan, from Ajab Gajab Ghar Jamai to Mahi Sagar and Raavi, it fulfils the entertainment needs of the entire family.

     

    And to further strengthen its primetime band, the channel is set to launch Bal Gopal Kare Dhamaal, pegged on the unique equation between a common man and God in modern settings. It is slated to go on-air from 22 December, five days a week at 8.30 pm.

     

    The new show aims at re-creating the Arjun and Krishna equation from the Mahabharat. Says the channel’s creative director Uditanshu Mehta, “The HSM is skewed towards religion, devotion and festivities and with this show, we will cover all these, along with a dash of humour in it. It will offer audiences a truly engaging watch.”

     

    Mehta reveals that the channel does an extensive research on a regular basis as it is very critical in every business.  Two months ago, the channel head met to discuss the research insights on what the audience is thinking.  The research is either done by the channel itself or by the creative agency, Grey Worldwide India, and the media agency MEC.

     

    “Faith is a sure shot way of attracting audiences like festivals are. We research through CHV’s, focused group discussions and extensive market visits to understand the pulse of the audience and their entertainment preferences,” elaborates Mehta.

     

    With Baal Gopal… the channel feels its entire primetime band will be complete. Mehta states that the story is based in Allahabad and teaches life’s simple lessons like karma. The show will be marketed through a 360 degree multi-media engagement plan, which will cover television, print, radio, cinemas, retail touch-points, outdoor and digital. Also extensive on-ground connect in the HSM will be made. “We will focus spends in our core markets of UP, MP, Rajasthan and Punjab,” says Mehta.

     

    Mehta feels that comedy as a genre has really picked up in the recent past because of various innovations across channels. “Overall contribution to GRP’s is coming from genres beyond soaps and reality. Comedy is an opportunity, which sees lesser clutter and hence an opportunity in this segment is challenging. For us, we want to offer audiences a destination for rejuvenation,” he says.

     

    In recent months, the channel has fortified its position across the HSM spreading laughter to over 85 million Indian households. It delivers a 10 per cent unduplicated incremental reach across the market, when compared to the top six Hindi GECs.

     

    Moreover, the channel has demonstrated a 122 per cent viewership growth over the past six months.  The channel’s Time Spent per Viewing (TSV) averages at around 70 minutes. Mehta says, “We want to take this up gradually. We are growing block by block and looking at increasing our original content too.”

     

    He recalls the moment when the channel went to comedy from generic in April, this year. The challenge according to Mehta was to turn the existing shows also into comedy. The other challenge was putting up shows and making sure that they are successful.

     

    It is slowly concentrating and building its weekend slot. With ‘Shahi Shanivar’ of Akbar Birbal specials every Saturday from 9pm to 10 pm, plus one-hour special on Mahisagar and one-hour story-of-the-week on Raavi, it aims to achieve it soon.

     

    The channel plans to add original hours of programming in the coming year. At present, the prime time starts at 7 pm and ends at 10 pm and it plans to extend it beyond 10 pm. It already has two-three shows in the ideation stage. Along with growth in terms of viewership, Mehta reveals that the channel has made great progress on the distribution front. “Initially, there were a couple of distributors, who were not carrying the channel. But now it’s sorted and we should be on Tata Sky, soon.”

     

    It is available across all major distribution platforms including Reliance Digital, Videocon d2h, Airtel Digital TV, DEN, Hathway, Siti Cable and InCable. To ensure wider reach into the HSM, it is also available on DD Freedish.

     

    He believes digitisation has clearly made distribution democratised and while placement is still expensive, distribution is not. “If the content is differentiated then placement is not a key challenge. In fact, we have had a reduction in our carriage fees dramatically over the years,” he reveals.

  • Big Magic brings back ‘Raavi’ & ‘Nadaniyaan’

    Big Magic brings back ‘Raavi’ & ‘Nadaniyaan’

    MUMBAI: To take the entertainment quotient a notch higher, Big Magic is set to introduce all new second season of its famous offerings – Raavi and Nadaniyaan. Armed with interesting new storylines and engaging characters, the shows are set to enthrall the wide audience base of the channel.

     

    Based on the story of a witty girl who grows up disguised as a boy in a Punjabi household, outwitting everyone and challenging society norms, Raavi will be returning with an interesting new twist as she is now accompanied by a magical mobile gadget that helps her through sticky situations. On the other hand, Nadaniyaan, the tale of three innocent simpletons will be bringing in a fresh perspective with a six year leap.

     

    Raavi and Nadaniyaan are all set to hit the television screens on 28 July and 4 August respectively. Big Magic programming head Uditanshu Meta believes that the primary objective is to not only provide viewers with content that is high on humour but also forge a connection with them.

     

    “Both the shows have emerged as steady favourites and are much loved by the Big Magic’s viewers. And now, with new storylines, a magical intervention in the case of Raavi and an exciting six year leap in Nadaniyaan, we are offering a lot more to the audience in terms of innovative content and interesting programming. Hence with the arrival of the new seasons, we are certain that the shows will hold on to the attention and past loyalty of the viewers and pave the way for future seasons.”

     

    The new leg of the shows will be effectively promoted through Reliance Broadcast Network Limited’s robust marketing arm. Ensuring deeper reach across markets, the launch of the show is supported with an extensive multi-media campaign across television, radio, print, out-of-home and on-ground.

     

    The channel is available across key DTH players ranging Airtel, Videocon, DD Free Dish, Dish TV, Reliance Digital TV along with Hathway, Incable, Digicable, DEN, 7 Star, ABS, Siticable, Star Broadband and GTPL amongst others.

  • Big Magic International enhances content portfolio in the US and Canada

    Big Magic International enhances content portfolio in the US and Canada

    MUMBAI: Big Magic International, launched a year ago, will now beef up its content line up with two new fictional shows ‘Raavi’ and ‘Nadaniyaan’ along with films acquired from Viacom 18.

     

    With a content mix that ranges entertainment shows to daily business news from BloombergTV India, the international channel promises an inclusive and absolute package for its viewers. At start, the shows will be available on BIG MAGIC International – in the United States and Canada.

     

    Through exclusive partnerships, ‘Raavi’ and ‘Nadaniyaan’ will air on Big Magic International in the US with the largest DTH platform – Dish Network and in Canada with Ethnic Channels Group (EGCL).

     

    In the United States, Dish Network will ensure it reaches a sizeable and relevant audience of more than 14.3 million households. In Canada, with Ethnic Channels Group (EGCL) a Canada-based television broadcasting, distribution and communications company, specializing in multicultural television, the Channel will air across all major platforms like Rogers Cable, Bell DTH, Bell Fibe, Cogeco and Telus, reaching over 6.4 million households.

     

    Marketing of the shows will see an extensive digital and on air campaign, along with an on ground leg. With Big Magic International’s alliances with large scale events like Shankar-Ehsaan Loy Concert, India Fair, Asian American Fair etc.

     

    Speaking on the announcement, International Business executive VP Soumen Ghosh Choudury said “The new shows on Big Magic International are part of our endeavour to offer a complete entertainment package that appeals to the Indian Diaspora. Both shows add to the robust programming line-up, and meet the entertainment penchants of our audiences. We will, through our Channel, engage with audiences across the mediums of on air, digital and on ground for a more holistic entertainment experience.”

     

    “BIG Magic International being the Variety entertainment channel has marked its presence in USA. These new fiction and comedy shows, and Bollywood movies on the weekend, will definitely add on to its growth and increase its viewership”, said Big Magic International’s exclusive advertising agency in the US market Mediamorphosis co-founder Poulami Mukherjee.

     

    With Ethnic Channels Group as its exclusive partner in Canada, the group’s president Hari Srinivas, said, “Big Magic is poised for greater growth in Canada, and the new programming initiatives will fuel this growth”

     

    The channel’s programming remains an eclectic mix of daily sitcoms, socio-mytho programs, crime shows, dramas, and religious shows handpicked from Big Magic India, along with news from the very credible BloombergTV India.

  • Big Magic launches three new shows this September

    Big Magic launches three new shows this September

    MUMBAI:  Big Magic, the flagship general entertainment channel from the Reliance Broadcast Network stable, has announced a slew of new shows.

    The launches will include two fiction shows Raavi, Maahi Sagar and a comedy show titled Nadaaniyaan. Each of the shows have been designed on the basis of audience penchants while offering advertisers multiple opportunities to engage with audiences.
        
    Reliance Broadcast Network business head – language TV Sunil Kumaran said, “The shows are designed to appeal to the sensibilities of the modern day audiences across HSM. We developed these concepts basis extensive research and tested them thoroughly. The Channel promises to offer a complete entertainment package.”

    Targeted at the 15-35 year old SEC ABC females and males, across HSM, the shows promise to resonate excellently with the progressive modern day audiences. The shows have been crafted post in-depth research undertaken with focus groups, by an expert agency across key markets. Each program showcases the progressive thoughts of emerging India and the fabric and tonality of the shows are designed accordingly.
    The shows will be marketed through a multi-media campaign with effective use of television, print, out of home and digital. The marketing campaign is focused on innovations as it will help in creating the required noise in the markets and also establish the shows.