NEW DELHI: Zindagi, the entertainment channel from the Zee stable, plans to make original programmes in India during the coming year and may also make some programmes, which have a combination of Indian and Pakistani artistes.
Zindagi channel business head Priyanka Datta stressed that every serial has its own priority market and that the marketing budgets for this channel were comparable to any other general entertainment channel (GEC).
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Datta said that Zindagi was being touted as the only Hindi premium channel as it got the same kind of ratings that English TV channels get and no Hindi channel in the general entertainment channel commanded those ratings.
Datta claimed that social media and digital platforms are being used actively to market the channel, which has a large following through mails and Twitter.
Speaking on the sidelines of the new series Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Haseen Sitam launch, which commenced on 23 March, she said that the series based on a Pakistani novel had been telecast on Pakistan Television in 2010 but Zee TV had acquired its rights for Zindagi. The new offering will be telecast every Monday to Friday, 8 pm onwards.
Since it is the only series on Zindagi based on the partition of the country, she said certain changes had been made to neutralize the depiction of partition-related scenes to ensure that it did not hurt the sensibilities of people on either side of the border. Datta also stressed that the series was primarily a love story and there was no unnecessary emphasis on partition and its aftermath. The research that had gone into the series also showed realism.
Denying the fact that the channel was popular only in north India because of its content, Datta said that it was popular not only all over India but was also seen in neighbouring countries including Pakistan.
“Showcasing stories that bind hearts is our aim with every show that we launch on Zindagi. Very few television shows have the enduring impact of Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Haseen Sitam. The show has beautifully dealt with the intricate emotions of love and separation and the poignancy showcased in the drama resonates even today. It is a never-seen-before portrayal of the essence of true love and we are sure that our audiences will enjoy it,” she said.
Set in the 1940s, it is a heart-wrenching love story that depicts the myriad emotions that people went through then and how love triumphed amongst them all.
Karachi based director Haissam Hussaim said love was a universal language and this series had also attempted to show this. Borders do not dilute this sentiment, he added.
Hussaim said that he had met the author of the novel ‘Bano’ and also done some research on his own. The author had told him that the story was partly based on experiences of some persons close to her, and partly fictionalized.
He said people needed to educate themselves so as not to be so intolerant.
Lahore based actor Ahsan Khan said all the cast members were asked to read the novel before the series was made.
Khan said, “I play the character of Bano’s brother Saleem, who believes that the nation should not be divided. I think the reason this show was a huge hit was because each and every character in the show has been very well defined and equal care was taken while casting and that is what did justice to this beautiful story. It’s a story that depicts myriad emotions that people went through then and how love triumphed amongst them all.”
Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Haseen Sitam marks the return of Fawad Khan, who is paired opposite Sanam Baloch essaying the role of Bano. It also features an ensemble of legendary and popular actors including Samina Peerzada, Ahsan Khan, Saba Qamar and Mehreen Raheal amongst a host of others.
