ITV

Tag: show launch

  • Voot Select set to stream ‘Apharan 2’ on 18 March

    Voot Select set to stream ‘Apharan 2’ on 18 March

    Mumbai: OTT service platform Voot Select is set to stream the second season of “Apharan 2” on 18 March.

    Produced by Ekta R Kapoor and Jio Studios, the show features a stellar cast Arunoday Singh, Nidhi Singh, Snehil Dixit Mehra, Saanand Verma and Sukhmani Sadana and spans across 11 episodes. The show is directed by Santosh Singh, and it is written by Siddharth Sengupta, Umesh Padalkar, Anahata Menon.

    “Apharan is a cult series that was a runaway success,” said Viacom18 Digital Ventures head SVOD and international business Ferzad Palia. “We couldn’t be happier than to bring the second edition exclusively to Voot Select members and play home to this popular franchise. Apharan Season 2 marks the start of a heavy line up of top-quality Originals with probably the most robust slate that India will witness in 2022.”

    A special screening was held for the launch of the show attended by industry honchos on Wednesday. The star-studded affair was attended by Ekta R Kapoor along with the entire cast of the show.

    “This is my first collaboration with Jio Studios and Voot Select and I am thrilled to associate with them for an unconventional show like Apharan,” said Kapoor. “After the overwhelming response received from the audience for the first season, it only made sense for us to take them by surprise with Season 2 by steering away from the mainstream action-thriller genre.  With never-seen-before plot twists, the sequel is sure to make many jaws drop. Be ready – Kyunki Sabka Katega Dobara!”

    Set against the backdrop of India and Serbia, “Apharan 2” follows the story of a cop Rudra who sets out on a journey to kidnap an intelligent criminal Bikram Bahadur Shah who wants to eliminate India from the world map. The trailer of the show on YouTube crossed 35 million views over 12 days, according to the streaming platform.

    “The Apharan 2 trailer has risen viewers’ curiosity for the sequel, but the wait is not too long now,” said actor Arunoday Singh. “Playing the character of Rudra Srivastava has been an unforgettable experience for me. The entire cast has kept every minute detail in mind while getting into the skin of our respective characters. We embodied their physical as well as emotional traits. All I can say is that it will leave you at the edge of your seat. Hoping that you guys like it.”

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  • Colors strengthens programming lineup with new show ‘Spy Bahu’

    Colors strengthens programming lineup with new show ‘Spy Bahu’

    Mumbai: In a bid to strengthen its programming lineup, Hindi GEC Colors is set to launch new romantic drama “Spy Bahu” on 14 March at 9 p.m. Produced by Ashvini Yardi’s Vinyard Films, the show features Sana Sayyad and Sehban Azim in the lead.

    “Colors has always believed in curating differentiated and relatable content for the viewers. Having recently launched a variety of unique fiction offerings like ‘Naagin 6,’ ‘Parineetii,’ and ‘Swaran Ghar,’ we are thrilled to add to our robust lineup, a new romantic drama, ‘Spy Bahu,’” said Viacom18 head Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network Nina Elavia Jaipuria. “This show will bring to the audience an exciting new concept, and we are certain that they will find this unusual love story of a spy an absolute treat to watch.”

    “Spy Bahu” follows the journey of a spy Sejal who sets out on a mission to uncover a suspected terrorist Yohan Nanda but ends up falling in love with him.

    “It gives me great joy to collaborate with the channel that I have been an integral part of during its inception,” said producer Ashvini Yardi. “It feels like a homecoming, and I am proud to announce, ‘Spy Bahu,’ my first show with Colors that highlights an invigorating love story with the riveting touch of espionage. Sejal and Yohan’s story is beautiful and absolutely romantic but is shrouded in mystery. The viewers are in for a delight, and I am very excited to see it come alive on screen.”

    Colors has devised a robust marketing and digital campaign for the launch of the show. The channel kickstarted the campaign in a strategic partnership with Kareena Kapoor Khan for the promos of the show. The promos were aired on various television channels including Hindi news, movies, music, kids as well as regional channels.

    A range of impactful ads across English, Hindi and regional print publications are also being targeted. On the digital front, the channel has created fun spy vlogs with the lead character Sejal (Sayyad) who took the viewers on a behind-the-scenes tour of “Hunarbaaz- Desh Ki Shaan” and “Choti Sarrdaarni.” The actor also reacted to spy confessions from netizens during this initiative.

    Colors has also collaborated with top comedians with a high social media following to create quirky skits around the title and plot of the show. An extensive media plan is also being implemented across mediums namely Facebook, YouTube, Zapr to increase the awareness of the show.

    “The fascinating combination of love stories and spy thrillers have traditionally held a tremendous impact on our masses,” said Viacom18 chief content officer Hindi mass entertainment Manisha Sharma. “’Spy Bahu’ is a beautiful blend of romance, thriller, drama and intense yet relatable characters. We are confident that this show’s plot will weave a powerful intrigue as viewers witness Sejal’s journey from becoming a spy to falling under the trap of love. We are excited to work with Ashvini, who has been a part of the Colors family and we look forward to a great partnership.”

  • Colors Tamil unveils promo of new show ‘Meera’ on Women’s Day

    Colors Tamil unveils promo of new show ‘Meera’ on Women’s Day

    Mumbai: Colors Tamil has announced a new fiction show “Meera” starring actor Kushboo. The show will go on air starting from 28 March.

    The show narrates the bitter-sweet relationship of a husband and wife and how they reconcile years later after their separation, owing to a violent episode.  In an effort to throw light on the growing violence against women, the channel has unveiled the promo of the show on International Women’s Day.

    The channel also initiated a unique ‘Missed Call’ campaign recently showcasing a short clip of the promo, prompting people to share their thoughts on whether or not it is justified for a husband to hit his wife with a toll-free number.

    The campaign was implemented after the internet broke into frenzy as actor Kushboo posted a photo of her with a swollen face and a handprint on her cheek on her Instagram handle with the #SayNoToViolence #StandWithMe #SpeakUpNow #Meera, leading many fans to speculate the myriad of reasons behind it.

    “With this show, Colors Tamil and actor Kushboo are taking a conscious step towards empowering women and urging them to stand up for their rights amidst the patriarchy with #StandWithMeera. Meera aims to enlighten the audiences that all sections of women face such brutality, even if they are well-educated or belong to the urban population,” said the statement.  

  • You cannot programme only for ratings: Sony SAB’s Neeraj Vyas

    You cannot programme only for ratings: Sony SAB’s Neeraj Vyas

    Mumbai: Hindi GEC Sony SAB is expanding its repertoire of shows by launching a new mythological drama show called “Dharm Yoddha Garud” on 14 March. Apart from being a magnum opus for the channel, the show is expected to be a trendsetter on Indian television with a unique storyline, compelling use of virtual production and technology, and a budget that could rival the production of a blockbuster film.  

    A first look of the show was unveiled on Monday during a press conference attended by Sony Pictures Networks India MD and CEO NP Singh, Sony SAB business head Neeraj Vyas, head of marketing for Sony SAB, PAL and Sony Max movie cluster head Vaishali Sharma, Sony SAB head of programming Prashant Bhatt and producer Illusion Reality Studioz founder Abhimanyu Singh.

    The visual effects and animation are created using world class technology and a world class team that leveraged eight technologies used extensively in high budget motion pictures and AAA video game titles. Some of the technologies used are MetaHuman Creator – a body capture technology that can create photorealistic digital humans, Unreal Engine – a real time 3D creation tool for photoreal visuals used for background and XSens – a 3D motion capture technology.

    “The game is no longer about channels. Access to video content is unprecedented and we are competing with every screen and not just what is there on channels,” said NP Singh, addressing the media.

    “We believe in putting out differentiated content because with so much content being available across so many screens, henceforth, whatever you put out has to be interesting for somebody to put in the time to watch it,” said Neeraj Vyas to IndianTelevision.com. “When we decided to do mythology, we wanted to move away from the comedy perception that people have of the brand obviously because of shows like ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.’ Every show that we’ve done in the last two years, whether it is ‘Wagle Ki Duniya,’ ‘Bhakharwadi,’ ‘Kaatelal & Sons’ or ‘Maddam/Sir’ each one of them is differentiated. It’s not like I’m doing five love stories.”

    Adding further, he said, “I was very clear that we don’t want to tell stories of Krishna, Hanuman or Ganesha which have been done to death. ‘Garud’ is a story that has never been told in films, digital and definitely not on TV.  Similar to ‘Bahubali’ it is a story that people will not know of. We wanted to tell an untold story, with compelling emotions and ensure that we had the technology to say it.

    Vyas recalled, “We started talking about ‘Garud’ in January 2021 and it has taken us more than a year to put it together. We knew it would take a lot of time to create because we were learning the technology and rendering the graphics takes time. ‘Bahubali’ took four years to make, we will be releasing 24-minute episodes every day. This is the most expensive show we’ve made and we’ve commissioned 230 episodes or one year’s worth of content.”

    “With this show, I’ve realised that Indian mythology is endless. This country can create ten ‘Game of Thrones’. I’m definitely sold on the fantasy genre. Today, you cannot programme only for ratings. There is a wider audience that craves a variety of content and you need to serve them as well. According to me, you can’t just survive with ‘saas bahu’ dramas. You have to keep evolving, keep trying and push the envelope,” he noted.

    Sony SAB has become the top second channel in the Hindi speaking market (Urban, 2+) as per Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) in the last eight months. “We’re largely seen as an urban channel and focused on the urban markets i.e, one million plus towns. But this show has the potential to attract a mass viewership,” remarked Vyas. “We do considerably fewer hours and content and don’t do any large format reality shows on Sony SAB. Not because we can’t do it but because, how much of singing and dancing reality shows can you do? We’d rather focus on what we do well rather than make another make another me too.”

    Speaking about the marketing for the show, Vaishali Sharma told IndianTelevision.com, “There are many dimensions to the show and the way we positioned it. It is a mythological drama from one perspective but it is also a show about family ties and exciting use of technology. For us the challenge was to take the story and make it appeal to A) the family and B) audiences in metro, tier 1, 2, 3 cities. We leveraged digital to build on the storytelling and technology and customized a lot of messaging across age groups. We travelled to tier 2, 3 cities where there would be appeal for mythology and used a lot of outdoor and ambient branding. We did not do a typical activation where you go and do engagement because it is still post pandemic and because marketing is evolving. We wanted to build an aura around the show and make people look at the big picture.”

    The channel has roped in Dollar and Rajnigandha as sponsors for the show.

  • Colors to telecast new fiction show ‘Fanaa: Ishq Mein Marjawaan’

    Colors to telecast new fiction show ‘Fanaa: Ishq Mein Marjawaan’

    Mumbai: Colors has announced its first fiction offering of 2022 called “Fanaa: Ishq Mein Marjawaan.” The show will premiere on 31 January at 10:30 p.m.  

    Produced by Dipti Kalwani and Karishma Jain, the show features actors Reem Sameer Shaikh, Zain Imam, and Akshit Sukhija.

    “Love stories coupled with thrill is a perfect recipe for a show. Our audience has witnessed some exceptional stories from the ‘Ishq Mein Marjawaan’ franchise and it gives us great pleasure to present its brand-new chapter, Fanaa Ishq Mein Marjawaan,” said Viacom18 chief content officer Hindi mass entertainment Manisha Sharma. “This edge-of-the-seat drama will portray how the emotion of love in the garb of obsession turns out to be the most dangerous aspect of Agastya and Paakhi’s lives. With such beautiful yet complex characters and an intriguing storyline, the show is set to take viewers on a thrilling ride.”

    “’Fanaa- Ishq Mein Marjawaan’, our much-awaited venture with Colors is about to bring a unique tale of love that will leave everyone enthralled,” said producer Dipti Kalwani.

    “We have a fantabulous cast including Zain, Reem and Akshit essaying the central characters and it has been a wonderful experience working with such a talented bunch,” said producer Karishma Jain. “We hope that the viewers join us in this new adventure and shower us with their love and support.”

    “It is extremely delightful for me to make a comeback on television with such a powerful character as Agastya’s and I am very excited,” said actor Zain Imam.

    “I started my journey with Colors almost a decade ago and I am so glad to return with Fanaa Ishq Mein Marjawaan,” said actor Reem Sameer Shaikh.

    “I believe that the positivity of Ishaan’s character will deeply connect with the audience, and the exceptional storyline of this show will keep them hooked,” said actor Akshit Sukhija.

  • Zee Zest announces new show ‘Safari India’ starting on 31 January

    Zee Zest announces new show ‘Safari India’ starting on 31 January

    Mumbai: Zee Zest has announced a new show “Safari India” with actor Rannvijay Singha. The show premieres on 31 January on Zee Zest SD and HD channels along with ZeeZest.com.

    The eight-part series explores some of India’s prominent National Parks to let viewers experience India’s rich biodiversity and the need to preserve the magnificent wildlife.

    The seven National Parks captured through Safari India’s lens are the popular Jim Corbett National Park in Nainital, Kaziranga National Park in Assam, Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh, Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, Gir National Park in Gujarat, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa and Dubare Elephant Camp in Karnataka.

    “Safari India was the most adventurous and thrilling experience I’ve had this year. It was a series of astonishing and larger-than-life experiences,” said host Rannvijay Singha. “I interacted with several forest rangers and learned about their efforts towards preserving our wildlife. I feel extremely honoured to be a part of the show and hope that with Zee Zest, we are able to yet again ‘Unlimit’ experiences for the viewers.”

    “In our quest to enhance our viewer experience and keeping in mind the ‘Unlimit’ promise we are very excited to partner with Rannvijay on this unique show,” said Zee Zest business head Amit Nair. “While most wildlife shows are voice-over-driven, here we have tried to place the audience in the thick of the action, giving them the vicarious pleasure to explore the wild through the show and possibly inspire them to undertake their own journeys of adventure.”

  • Times Now Navbharat launches political satire show ‘Bhaiya Ji Superhit’

    Times Now Navbharat launches political satire show ‘Bhaiya Ji Superhit’

    Mumbai: Times Now Navbharat has launched a new show “Bhaiya Ji Superhit” that will begin airing from 8 January at 10 p.m every Saturday.

    The show is a political satire on the top news stories, current affairs and political affairs of the previous week, and is hosted by stand-up comedian Sundeep Sharma. The 30-minute weekend show will be presented through three key segments ‘Hafta Saptah,’ ‘Noora Kushti,’ and ‘Acchi Baat Hai.’

    “Times Now Navbharat has successfully positioned itself as a preferred Hindi news channel in a short span of time, gaining unprecedented support from the country’s top influencers and viewers alike,” said Times Network group editor and Times Now Navbharat editor-in-chief Navika Kumar. “Our differentiated news shows like ‘News Ki Paathshala,’ ‘Sawal Public Ka,’ ‘Opinion India Ka,’ immediately resonated with the viewers. ‘Bhaiya Ji Superhit’ is a new show which presents a lighter side of the serious business of news.”

    “Every Stand-up comedian at some point in their career dreams of hosting a TV show and I am extremely thrilled and excited to host my first TV show, Bhaiya Ji Superhit on Times Now Navbharat, a channel from the largest media group,” said Sundeep Sharma. “I have a very desi brand of humour and the audience feels connected to me as one amongst them and I am hoping to make the same connection through television.”

  • Colors Tamil launches new fiction show ‘Valli Thirumanam’

    Colors Tamil launches new fiction show ‘Valli Thirumanam’

    Mumbai: Colors Tamil has announced its latest show “Valli Thirumanam,” which is set to air on 3 January at 8 p.m.

    The fiction show features a star cast with Nakshathra (Valli) and Shyam (Karthik) in the lead roles along with actor Nalini (Vadivu), comedian Nanjil Vijayan (Gundurasu), and actor Gayathri Jayaram (Vasundra) playing supporting characters.

    “Colors Tamil is pleased to present Valli Thirumanam, which adheres to our philosophy of unique plotlines and inspiring storylines that have a social impact,” said Colors Tamil business head Rajaraman S. “It is about a strong woman who is a true personification of women’s empowerment. Valli epitomises the independent women of the present era, who think and act of their own free will. With this show, we hope to promote a woman’s sense of self-worth while also showcasing her decision-making roles in the home.”

    To promote the show, the channel has launched an outdoor marketing campaign with the tagline ‘Kaadhal Bommalattam Aarambam- Adakkamaana Raja Alapparai Rani’ across the Madurai district. In addition to OOH Innovations, a popular magazine print magazine is being used as a story-telling medium through Belly Band Innovations.

    “I am happy to direct Valli Thirumanam as the show establishes a powerful facet of a woman,” director D Anand stated. “Valli, the main character, is brave and doesn’t hold back when it comes to expressing her opinions. It was an honour to direct such a talented cast. The scenic locations were an extra bonus. I am grateful to Colors Tamil for allowing me to be a part of this show.”

    “I am proud to be part of Colors Tamil. The channel has broken preconceived notions and created a unique material, particularly by creating strong female characters for television,” said actor Nakshathra. “I’m even more thrilled to be portraying a strong, independent woman who is willing to speak up for herself. According to me, my role will inspire women to overcome their worries and speak their opinions.”

    “I am thrilled to be a part of Valli Thirumanam since the show’s plot is unique, with well-defined portrayals of relatable people,” commented actor R Shyam. “Every character is important, and the show will certainly bring families together for a fun time.”

  • Zee Kannada to telecast new show ‘Puttakkana Makkalu’ on 13 Dec

    Zee Kannada to telecast new show ‘Puttakkana Makkalu’ on 13 Dec

    Mumbai: Zee Kannada has announced a new fiction show “Puttakkana Makkalu” that will premiere on 13 December and air every Monday to Friday at 7:30 p.m.

    Former minister and National Award-winning actress Umashree is all set to make a comeback to the small screen with this fiction show. She will be seen playing the lead role of the mother of three daughters – Puttakka.

    Along with Umashree, stars like Manju Bhashini, Ramesh Pandit, Karthik Mahesh, Hamsa Sarika Raj, Renuka, Guru Hegade, Sunanda Hospet and other budding actors like Sanjana, Akshara, Shilpa, Nisha, Dhanush as well as Santhosh and Gajendra of “Comedy Kiladigalu” fame are a part of the star cast.

    Aruru Jagadish of “Jothe Jotheyali” fame is directing this show, while JS Productions is producing it. The co-producers on board for the show are Pradeep Ajri and Pareekshit MS, while the story is being developed by the Zee Kannada team and the screenplay and dialogues by Satyaki. The title song of the serial is already a hit with lyrics written by Harshapriya and music by Poornachandra Tejaswi and sung by Panchama Jeeva.

    Based in Devipura in Mandya district, “Puttakkana Makkalu” follows the hardships of Puttakka. After her husband abandons her for not giving birth to a male child, her life starts revolving around her three daughters – Sahana, Sneha, and Suma.

  • News18 Lokmat launches special Diwali programming ‘Deepotsav’

    News18 Lokmat launches special Diwali programming ‘Deepotsav’

    Mumbai: It is that time of the year, where people across India gear up for the Festival of Lights which is celebrated as Diwali throughout the country. Be it children or adults, everyone’s busy planning in shopping various clothes, lighting up diyas, decorating rangolis at their homes and celebrating Diwali with their family and friends. 

    True to its tradition of always coming up with innovative and quality programs during Diwali, this year News18 Lokmat have bouquet of entertainment with lineup of programs which consist of music, dance, poetry recitation, food shows and celebrity interviews for its viewers between 4 and 6 November.

    In “Deepotsav,” various artists would be performing fusion of folk and modern music, traditional Maharashtra culture would be depicted in “Maharashtrachi Lokdhara” through dance form along with other folk dances. Well known poets would be reciting poetries which would depict importance of Diwali in lives of people of India. Special traditional Diwali recipes would be prepared in food show with various chefs.

    Celebrities like Subodh Bhave, Manjeri Bhave, Sonali Kulkarni, Prashant Damle, Kavita Lad would be sharing their Diwali memories and what is relevance of Diwali festival to them.