ITV

Tag: Viacom18

  • Hindi GEC women-centric shows highlight crucial issues around women’s day

    Hindi GEC women-centric shows highlight crucial issues around women’s day

    MUMBAI: Over a period of time, Hindi GECs have made many attempts to show the female protagonist in a stronger character. From Tulsi of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Parvati of Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki solving their domestic issues in the shows to Anandi of Balika Vadhu fighting for her basic rights to Mini of Patiala Babes addressing issues faced by women channels have made sure to portray women characters in a better way which is more relatable and also inspires many women viewers and convey a strong message in the society.

    Viacom18 Hindi Mass Entertainment chief content officer Manisha Sharma said, "Colors believes in leading the content curve, more so when it comes to women-centric programming. Over the years, we have given Indian television some of the most iconic women characters who are impactful and empowering. Our current line-up of shows have Meher of Choti Sarrdaarni, Pinky of Naati Pinky Ki Lambi Love Story, Bondita of Barrister Babu, Heer of Shakti.. Astitva Ke Ehsaas Kii who embody the spirit of womanhood and are a true inspiration.”

    This year, United Nations celebrates Women’s Day with the theme of ‘Each for Equal’, which upholds that an equal world is an enabled one. It is unfortunate that women are still judged and constantly made to feel awkward for something as frivolous and insignificant as a ‘peeking bra strap’. Viacom18’s youth and entertainment channel MTV has launched a campaign Baar Bra Dekho to normalise conversations around bra straps and slam the judgemental eye rolls on a woman’s peeking strap.

    The campaign kickstarted with a series of engaging content on social media and grabbed the attention of the viewers, asking them to talk it out and share their stories of strap shaming. It also went out into the crowd to understand the perception of uncles, aunties and youngsters alike on peeking bra straps.

    The channel’s show Nishedh will also addressed relevant issues on Women's Day. “Since inception, Viacom18 has worked towards identifying differentiated content that cultivate positive social change through its storytelling. MTV Nishedh looks at issues that have been brushed aside under the garb of stigma too long in ignorance. These are issues such as safe sex, consent, safe abortion, malnutrition and TB, which impact women. Through relatable and close to reality characters, the show answers some pertinent questions of concern. The lead female character of Aastha Gunawat unravels many facets of the young woman of today. A risk-taker at the age of 21, Aastha deals with challenges in her new journey, looking to make a name for herself.  MTV Nishedh gives a voice to concerns that are suppressed by patriarchal conventions with a strong narrative that engages and relates to the youth,” said Viacom18 corporate marketing, communications and sustainability head Sonia Huria.

    In line with the brand philosophy of Sony Entertainment Television, which values partnerships, this year’s Women’s Day campaign highlights gender equality #SheEqualsHe. The campaign thought stems from a very critical question – What do women really want? Instead of opening the car door for her, it’s time to open our minds; instead of giving her a reserved seat in a bus or metro, it’s time to make her feel safe when she’s travelling. Instead of saying ‘Ladies First’, it’s time to say ‘we are equals”. It’s time to say #SheEqualsHe.

    Link of TVC:

    https://www.facebook.com/sonytelevision/videos/207311794014138/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

    Sony Entertainment Television’s show Patiala Babes starring Ashnoor Kaur, Sourabh Raaj Jain and Saisha Bajaj truly believe that no child should grow up in the spectre of violence and abuse and this very thought has been incorporated in the form of an interesting track around ‘Good Touch and Bad Touch’ within the show. Patiala Babes has always been at the forefront of educating its viewers through its progressive narrative, be it women empowerment or establishing one’s identity in the society or even pay parity.

    In the show, Mini (Ashnoor Kaur) will be seen teaching her younger sister Aarya ( Saisha Bajaj) about the concept of ‘Good Touch and Bad Touch’ after one of her friends in the school has a bad experience with the school Peon. Post the incident Arya is in a state of shock and reluctant to talk about it to anyone. Mini takes charge and not just ensures proper guidance to Arya but also fights back with the support of other ladies of her mohollah through a campaign #ChuppiNoMore.

    To celebrate Women's Day the channel’s The Kapil Sharma Show will have all women cast of Devi on Sunday, 8 March.

  • Decoding Viacom18’s SVOD blueprint for Voot Select

    Decoding Viacom18’s SVOD blueprint for Voot Select

    MUMBAI: Unlike other international markets, the Indian streaming revolution was started by major broadcasters and Viacom18’s Voot has been at the forefront of the OTT boom in the country. While it has already built up a robust 100 million monthly active user base, the platform now starts its journey into the subscription game. Voot Select enters the market at a time when SVOD has already started its uptick. As the platform aims to strike a balance between quality and quantity, it looks at a window of three-four years to turn the business profitable.

    Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit says that this next decade is going to be about subscription and depth of content consumption while the previous decade was about online video and most of it free. He adds that consumers that are now habituated to online video consumption are going to start to become more and more comfortable with online payments providing impetus to the category.

    "We are very clear that we are not playing for quantity. We as a whole network are very clear that we will focus on great stories. And we have been great storytellers, by virtue of everything that you have seen of us over the last 12 to 15 years and creating content at any scale, in any language is second nature to us. That is exactly why we're so proud of the originals that we have. Each original is gripping, keeps you hooked right to the last episode, and you will not want to move till it's over- that is the strength of a story. The primary focus is the script, then everything else,” Voot Select and Viacom18 youth, music and English entertainment head Ferzad Palia comments on content strategy.

    “The nature and width of offering that we have is unlike anyone else. Now it comes down to the quality of stories and we are confident of our stories being great stories,” he adds.

    “We will do telco and other partnerships with all of the people that either have reached to the consumer, or in billing relationships with the consumer. Both such models makes sense to us and will help us in delivering valuable content to the frontline. Hence, anybody who has a billing pipe to a consumer is valuable to us. These are the partners that we would find a natural fit with and seek to engage,” Rakshit comments on the distribution.

    The first step of the campaign will be to target existing AVOD subscribers. "We do have the significant advantage of scale of some of our other businesses, which will allow us to communicate our message and make our offering to them first,” Palia comments.

    Voot Select has 30 originals planned in the coming financial year. The currently planned library of these 30 originals will consist of long-format content but the platform is evaluating some interesting digital movies too. The premium service has been priced at Rs 99 per month or at Rs 999 per year with an exclusive offer price of Rs 499 per year.

    “The AVOD gives us wings to be able to run this SVOD business. Hence, we will continue to invest in the business and what we are really good at is doubling down on interactivity, moving the 300 million number to a billion and creating an AVOD world as a place where fandom can exist. The SVoD business is going to be all about storytelling. Select is made for stories, and so the best stories in the world are going to be curated for you. And that is kind of how I see the distinct role played by these two businesses,” Rakshit adds on the overall approach going forward. 

  • Colors Cineplex aims to be in top 3 Hindi movie channels list in 2020

    Colors Cineplex aims to be in top 3 Hindi movie channels list in 2020

    MUMBAI: Viacom18’s Hindi movie channel Colors Cineplex is strategically attracting eyeballs by offering cricket with road safety series and world television premieres of big movies of the year like Brahmastra and Dostana 2. The aim is to enter the top three movie channel list in 2020. 

    The channel currently has a movie festival, Hindi movie premiere, south dubbed movies, movies review show with Atika Farooqui and now it has added a cricket league as an annual property.

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria says, “Our target is to ensure to get into the top three list. We want to make sure that we make Colors Cineplex a robust platform. It is by far the fastest growing movie channel on pay platforms and we want to continue with all the efforts that we are making on an everyday basis which has been consistent with the catalogue that we open up, with the kind of festivals, with the kind of engagement and entertainment that we have with Teetar mausi and with the kind of chat shows Atika brings to the table and with the kind of world television premieres. And then there will be the annual league of cricket that will ensure that we get an additional dose of viewers and footfall on the channel.”

    The programming strategy of the channel focuses on partnering with movies for at least two festivals in a month. The channel partnered with Love Aaj Kal for loveria film festival from 10-14 February where it aired movies Monday to Friday at 7.30 pm and it also tied-up with Dabang for BangBang film festival from 16 -20 December 2019 at 7.30 pm.

    The movie genre is the second biggest genre after Hindi GEC and the viewership on movie channels is growing with the curated world television premieres. Jaipuria says, “From Viacom18's perspective as a wholesome broadcaster and entertainer it is very important for us to be in the movie business. So, Colors Cineplex is the frontrunner and our representation in the movie genre. We are here to stay and invest in it and hope to see it moving from mid-tier to top five. The beauty of Viacom18 is that we have motion pictures in the house therefore there is absolute integration that works from that perspective from where we get our annual dose of premieres. We have a studio that makes it and we have a platform that broadcasts it. It's a very important genre.”

    The channel is also excited about the premiere of road safety series. Jaipuria says, “We have been exploring the white spaces and India is obsessed about Bollywood, cricket and food, now with the launch of series we have two out of three on the same platform.”

    She further says, “Both Bollywood and cricket evokes emotion that nothing else can. So it's a great fit for us to bring cricket on the movie channel. We have done Nidahas Trophy in the past on Rishtey Cineplex which was a great success and we are hoping to replicate that with the Road Safety Series this year. We want to make the series a winning annual property for us. We are leaving no stone unturned to make it larger than life with the legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara coming back on the field.” 

    For the series the channel is selling its ad inventories on the cricket rates i.e., in lakhs per ten sec and not on the movie channel rates. 

    “The movie market is title-driven and it's investment heavy. It's expensive to be in and we have to ensure that it makes business sense for the organisation and we get the deserving ROI on the business. I think that is the biggest challenge,” said Jaipuria.

    Viacom18 Colors Cineplex head Rohan Lavsi says, “We will be the only channel who will do positive EBITDA in year one. We are very cautious about our cost and spending on catalogues and premieres. Even our FTA channel Rishtey Cineplex had a breakeven in year one. So in that sense we are very conservative.” 

    Jaipuria further adds that they won't be leaving anything on chance. "Whatever rightful investment is required for the rightful deserving ROI we will continue to do. I am sure in year two and three it will start getting the right ROI. It is an expensive proposition but we are not shying away from our investment either making movies at Viacom18 motion pictures or in broadcasting them on the channel and buying movies as well.”

  • Viacom18 expands SVoD service with Voot Select

    Viacom18 expands SVoD service with Voot Select

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 today announced the expansion of its digital portfolio by launching Voot Select – the company’s newest foray into the subscription VoD services. Now available across platforms, Voot Select will house some of the most edgy and disruptive stories crafted by new age and imaginative storytellers. In a first in the Indian industry, Voot Select will bring the best of content from Viacom18’s extensive portfolio of channels on the digital platform 24 hours before the episodes debut on TV.

    To bring alive its vision for how digital India views content, Voot Select will house 30+ path-breaking Originals, global content through partnerships with some of the biggest International studios, 1500+ cult blockbuster movies and stream over 35+ live TV channels. To experience Voot Select, download the Voot app.  One can select this new premium service on VOOT, available for Android, iOS and web users for Rs per month or Rs 999 for an annual subscription. A limited period introductory offer of Rs 499 for the annual subscription, was also announced. 

    Viacom18  Group CEO & MD Sudhanshu Vats said, “In a short span, VOOT has already emerged as one of India’s largest OTT platforms with 100 milliom MAUs and 100 billion watch minutes. It is India’s most engaged platform with an average TSV of 50 mins. With projections of aggressive growth in Fibre to Home, Viacom18 is ready to go Digital First. VOOT Select is our premium SVoD offering developed to cater to this growing connected TV audience.” He further added, “We’ve put together a very compelling proposition and even pushed the envelope with publishing content 24 hours before TV, clutter-breaking originals and international content. The launch of VOOT Select marks a key milestone in our journey to become a future-ready, pipe-agnostic storyteller.”

    Voot Select will house exclusive global content from some of the world’s biggest studios, through partnerships with CBS, CBS All Access, Showtime, Fremantle, Endemol Shine, Chelsea TV, Arsenal TV, Real Madrid TV, BBC and Sony Pictures, among others.

    Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit said, “Voot is the outcome of Viacom18’s vison to create a future ready digital business catering to the evolving digital entertainment needs of every Indian. It is with this focus and a content first approach that we have built Voot Select as a premium platform providing an enhanced viewing experience for our users. Voot Select is “made for stories” that are differentiated and compelling and with them we are determined to be the most sought-after content destination for every Indian.”

    In addition to Voot Select Originals and Viacom18 network’s leading shows 24 hours before TV, Voot Select subscribers will also have access to a vast selection of international content including some of the biggest shows from all over the world, global premieres, LIVE events, exclusive daily talk shows, fashion, sports and lifestyle shows and 1500+ Bollywood & Regional language movies. 

    Speaking about the unique proposition of Voot Select,  Viacom18 Voot Select, youth, music and English entertainment head Ferzad Palia said, “Voot Select has been carefully crafted and designed for today’s ‘on-demand’ generation. We’re proud to give to India a destination that has the country’s largest showcase of stories ranging from Hindi & regional Originals, LIVE television channels from across the world, the widest variety of top-drawer international content to ‘24 hour-before-TV’ premieres of our TV network content. Ad free, multi-screen access and a solid recommendation engine will further add to a great entertainment experience for our subscribers.” 

    Highlighting the massive content suite of Voot Select:

    The best of network content 24 hours before TV

    Delivering on its digital first strategy, all the network fiction content on Voot Select will be aired 24 hours before airing on television. All the non-fiction content can be accessed on the platform, 15 – 30 minutes before its television airing.

    Voot Select Originals – Stories that must be shared

    Voot Select will captivate its audiences with a diverse array of 30+ Select Originals in multiple local languages. Compelling stories brought to life by some of the country’s best and most loved actors like Arshad Warsi, Rajeev Khandelwal, Barun Sobti, Ahana Kumra, Atul Kulkarni, Saqib Salem, Piyush Mishra, Shriya Pilgaonkar;  directors and storytellers like  Vikram Bhatt, Apoorva Lakhia, Oni Sen, amongst others,  will entertain, engage and capture the imagination of India. Some of the initial interesting VOOT Select Originals will include 

    Asur:  Asur is a unique crime thriller that pits 2 opposing worlds against each other. The less explored, intricate world of forensic science and the deep mysticism of Indian Mythology.  Asur will shine light on everyone’s dark side.

    Marzi: Two different stories, some blurred memories, altered culminations and contrasting perspectives of the same incident will take the viewers on a jarring ride of emotions in this intriguing drama Marzi. Would you believe the distressed woman on the quest to prove the truth or the victimized man? Who is lying in this game of lies?

    Raikar: In a country where our families are at the heart of our social fabric and the foundation of our lives, ‘The Raikar Case’ is an engaging new series, about family, love, deceit, and the secrets that wrench us apart. Because sometimes the most dangerous people come disguised as family!

    Illegal: Two high profile cases, a battery of high-power legal eagles & top law firm of the country. A first of its kind intense, racy legal drama that questions whether lawyers can resist the lure of greed, ambition and power; and fight to win defining judgements that hold the bar of justice high and restore faith in humanity.

    Crackdown: A high-octane action drama that keeps you at the edge of your seat with constant twists and turns leading to a larger threat to national security. What do you do when one among you is on the other side?

    Diverse Suite of International Content

    Voot Select to offer a wide array of global content experiences through  exclusive and marquee content partnerships with global content studios like CBS, CBS All Access, Showtime, Sony Pictures, Fremantle, BBC, Endemol Shine and more.

    Hard Hitting and critically acclaimed documentaries/docu series like Murder in the Bayou, 48 Hours, Crimes Of The Century, Whistleblower, Enemies: FBI vs The President; brand new exclusive global premieres like Why Women Kill, The Twilight Zone, Interrogation, BH 90210, Nancy Drew & critically acclaimed shows like Dexter, Californication, Elementary, Madam Secretary, Nurse Jackie will provide the regular dose of drama and entertainment.  VOOT select will also be the premier destination for reality with Masterchef USA, Master Chef Junior, Shark Tank, America’s Got Talent, X Factor, Project Runway, Fear Factor, My Kitchen Rules and more. Housing award winning series by Celebrity Chefs like Martha Stewart, Nigella Lawson and the late Anthony Bourdain, Voot Select will allow users access to some of the best gourmet content from all over the world. 

    In a coup of sorts, Voot Select will exclusively showcase almost all the biggest daily talk shows such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Entertainment Tonight, Dr. Phil, Daily Mail TV, The Graham Norton Show and more.

    Through a partnership with major international channels such as Fashion One, Clubbing TV and Real Madrid TV, the platform will showcase 24 hour Live Streams with access to the biggest fashion events, music festivals and exclusive football content. Fans of Arsenal and Chelsea will also have dedicated, exclusive content through the week. Adding to the diversity the world’s largest 24/7 LGBTQ channel, Revry TV will make its debut in India on Voot Select. The gaming community will also have tons to look forward to, with tournaments from World Poker Tour now available on the service. 

  • Colors’ new drama series ‘Pavitra Bhagya’ to premiere on 2 March

    Colors’ new drama series ‘Pavitra Bhagya’ to premiere on 2 March

    MUMBAI: Colors’ upcoming drama series, Pavitra Bhagya will premiere on 2 March. The show will highlight the complexities of three connected lives as they cross each other's path by the stroke of destiny. Produced by Balaji Telefilms, Pavitra Bhagya will air every Monday to Friday at 10 pm.

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria says, “At Colors, we always aim to present stories and characters which are immersive, imaginative and intriguing. With Pavitra Bhagya at 10 pm slot, we present to viewers a distinctive portrayal of relationships in today’s modern world. The unusual journey of three characters will definitely strike the right chord with the audience and further strengthen our weekday fiction line up.” 

    Reyansh (played by Kunal Jaisingh) is a rich, flamboyant boy who doesn’t believe in committing to relationships. Pranati (played by Aneri Vajani), is a girl with solid middle-class values and high morals. The one time she decides to let her heart lead the way, she falls in love with Reyansh but eventually is left scarred and broken. Eight years later, oblivious to the existence of her child from Reyansh, she decides to move on, but destiny has other plans in store for her. Unknowingly, she crosses path with her daughter Jugnu (Vaishnavi Prajapati), who she thought she had lost while giving birth. Jugnu who like a firefly finds light in the darkness has over the years learned to emerge stronger from everything that life has put her through in an orphanage. In the ordinary course of life, people fall in love, get married and have kids in that order. Here, a child will begin a story, but will it ever lead to love? Will Jugnu be able to make a family with Reyansh and Pranati? 

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment chief content officer Manisha Sharma says, “Love often comes with complexities and what can add to it is a broken past. With Pavitra Bhagya, we present to viewers the journey of not one but three central characters who they will strongly connect to. Pranati’s calm and composed yet strong nature will make viewers fall in love with her, Jugnu’s hardship will be an inspiration and Reyansh’s attitude will be a reminder of a young and carefree life. COLORS and Ekta Kapoor has time and again created magic on the small screen, with this beautiful portrayal of love and relation, we are looking forward to another successful inning.

    Balaji Telefilms producer Ekta Kapoor said, “With Pavitra Bhagya, our aim is to narrate an intriguing story of three individuals divided by circumstances but brought together by fate. Challenging status quo and shattering stereotypes, Pavitra Bhagya will showcase a story of how a child becomes instrumental in bringing two people together. The show will feature myriad shades of characters that are nuanced and relatable. We had a great time conceptualising the show and are certain that the journey of each of these characters will keep the audience intrigued and engrossed.” 

    Pavitra Bhagya boasts of a terrific cast that includes Kunal Jaisingh, Aneri Vajani and Vaishnavi Prajapati in the lead. The supporting cast includes Sherrin Varghese who plays Reyansh's Father, Vibha Chibber as dadi Baljit Kaur. Accompanying them are Ajay Chakraborty as Praniti's father and Ruma Rajni as Pranati's mom. 

    The launch will be supported by a robust marketing plan which includes television, print, DTH, cinema, and digital. On the digital front, the channel has designed a series of interesting activities to engage with the viewers. Focussing on the show’s concept, an Instagram predictor filter will be introduced to predict destinies. This will be based on the predictions that are related to the theme of the show, promoting it in a digital first and fun way. Additionally, a series of videos with Woodstock Witch, a renowned tarot reader will also be introduced to tell people about their zodiac’s Bhagya for the week.

  • Experimentation, innovation, risky moves enable Colors to top the charts: Viacom18’s Nina Elavia Jaipuria

    Experimentation, innovation, risky moves enable Colors to top the charts: Viacom18’s Nina Elavia Jaipuria

    MUMBAI: What's the secret sauce that has been adding flavour to Hindi GEC Colors lately? For the past few weeks Viacom18's Hindi GEC Colors has been seen in the leading position in the urban market and pay platform of BARC India’s weekly ratings. The channel has been leading with 22 per cent market share and 26 per cent market share in the primetime slot. According to Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria, experimentation, innovation and bold moves have helped Colors in becoming the number one channel.

    Jaipuria says that the credit goes to the channel's selection of both fiction and non-fiction. If anyone thought that Colors depended only on Bigg Boss, she says, "We can’t sustain a number one position only on one reality show. We have been bold, we have taken risks and we have experimented with fiction shows too. We've been a pioneer in white spaces; we've told stories that have never been told in the past.”

    The channel will continue to invest in content and in properties that deliver reality, but at the same time, it will also ensure that it has a strong primetime line-up in fiction. Right now in the primetime slot the channel is running drama series like Vidya at 7 pm; Choti Sarrdaarni at 7.30 pm; Shakti at 8 pm; Barrister Babu at 8.30 pm; Shubhaarambh at 9 pm; Naati Pinky… at 9.30 pm; Bepanah Pyyaarr at 10 pm (the slot will be replaced by new show Pavitra Bhagya from 2 March) and Mujhse Shaadi Karoge at 10.30 pm. Colors also has the long running strong  offering  Naagin running on weekends' primetime.

    Bigg Boss 13 has witnessed unprecedented success with 200 million viewers on TV, two billion views on social media and 1.5 billion views on VOOT. Japuria says, “Success is not always measured with one metric. I feel it can only be a success if it is a win-win for all stakeholders and to me Bigg Boss is one such property. Not only did it get us the viewers, the relation that viewers had with the show was unprecedented, it also had a phenomenal success on social media and it took the show from television to digital.”

    She adds, “The other metric was that in this disruptive NTO phase it ensured that consumers choose Colors over any other channel. And the last stakeholder is our advertiser and this year was unprecedented from that perspective too. We had the largest advertiser support not just on the main show but even on the extension. We had a fabulous top line on the show and a very profitable show and therefore it made sense from the business perspective. Therefore, Bigg Boss to me, was a complete unprecedented success for all stakeholders.”

    Taking the baton from one reality show to another, Colors will be lauching Khatron Ke Khiladi season 10 from 22 February. The show garnered 222 million viewers last year and became its biggest reality show in FY 2019.

    The advertiser interest despite the economic slowdown bodes well for broadcasters. “Even though there is a slowdown in the economy and it's been sluggish, advertisers are ready to put their money in winning properties. But the biggest example was in the extension of the show where most of the advertisers who had come with us in the original came back for the extension as well. Which means that advertisers are willing to pay for properties that are winning despite an economic slowdown,” says Jaipuria.

    “And that is a simple reason why Maruti Suzuki has come back with us from last year to this year as a presenting sponsor. We also have Mountain Dew this year and I don't see any better brand fit for Mountain Dew because the whole DNA of the brand is about taking risk and Khatron Ke Khiladi is nothing but that, so that's a super brand fit. And of course we have Balaji wafers as well now joining the gang, and I'm pretty sure that when the show goes on air on Saturday we will have lots of advertisers. Our team is in Delhi right now signing the deals,” she opines.

    With regards to brand integration, Jaipuria says that some of the shows have a challenge on that front because it depends on the kind of integration. "So every show has its own set of challenges and integration. So of course we will try and add value and clutter break as much as we can. But will it be as much as we did for Bigg Boss is a question," Jaipuria concludes.

    With the upcoming new fiction and non-fiction shows in primetime slots on weekdays and weekends, the channel wishes to sustain its leading position.

  • COLORS Tamil celebrates two years

    COLORS Tamil celebrates two years

    CHENNAI: COLORS Tamil, Viacom18’s first Tamil GEC, has celebrated two years of entertaining Tamil Nadu. 

    Known for its marquee shows such as Kodeeswari, a first-of its kind all-women version of Kaun Banega Crorepati, reality shows Kalla Petti and Singing Stars, and popular fiction shows like Thirumanamand Uyire, COLORS Tamil continues to entertain and engage with its viewers in exciting and unique ways.

    COLORS Tamil was launched on February 19, 2018 with the brand philosophy, ‘Idhu Namma Oru Coloru’ meaning ‘The COLORS of our land’. After a successful entry into the market, it further expanded to Singapore, Malaysia and the US. 

    On celebrating two years of COLORS Tamil, Ravish Kumar, Head – Regional Entertainment Cluster, Viacom18, said: “COLORS Tamil was launched with an aim of delivering new and never-seen-before content to homes in Tamil Nadu. It has always been our endeavour to present content that is innovative and reflective of our audience. We have witnessed tremendous growth and loyalty towards the channel over the last 2 years and are grateful that our viewers have placed their trust in us. Close to 50% of our viewers are under 40 years of age and watch our content everyday. We are extremely excited about completing yet another milestone in our journey in the Tamil market.We will continue to build on our brand philosophy of IdhuNammaOruColoru while we entertain our viewers with content that is truly disruptive and that is able to create a difference.”

    Anup Chandrasekharan, Business Head, COLORS Tamil,  added: “COLORS Tamil has successfully cemented its relationship with viewers owing to the channel’s thought provoking and socially conscious content. Over the last 2 years, we have launched shows that have had a lasting impact on our audience. Moreover, our viewers resonate with the brand values and philosophy we launched with. Kodeeswari alone was sampled by 4.5 crore Tamil Nadu viewers within six weeks. We will continue to innovate and introduce content that is innovative, differentiated and true to our ethos.”

    The channel thoroughly studies consumer patterns on an ongoing basis and curates its differentiated content. Its strength lies in consistently providing thought provoking, socially relevant and relatable content to its viewers. Over the past 2 years, the channel has entertained its audiences with various titles in genres like Family, Drama, Comedy and Fantasy. It has created a mark for itself, standing out with its varied offerings such as EngaVeetuMapillai, Thari, Malar and many more. It has launched some big-ticket, non-fiction properties like Dance Vs Dance, Singing Stars and Kodeeswari. The shows have attained popularity among the audience due to the distinct content and their outstanding quality that is on par with the standards of National Television. To further strengthen its footprint, the channel is all set to expand its original hours of content with new shows. This February, the channelintroduced two captivating fiction shows, IdaiyathaiThirudadhey which is a love story  with a twist and Naagini 4, the Tamil dubbed version of the popular Hindi supernatural fantasy show.

    With an interesting mix of fiction and non-fiction shows, COLORS Tamil will continue to strengthen its content offering thus catering to a wide variety of audiences. 

  • ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi’ S10 heads to Bulgaria for new thrills

    ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi’ S10 heads to Bulgaria for new thrills

    MUMBAI: After the success of Bigg Boss season 13, Colors is all set to replace it with Khatron Ke Khiladi season 10 from 22 February at 9 pm. Last year the show garnered around 222 million viewership throughout its journey on the channel and it was the biggest reality show in FY 19 for Colors. 

    "The DNA of the Khatron Ke Khiladi is stunts; its action, its thrill. It's about how one overcomes their fear. But the fact that we're taking it to Bulgaria has changed the scenario completely. We had our own challenges in Bulgaria and to overcome those challenges we innovate. And that's what brings Khatron Ke Khiladi to its newness. The USP of the Khatron Ke Khiladi will be Bulgaria and unimaginable stunts that viewers will see and truly some of them will keep you on the edge of your seat," says Viacom18 hindi mass entertainment and kids network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria. 

    And that's what entertainment is all about. The kind of emotion it can evoke is reality TV. "We have invested a lot in Khatron Ke Khiladi, it's an expensive show. When the viewers will see the show they will realise that stunts and Rohit Shetty are the USP of the show," says Jaipuria. 

    She adds, "In FY 2019, Khatron Ke Khiladi was leading and it was the biggest nonfiction show of FY 19. On an average, I think on a weekly average it had about 9 million viewership. But overall, the entire journey had 222 million viewers. That's huge and that's the biggest non-fiction show has had in a long time. We want to make sure that all the viewers who were watching Bigg Boss season 13 watch Khatron Ke Khiladi too."

    The channel has utilised the platform of Bigg Boss season 13 to promote the upcoming season of Khatron Ke Khiladi. "We got integrations going into Big Boss and Filmfare Awards to talk about it. Of course, we have a lot of outdoor will have some radio buzz, and we have a very solid digital strategy because stunts can be done and lend themselves well to digital."

    For the first time, the channel will use social media platform TikTok, along with Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The channel is going to take the daring challenge with the contestants through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Jaipuria informs, "We will get first the contestants to take the daring challenge and then we'll ask viewers to take the daring challenge. We've done some very peculiar content, which is specially made for viewers online, where we have actually shot two sides of the same contestant. So the contest for example Karishma Tanna – how she wants to face the fear but the other side is about being scared. A lot of social media engagement will be happening throughout show. We wish to trend as much as Bigg Boss worldwide," she added.

    Rohit Shetty returns as the host with the theme of the season Darr Ki University. Enrolling in the university and turning the scintillating country of Bulgaria into a battleground, will be Adaa Khan, Karishma Tanna, Karan Patel, Shivin Narang, Tejashwi Prakash, Balraj Syal, Amruta Khanvilkar, Rani Chatterjee, RJ Malishka and Dharmesh Yelande. Every stunt, every challenge will count when Darr Lega Class, Dega traas and the report card will determine the fate of the contestants in the game.

    For the first time, contestants will be seen performing stunts on a moving train which has been designed by Shetty. Each episode will have a mix of thrilling acts including an aerial stunt performed on a chopper.  Along with performing adrenaline rushing stunts, the contestants will also be seen having their share of fun.  Be it Karan Patel and Amruta Khanvilkar breaking into Chaiyya Chaiyya atop a moving train, Tejasswi trying to talk to a ravenous crocodile or Karishma Tanna falling in love with a Gorilla, there will never be a dull moment on India’s largest stunt-based reality show.

    Viacom18 hindi mass entertainment chief content officer Manisha Sharma says, “Khatron Ke Khiladi is one of our marquee properties that presents a perfect blend of action and entertainment. This season, 10 audacious contestants have been carefully handpicked to be a part of Darr Ki University helmed by our revered host Rohit Shetty. He has been an integral part of our journey and will give this season his personal touch by designing some of the daredevil stunts. For the first time, the season has been shot at the picturesque locations of Bulgaria that serves as a perfect backdrop for the thrilling experience. The contestants will be accompanied by creepy crawlies, deadly animals and innumerable hurdles on their journey that will increase the challenges manifold.”

    The professor of the University and show host, Rohit Shetty said, “The idea of fear seldom puts us on a backfoot but on Khatron Ke Khiladi, it is definitely not an option. This is my fifth year of association with the show and my job is to push the contestants, which I have always done, to face their phobias head-on and explore their true potential. Even the breathtaking views of Bulgaria will fail to ease out the pain when the contestants’ endurance and mental strength will be put to test.”

    Endemol Shine India CEO Abhishek Rege says, “Thrill and adventure put together always makes for a great entertainment proposition and Khatron Ke Khiladi provides you just that. The show has successfully grown over the years to become our biggest action-based property while amping up the energy and action. Rohit Shetty is tantamount to an action guru and with every season, he has reinvented himself to take the show to the next level. We hope to keep up the same momentum as the new season is packed with edgy and high-intensity stunts.” 

  • MTV to premiere 17th season of Roadies on 15 Feb

    MTV to premiere 17th season of Roadies on 15 Feb

    MUMBAI: Thrill – Check, Passion – Check, Adrenaline – Check; the most remarkable adventure of your life is about to begin. India’s longest running reality show is back with yet another milestone in its 17th season. With an aim to trigger social impact OPPO Roadies Revolution co-powered by Castrol Power 1, Alo Frut Juice and Manforce is here to hunt young and determined individuals who have it in them to be the force of change. Starting 15 February, every Saturday, 7PM onwards on MTV, Roadies Revolution will celebrate the undying zeal of a Roadie coupled with their willingness to inflict tangible progress in society.

    Commenting on the launch of Roadies Revolution Viacom18 Voot Select, Youth, Music & English Entertainment head Ferzad Palia said: “Over the past 16 years, Roadies has transformed into a cult, transcending from just television to a broadcast+ ecosystem. The last season of the show witnessed a 37% jump in TSV, 55% growth in watch-time on Voot and clocked 40 mn views of its Voot exclusive content, reinforcing its fandom. On social media, the reach for Roadies Real Heroes doubled last year. We have also licensed the franchise to open Café Roadies in Noida and Club Roadies in Jaipur last year, adding scale to the ecosystem. For MTV Roadies Revolution, we are happy to have OPPO on board as our title sponsor, Castrol Power 1, Alo Frut Juice and Manforce as our co- powered by sponsors. Big Muscle Nutrition joins in as our nutrition partner and Envy as an associate sponsor, as we go on the road with JAWA, fueling yet another journey of this iconic show.”

    Led by an epic panel of celebrity leaders, Neha Dhupia, Nikhil Chinappa, Raftaar and Prince Narula, along with host Rannvijay Singha, Roadies Revolution will touch upon several social causes through its journey and encourage contestants to give back to society and work towards its betterment. While Neha Dhupia will be echoing the cause of women’s safety, Raftaar will raise his voice against gender discrimination. Climate change will find a much-needed advocate in Nikhil Chinappa and youth icon Prince Narula will take a stand against the alarming effects of drug abuse. Each of the leaders will champion a social cause close to their heart and create a revolution, but in the quintessential Roadie way. With a perfect blend of adventure, thrill and a grand comeback with bikes this time, the issues highlighted this season will be reflected in the tasks and challenges performed during the journey.

    OPPO India product & marketing VP Sumit Walia said: “As a brand that keeps young consumers at the heart of our business, we have always aimed at forging partnerships that resonate with our customers. OPPO believes in pushing the boundaries of innovation to exceed customers’ expectations, much like MTV Roadies, pushing its participants to bring out the best in them. We strongly believe that this symbiotic partnership will help us develop a stronger connect with the youth. We wish MTV and the participants of the show a tremendous success.”

    The ultimate youth icon, Rannvijay Singha expressed his excitement for Roadies Revolution, “Bringing the 17th season of a show that has been a defining experience for me is surreal. With powerful themes and innovative concepts, Roadies has continued to stay relevant amongst the audience. This year, Roadies Revolution takes a bigger leap in directing the youngsters to commit themselves for greater good. We are glad to take this phenomenon ahead and hold the baton high to create a change, together with the youth.”

    The auditions for Roadies Revolution saw an overwhelming response with thousands of fans showcasing their zest to be a Roadie. In addition to Delhi, Pune and Chandigarh, Roadies made a comeback to Kolkata after 2 years to hunt for youngsters in the city who have it in them to stand out. Celebrating the theme of propelling social good, MTV tied up with Chelsea India and Magic Bus Foundation for a friendly football match in Kolkata to inculcate the need of fitness and sports amongst children. Celebrity leaders Neha Dhupia and Nikhil Chinappa along with Rannvijay Singha also led a troupe of 25 bikers in Pune to echo the cause of road safety before wrapping up the auditions in style.

    Every year, Roadies takes the viewers on a breathtaking journey through the scenic landscapes of India. It will be interesting to see where the troop would be headed to this year.

    Tune-in to the adventure extravaganza with OPPO MTV Roadies Revolution co-powered by Castrol Power 1, Alo Frut Juice and Manforce starting 15 February, every Saturday at 7PM only on MTV.

  • Sonic launches a month-long campaign this exam season

    Sonic launches a month-long campaign this exam season

    MUMBAI: Sonic launches the latest edition of its school contact programme, Alpenliebe Pop presents Sonic Prank Sessions with Golmaal Junior, Monday – Friday, 7 pm. This month-long campaign will see Golmaal Jr.’s Prank gang, Gopal and Madhav, reaching out to kids through various interactive games and direct engagement in 250 schools across the country. The campaign would span schools in multiple cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Nagpur, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Surat , Ludhiana , Amritsar and Kolkata.

    The latest edition of Sonic’s multi city School Contact Programme will make students’ everyday school routine more exciting through a host of games, trivia, competitions and will also give them a chance to take back some exciting prizes. These Prank Sessions will also bring alive the masti of Golmaal Jr. in classrooms with a series of funny pranks integrated with team building activities.

    Viacom18 Hindi and Kids TV Network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria commented, “Every year with our School Contact Programme, we aim to engage with kids through fun and interactive initiatives that are also meaningful.  Kids are all set to enter a very intensive exam season and this year’s school contact programme is crafted to help kids approach the exam season with positivity and high spirits.  We are sure that kids will have a great time taking a break with our toons and recharging themselves for a stress free and successful exam season.”

    With high octane promotions on the channel, interesting social media promotions and a larger than life engagement in the schools, Sonic will get the masti back in the lives of kids. Tune into Golmaal Jr. Monday-Friday, 7pm.