Regional

Vijay TV scripts a turnaround tale

Published

21 years ago

April 30, 2005

Star Group owned Vijay TV has turned around, putting behind a history of losses over the years.

"We have, for the first time, made a small profit in the fiscal. It is a promising start," says Vijay TV deputy general manager Harsh Rohatgi.

Getting to such a situation wasn‘t easy, particularly in a market where Sun Network held complete control while Raj TV and Jaya TV were smaller players but firmly entrenched in the state. Vijay TV, in fact, had a net loss of 85 million for the year ended 31 March 2003, on a revenue of Rs 402.9 million.

So how was this achieved? "We rationalised costs and also grew in revenues," says Rohatgi.

Inching closer to Sun is not Vijay TV‘s strategy. The plan is to carve out a separate space for itself rather than confront the other networks directly. Lacking the ammunition of a strong Tamil movie line up and unwilling to invest heavily on them, the channel chalked out a different approach: leverage content of Star Group channels and dub them into Tamil.

It was Vijay TV which kicked off the Hollywood dub movie campaign in Tamil. That was in February 2003 and Jaya TV followed suit in 2004. The first Sunday Hollywood blockbuster to be aired was Titanic. The line up was strengthened last year with more and better movies. Presently, Vijay TV has two dubbed English movie slots: It telecasts martial arts movies in the 9:00 pm slot on Saturdays and Hollywood dubbed movies in the 11 am slot on Sundays.

Vijay TV is targeting the family audience with its Sunday morning slot. "Family television viewing is high on Sunday mornings and Vijay has been synonymous with Hollywood movies," says Rohatgi.

Sun Network also took to this route but Vijay TV had movies like Titanic, the Jurassic Park series, Gladiator and Terminator. Rohatgi admits such movies have really helped the channel gain a foothold. "The ratings in this band have been consistent with TVRs in the range of 6-10," he says.

Speaking about the returns in ad revenues, Rohatgi points out that Vijay TV has been getting good response from national as well as regional advertisers for the Hollywood segment. "We have an equal mix of national as well as regional advertisers on these movies," he offers. "The national advertisers the channel has roped in include Britannia,LG, Cadburys, HLL, Hutch. The line up of regional advertisers for the Hollywood property include Goldwinner and Univercell."

The martial arts movie segment Adhiradi Thiruvizha is also getting decent ratings as the Tamil audiences are passionate about action-oriented films, says Rohatgi. The property has given the channel an average TVR of 4 in the CS ABC4+ Chennai market from January 2005 to February 2005.

So will Vijay TV also dub other language movies into Tamil? Rohatgi doesn‘t rule that out. "Language has never been a barrier for good entertainment and the Hollywood movie success is proof of the same," he says. The channel, in fact, has already made some movements on this front. It has telecast the Tamil dubbed versions of Hindi blockbusters Satya and Rangeela.

Vijay TV also decided to pump in content from Star Plus. Kids programming like Shakalaka Boom Boom and Hatim were dubbed in Tamil and brought on air from August 2004. Having seen a surge in audience share among the kids, the plan is to soon launch Khulja Sim Sim on the channel.

Says Rohatgi, "Fantasy shows from the Star stable have worked wonders for us in the kids band. Shares are in excess of 40 per cent and ratings for these shows average around 7-8 among kids."

Putting in internally produced shows also formed part of the strategy. All the 9 pm shows (Mon-Thurs 21.00-21.45), comprising innovative formats and film-based content to form part of the comedy genre, were produced in house. These include Idhu Eppadi Iruku (a standup comedy), Kadavul Padhi Mirugam Padhi, Vandu (Devil), Lollu Sabha (a film-based satire) and Cinema Karam Kappi (a weekly roundup featuring everything that you will find in theatres and the scoop on up coming films).

The agenda for the next four months is to launch shows in prime time and the afternoon band. The big one: a game show exclusively for woman titled Vasool Rani in the afternoon band (Mon-Thu 12.00-12.30 pm). "Our focus is to do the scheduling in such a way so that we do not take Sun TV head on. The game show involves high risks, high gains and the winner can gratify herself and keep the prizes or gratify her greed by giving up her stakes and participate further to win the mega prize," says Rohatgi.

Acquisition of Tamil movies is not something Vijay TV will be aggressive on. The focus, says Rohatgi, will be on dailies before we decide to get into high investment mode on movies. "As a policy, we have decided to stay away from expensive acquisitions. The revenue realisation doesn‘t justify the investments. After the success of our dubbed movies, Sun, in fact, put a cap on the price they would be paying for acquiring the movies. That has brought about some sanity in the market," he adds.

While streamlining costs, Vijay TV has been making efforts to exploit revenue opportunities from new streams. The channel was made available in the United States on DirecTV along with group channels Star Plus, Star One and Star News on 2 November 2004. The TamilDirect residential package is $14.99 per month.

"Part of the turnaround story came on the back of growth in revenues. There are upsides across many revenue streams including content syndication. We also started beaming the channel in the US and will be looking at other territories," says Rohatgi.

For more focus on Vijay TV, an independent ad sales team was set up last year with K Sriram as the head. He reports to Star India ad sales head Kevin Vaz.

For Star India which bought out UTV‘s stake in Vijay TV last year, it is crucial to succeed in the Tamil market before it decides to march across the other southern language states. The accumulated losses of Vijay TV were as high as Rs 794 million till 31 March 2003. Bringing this down will take a longer period and will require more investments and revenue drivers.

Related Topics:Channel Harsh Rohatgi Hollywood Jaya TV Raj TV Regional Star Group Star India Sun Network Vijay TV

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Deepak CR joins BIG TV 24×7 as Chief Manager – Media Solutions

Published

1 month ago

February 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

Kerala: Deepak CR has switched channels and pace. The broadcast-industry hand has joined Big TV 24×7 as chief manager, media solutions, betting on sharper monetisation as regional television and digital video chase the next ad dollar.

The move caps a steady climb across ad sales, digital strategy and distribution. Deepak CR brings experience spanning OTT, product analytics and management, UX, web development and hosting, digital marketing, and television and digital ad sales, a toolkit built for a market where content is plentiful but revenue is fought for.

He arrives from Bharat Media & Entertainment Group, where as senior manager, business development he worked the ad market and client pipeline. Before that, at Reporter Broadcasting Company, he handled media solutions and ad sales, from client onboarding and pitch proposals to payment cycles and yield management, helping the channel hold share in a crowded territory.

The longest stint came at Flowers TV, nearly seven years in digital ad sales and time sales. There he chased new business, worked with agencies, built cross-platform media plans and ran display and video campaigns through Google Ad Manager. He also developed working knowledge of web hosting, SEO and digital marketing, increasingly useful as broadcasters blur into digital publishers.

Earlier, at WebMobi Network Solutions, he sold content delivery network services, managing client relationships and hunting fresh revenue in the streaming ecosystem.

The timing is telling. As broadcasters juggle linear TV, streaming and hybrid ad models, media solutions roles are becoming commercial nerve centres. Big TV 24×7 is signalling it wants a bigger slice of that pie.

New chair, same game. Find the clients, grow the yields and keep the ads flowing. In a market that never sits still, neither does Deepak CR.

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Brand house Bigg Boss Marathi Season 6 turns the spotlight on sponsors

Published

2 months ago

January 14, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: When the house fills up, so does the brand roster. Bigg Boss Marathi Season 6 has signed on nine leading sponsors, underlining the franchise’s pull as one of Maharashtra’s most influential entertainment properties across television and digital. The latest season once again positions the show as a magnet for brands looking to blend scale with cultural relevance in a market that rewards regional nuance.

The sponsor lineup is spread across multiple tiers. Danube Properties and Santoor Soap come on board as co-powered partners, while MYK Laticrete, Pitambari, P. N. Gadgil & Sons, Gemini Cooking Oil and Cotton King have joined as special partners. Society Tea and Tunwal E-Motors complete the lineup as associate sponsor.

For returning sponsors, the appeal lies in the show’s ability to deliver repeatable impact. Danube Properties, which previously partnered Bigg Boss 19, said the Marathi edition allows it to deepen engagement with regional audiences built on aspiration and trust. Santoor Soap echoed that view, pointing to strong recall and engagement from past integrations and highlighting the show’s value in reinforcing its progressive woman narrative within culturally rooted storytelling.

Other brands see the show as a platform that goes beyond visibility. MYK Laticrete described the association as a way to build trust through sustained presence, while Pitambari said the partnership coincides with the launch push for its Dishwash Gel, leveraging the show’s reach into everyday households. Jewellery major P. N. Gadgil & Sons returns for a second consecutive season, citing the programme’s cultural stature and the added appeal of host Riteish Deshmukh.

From kitchen staples to clothing and EVs, the diversity of categories reflects the show’s broad audience base. Gemini Cooking Oil called the partnership a natural alignment between two No.1 brands in Maharashtra, while Cotton King sees the association as a springboard to build recall and relevance. Society Tea continues its long-standing relationship with the franchise, and Tunwal E-Motors is using the platform to push its message of affordable electric mobility to mass audiences.

With Season 6 assembling a crowded sponsor house, Bigg Boss Marathi once again demonstrates why regional entertainment has become prime real estate for marketers. In a cluttered media landscape, the show’s mix of scale, loyalty and cultural currency continues to make it one of the safest bets on the brand board.

Danube Group founder & chairman Rizwan Sajan said, “After the overwhelming response to our association with Bigg Boss 19, we are delighted to extend our partnership to Bigg Boss Marathi. At Danube Properties, we believe in meeting our audience where they are, and this collaboration allows us to connect more deeply with regional audiences who share our values of aspiration, trust, and progress. This partnership reinforces our commitment to building meaningful relationships across cultures and communities.”

Wipro Santoor (Wipro Consumer Care) CMO Prasanna Rai said, “Santoor’s growth to become the largest soap brand in India, has been driven by deep consumer connections. High-impact regional programs like Bigg Boss Marathi allow us to build these bonds authentically with culturally rooted audiences in ways that broader national properties miss. Our integration last year delivered strong engagement and exceptional recall. We are excited to partner with Bigg Boss Marathi once again, continuing to weave Santoor’s progressive woman narrative into the show’s storytelling and further strengthening our presence in every Marathi household.”

MYK Laticrete president of sales & marketing Amarbir Palta said, “Bigg Boss Marathi offers a deeply regional and culturally rooted audience. Our partnership with this show goes beyond visibility, it’s about connecting with culture and building trust through sustained visibility. This association reinforces one clear promise: Any tile, any surface, MYK LATICRETE delivers unmatched excellence in tile adhesives.”

Pitambari Products Pvt. Ltd. DGM Priya Prabhudesai said, “We are proud to be associated with Bigg Boss Marathi, a platform that truly connects with millions of Indian homes. Through this association, we are launching Pitambari Dishwash Gel with the aim of reaching every household. With its unmatched reach and strong entertainment value, this collaboration allows us to engage with consumers in a fresh and impactful way.”

P. N. Gadgil & Sons Limited CFO & COO Aditya Modak said, “We are proud to associate with Bigg Boss Marathi Season 6 for the second consecutive year. The show commands a distinct cultural stature with a loyal following, and the presence of Riteish Deshmukh as host has further elevated its appeal and scale. This partnership enables us to engage meaningfully with a new generation of discerning audiences while reinforcing our legacy of trust across Maharashtra.”

Cargill Foods India senior director for GTM Retail Shailesh Khurana said, “Gemini has always been the first choice of Maharashtra’s kitchens. Partnering with Bigg Boss Marathi, the state’s most loved show, is a natural fit when two No.1 brands come together, it creates a winning story for millions of households.”

Cotton King Pvt. Ltd. managing director Koushik Marathe said, “Cotton King is proud to associate with Bigg Boss Marathi for the first time. The show offers a powerful platform to connect with millions of viewers and strengthen brand recall. We’re excited to drive visibility, relevance, and deeper consumer affinity through this partnership.”

Society Tea senior marketing manager Chandrashekhar Bhosle said, “Our association with Bigg Boss Marathi has been a strong and rewarding journey. With the show’s growing scale and engagement, we are confident Season 6 will deliver an even bigger impact for Society Tea.”

Tunwal E-Motors chairman and managing director Jhumarmal Tunwal said, “Tunwal E Motors Limited has always been committed to making sustainable and affordable electric mobility accessible to the masses. This association reflects our vision of driving Bharat towards a cleaner, smarter future by bringing reliable EV solutions closer to consumers across the country.”

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Celebrating World Hindi Day: Guess which country besides India officially speaks Hindi?

Published

2 months ago

January 10, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Every January 10, millions of Hindi speakers pause to celebrate a language that is far older than its official tags and far wider in reach than its South Asian origins might suggest. World Hindi Day honours the cultural legacy and expanding global presence of Hindi, a language that connects people across continents and generations.

The idea for World Hindi Day was born more than four decades ago at the first World Hindi Conference, held on January 10, 1975, in Nagpur, Maharashtra, with delegates from around 30 countries gathering to promote Hindi beyond India’s borders. Two decades later, in 2006, the Indian government formalised the observance, giving the language its own annual moment on the global calendar.

A language without borders
Hindi’s reach today is remarkable. Spoken by hundreds of millions, it ranks among the most spoken languages globally, trailing only behind Mandarin Chinese and English in sheer number of speakers. Estimates suggest that roughly 600 million people use Hindi in some form, whether as a first or additional language.

While India remains the heartland of Hindi, its influence stretches far beyond. Fiji stands out as a singular testament to the language’s overseas journey: in 1997, Hindi was enshrined as one of the island nation’s official languages, recognising the linguistic heritage of its Indo-Fijian community, whose ancestors carried Hindi dialects with them more than a century ago.

Across South Asia and beyond, Hindi resonates in everyday life. In Nepal, it is widely understood and spoken, especially in border regions; in countries such as Mauritius, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname and Guyana, it lives on through generations of diaspora communities, where Indian traditions remain woven into the cultural fabric. In the United States, the UK and Singapore, Hindi classrooms and community hubs reflect a growing appetite among younger generations to engage with the language of their forebears.

Roots in history, wings in culture
Back home, Hindi’s story predates modern nationhood. As a descendant of Sanskrit and a mosaic of dialects such as Awadhi, Bhojpuri and Khariboli, the language evolved and spread over centuries, absorbing influences and adapting to local cultures. Its script, Devanagari, is recognised for its phonetic clarity and literary heritage.

In India, Hindi was adopted as an official language under Article 343 of the Constitution in 1950, written in Devanagari, and today it serves as a major medium of communication, administration and education across much of northern and central India.

World Hindi Day celebrates these roots and the vast cultural landscape built upon them. It is marked by seminars, workshops, poetry recitals, youth contests and academic exchanges not only in India but in embassies, universities and cultural centres worldwide. The aim is simple but ambitious, to honour Hindi’s heritage while encouraging its use as a vehicle of global communication and intercultural dialogue.

A language in the digital age
Hindi’s rise has not been confined to temples, lecture halls and diasporic festivals. In the digital age, Hindi content has exploded across the internet, from social media to video platforms, blogs to online publications. Hindi is now one of the most visible languages on the web, with millions of users creating and consuming content daily.

This digital presence reinforces Hindi’s living nature, it is not a museum piece but a language that continues to grow and adapt. Whether in informal chat, academic discourse, cinema, television or social media, Hindi remains vibrant, expressive and deeply connected to the lives of its speakers.

More than words
World Hindi Day is not merely an ode to vocabulary or grammar. It is a celebration of identity, memory and community. For many, Hindi is a bridge between past and present, home and diaspora, tradition and innovation.

Across classrooms in India and cultural forums abroad, the message is the same: Hindi is not just a language of heritage, it is a dynamic force in contemporary culture and global conversation.

Hindi in popular culture and entertainment
Hindi’s influence extends far beyond classrooms and diaspora communities; it thrives in everyday entertainment and global pop culture. Daily soaps on Indian television have played a major role in spreading the language, not just in India but across the world. Many popular serials are dubbed into local languages or subtitled to reach international audiences, airing in countries such as Nepal, Mauritius, the UAE, the UK, the USA, and parts of Africa and Southeast Asia. Diaspora communities often tune in to these shows to stay connected with Indian culture, while local audiences are drawn to the stories, music, and traditions portrayed. These soaps bring Hindi into homes daily, reinforcing vocabulary, idioms, and cultural references, while shaping social conversations and entertainment habits. From family dramas to mythological epics, Hindi television has become a vibrant vehicle for both cultural preservation and global reach.

The language has also captured the attention of global celebrities and influencers. Stars like Nick Jonas have been spotted jamming to Hindi tracks, while other international musicians and social media personalities incorporate Hindi music into performances and content. This crossover into mainstream global entertainment highlights Hindi’s appeal as a vibrant, expressive language that resonates across cultures, making it not just a language of heritage, but a dynamic force in contemporary global culture.

On January 10 each year, as events unfold from Nagpur to Nairobi, from Suva to San Francisco, that force is recognised and celebrated. Hindi’s journey from village speech to global stage continues, nuanced, powerful and unmistakably human.

In nations such as Mauritius, Hindi enjoys cultural significance and is commonly spoken, but it is not listed as a constitutional language. Similarly, in Nepal, Hindi is widely understood and used, yet Nepali remains the official language. In Suriname, the Indian-origin community predominantly speaks Sarnami Hindustani, a variant of Hindi. Other countries, including Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, the UAE, the USA and the UK, also have sizable Hindi-speaking populations, and in some cases, Hindi is recognized in limited contexts, such as court proceedings in Abu Dhabi, but it does not hold national official status.