Adgully Exclusive | With "Punar Vivah' Zee to emerge with progressive concepts: Zee's Sukesh Motwani

After the launch of shows like Afsar Bitiya & Hitler Didi, Zee is now back with another and bolder concept with "Punar Vivah' which is a mature, progressive show that sensitively captures the journey of a man and a woman, who having faced a debacle in their first attempts at marriage, are brave enough to give life a second chance. . The show delves into the dynamics of re-marriage, showcasing the trials and tribulations that are a part of re-adjusting to a second life partner.

On this occasion, Adgully caught up with Sukesh Motwani, Head- Fiction Programming, Zee TV, who shared insights about how Zee is working on the new concepts and what made them to come up with bolder ideas.

Motwani explained, "In keeping with Zee TV's recently launched brand positioning of Umeed Se Saje Zindagi, we are proud to present the new shows that resonate well with the spirit of enduring hope."

He further added, "We at Zee are trying to work more with fresh and new concepts, as for this show, our idea was to go beyond the normal marriage issues as this story is far different from what people actually assume. We thought to come up with something new on marriage and then Shashi Mittal came up with this idea of "Punar Vivah'. Our new shows, Hitler Didi, Afsar Bitiya and others are not just limited to the entertainment but also have a social message with it."

Motwani, explained us the need of such fresh and new concepts, he explained, "I don't think so there are much stories on these ideas and concepts. What we have done is something unique in terms of themes, subject and type of storytelling. As the year passes, approach has been changed amongst audiences. Audience wants to see new things and at the same time something which they can watch together with their family. So when we are saying that, we at Zee are now experimenting with bolder topics is not something which will be related to obscenity and something which our viewer not going to like. At the same time it depends upon us how we are showing it."

As Zee is coming up with new approach and concepts, we asked Motwani, wasn't this a risky business? Sukesh Motwani replied, "It's risky for everyone from writers to producers. The channel launched a couple of fiction shows, with our shows like Hitler Didi and Afsar Bitiya we are getting nice rating and with Afsar Bitya in 4 weeks from when it started, the show got 1.7 rating. A risk is involved but we want to give something new to our viewers as we think they are ready for the change. We had reworked the characters in Pavitra Rishta and viewers appreciated that, and our other fiction shows like Choti Bahu, Mrs. Kaushik ki 5 Bahuyein, Ram Milaye Jodi are doing well. Where the non 'fiction shows are concerned, we have done loads of experiments with DID3, for promoting it the channel recently organised a flash mob with the idea to promote the concept of "dance' among viewers."

As Zee TV is completing 20 years this year, we asked Sukesh Motwani to share with us some insights of further strategies that Zee is trying to work on, he said, "In terms of fiction and non-fiction we are looking out to experiment, as viewers are ready to see the change. So, this year it would be a good year as we would be working out with these core things. Content will play a major role and as a part of the strategy. We can say that with this viewer will get to see something new, in terms of visual, depiction of characters and their identity issues; it would be a new approach. As, in Hitler Didi, we are showing a girl who is struggling alone, taking care of herself and her family and in Afsar Bitiya, we can see a middle class girl who is working hard to be an IAS. It's all new then how actresses used to be depicted. As in Saas 'Bahu or joint family shows. Here the actor can be a model, but can be showed in grey image too.

"As there are channels like Colors, Sab TV and Sony running their top shows around the same time slot, we are taking care of our 10.30 timeline. Our other shows are doing pretty well and it's a challenge for us to sustain our position," Motwani elaborated.

Zee's marketing strategies would include mix of outdoor, print and electronic media.