Imagine to launch two new prime time shows

Rustic sets, earthy language and small towns or big celebrities, glamour and international formats, all seem to have landed on the prime time slot in almost every General Entertainment Channel (GEC). While some of the channels promote some shows as shows with social issues giving out some message to their viewers, others are shows crediting talent, the prime time television seems full of fiction stories for a cause or rather displaying various range of talents or focusing on a talent per se.

Some of the leading GEC's are all offering almost similar looking platter for the audience at dinner time. While Zee TV is banking on shows like 12/24 Karol Bagh, Pavitra Rishta and Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo, all shows ranging from topics like middle class family's issues, marital problems and problems faced by smaller farmers and their families. On the other hand, Star Plus is still riding high on the TRPs because of its show Bidaai, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hain and Mann Kee Awaaz- Pratigya, these shows have an underlying social cause as a theme or have tried to intertwine social issues in some of the episodes. However, the longest list of shows based on social issues as theme still seems to be the channel that started it all- Colors, some of the popular shows on the channel are Balika Vadhu, Laado, Uttarn and Bairi Piya, all based on issues and orthodox customs in the society.

The GECs though had got into a trend of adopting storyline thematic to issues relating to women, the trend slowly broke into a broader path of banking on many more social issues. However, as the fatigue factor seems to be setting in, and with not much of a variation being offered to the viewers. The trend has to break someday and the first one to do so from amongst its contemporaries seems to be Imagine. And the man behind this breakaway is none other than Saurabh Tewari, Head of Programming, Imagine.

Starting September 20th, led by Tewari, Imagine plans to launch two shows on its prime time slots and looks forward from the regular prime time drama.

We spoke to the man of the hour, and got him talking about the new shows.

At 9.00pm the channel will be telecasting a show called Gunahon Ka Devta , the show is a love story about a leader of goons, though a tough criminal, the protagonist will also be a human being who is looked upon and respected for his sense of honour and humanity. The show which will based in a crime infested town in eastern UP, will try to convey a rare love story between a soft-hearted criminal and a girl who dreams of falling in love with the "bad guy".

While at 9.30 pm, the channel will be launching a real life person playing herself as the protagonist of the show - Baba Aiso Varr Dhoondo. This show is based on a story about a good natured girl with a lot of talent, however she faces rejection because of the way she looks. Tewari feels that the viewers will be able to relate more to the character as the protagonist is playing herself in the serial, and because reel is real this time.

It's should not be forgotten that Tewari was one of the early programming teams at Colors. Before moving to Imagine Tewari had a big role to play as Vice President and Creative Director at Colors, in building an audience platform for the shows that Colors telecast.

As the time goes by, it will be interesting to see, how Imagine will be able to break away from the patent programming structures and themes that rule the prime time slots on GECs now. While the channel is all set to telecast the show, the audience has to just wait and watch if what is served on the platter at dinner time can satisfy the "taste buds" of the viewers. | By Prabha Hegde [prabha(at)adgully.com]