ZEE aims to pull in viewers with new formats, TV stars

ZEE has gone all out to promote its new show 'Time Bomb 9/11'. The show, which debuts today, is being hyped up through network promos, hoardings, and roadshows.

In short, ZEE is leaving no stone unturned to push the one-hour programme, which is a weekly psycho-socio, political thriller about a day in the lives of a few people.

Action, adventure, drama, international terrorism are hallmarks of the show, which has telly stars Rajeev Khandelwal (who played Sujal in the STAR Plus show 'Kahin To Hoga') and Akashdeep Saigal (Ansh from 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi') in the lead roles.

Clearly, the premature death of the male-centric, light-hearted show 'Kabhi Haa Kabhi Naa' in the 10 pm slot has not deterred the channel from launching another male-skewed show in the same band.

Another show 'Sarrkkhar', which was launched in the 8.30 pm slot about a month ago, also has a strong cast including brothers and television personalities Ronit and Rohit Roy, Divya Seth and Mouli Ganguly (best remembered as Shaina from the erstwhile daily 'Kahin Kissi Roz' on STAR Plus).

The Gurdeep Kohli-starrer 'Sindoor Tere Naam Ka' has been on in the 7.30 pm slot for the last few months, while 'Paalki', which features Karishma Tanna (popular for her portrayal of the dimwit, but fun-loving Indu in 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi') in the main role, was launched recently in the 1.30 pm slot, with a repeat at 7.00 pm on weekdays.

Big TV stars are apparent hot properties on ZEE these days. Ashvini Yardi, head of programming at the channel, however, chooses to downplay the trend. “We’ve also launched unknown faces such as Kulraj Kaur in 'Kareena Kareena' and Chavvi Mittal in 'Tumhari Disha'. We have a mix of popular and new faces on the channel,” she says.

Besides Time Bomb 9/11, which is the first of a series of weeklies to be launched in the 10 pm slot on weekdays, ZEE has also lined up 'Kashish' in the 11 pm slot from today. The show is a daily, featuring Simone Singh, Ayub Khan and Kitu Gidwani. Directed by Ravi Rai, best remembered for shows such as 'Sailaab' (ZEE) and 'Thoda Hai Thode Ki Zaroorat Hai' (Sony), Kashish is an “intense drama” revolving around three people.

Besides these, ZEE has a few other aces up its sleeve for the coming months. This includes the relaunch of 'Hum Paanch', the popular comedy serial that debuted on the channel in the '90s, and an Aruna Irani production 'Rabba Ishq Na Hove' in the 10 pm slot on Tuesdays.

The fate of the reality show 'Business Baazigar' is unclear at the moment, though Yardi reiterates that the reality genre is very much on the channel’s programming agenda.

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