Zee TV revamps programming with three new shows

Zee TV plans to add more spice to its existing programming lineup by launching three more new shows in early January 2009. These are in addition to the shows the channel launched earlier this month, Shree and Chhoti Bahu.

The new shows are Maa (a regular soap about a mother separated from her children), Monica Mogre (a thriller) and Dance India Dance (a reality show).

Speaking to afaqs!, Tarun Mehra, business head, Zee TV, says, “The new serials belong to different genres. Monica Mogre is a thriller in which a lady cop hunts down a serial killer who is targeting working women. The role of the killer is played by (actor-director) Mahesh Manjrekar. Dance India Dance is a reality show with a format similar to Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. Maa is a regular daily soap, which depicts a mother’s fight to get back her kids who have been separated from her due to circumstances.”

It is interesting to note that the new shows, such as Ranbir Rano, Chhoti Bahu and Shree, have been put together to support and reflect Zee's recent makeover when it adopted its new tagline, 'Har Pal Banaye Ek Naya Rishta'.

How difficult was it to replace the well-established, long-running shows on the channel? Mehra reasons, “Today, the average lifespan of daily soaps has been shortened. Any new show is expected to enjoy a healthy run of one-two years at the most. The audience is ready to experiment and the receptiveness of viewers to sample new fare is at an all-time high.”

Mehra emphasises that Zee’s efforts have been geared towards offering varied and diverse content and this is reflected in the new shows in different genres.