Sony finds new hope in 'Nandini'

Sony Entertainment Television is launching a new fiction show on October 7 titled 'Desh Ki Beti Nandini' at the 9 pm slot.

Sony has brought on board Vaseline as the presenting sponsor for 'Desh Ki beti Nandini'.

Sneha Rajani, senior EVP and business head, Sony, says, "Sony always stands for differentiated content. When I first heard the concept of the show I felt this is a powerful thought and the one that has not been explored on television yet. Nandini will be very aspirational."

Rashmi Sharma, producer, Rashmi Sharma Telefilms, adds, "Nandini will make every woman realise the managerial skills that they possess and inspire them. She will make everyone realise that a woman who can manage her family and her relationships so well even in adverse conditions, can also manage the society and the nation efficiently as these are the qualities required in the leader of a nation."

The half-an-hour show will compete against Bigg Boss 7 (Colors), leading fiction shows in the Hindi GEC space such as Diya Aur Baati Hum (Star Plus) and Pavitra Rishta (Zee TV), Do Dil...Ek Jaan (Life OK) and Chidiya Ghar (SAB TV).

This is Sony's fourth show launch in the past two months, after Jee Le Zara, Kaun Banega Crorepati 7 and Sanjeev Kapoor Ke Kitchen Khiladi. As per TAM data (HSM, C&S, 4+) provided by a subscriber, while KBC fetched around 6134 TVTs in Week 38, Jee Le Zara could only manage to register 1339 TVTs in the week ended September 21.

Nandini will replace Sony's fiction property, 'Chhanchhan', which wrapped up in six months because of poor performance. The show was launched on March 25 and went off air last week. Since then, the channel is airing two of its shows, Amita Ka Amit (8.30-9.15 pm) and Jee Le Zara (9.15 -10 pm) for 45 minutes.

While there are shows on Sony like CID, Crime Patrol, Adaalat and Bade Achche Lagte Hain that have been aired for more than a year now, there have been many shows on the channel that didn't even complete a year. Shows like Baat Humari Pakki Hai (May 2010-February 2011), Love Marriage Ya Arranged Marriage (August 2012-January 2013), Shubh Vivaah (February 2012-June 2012), Byaah Hamari Bahoo Ka (May 2012-Novemeber 2012) and Dekha Ek Khwab (November 2011-August 2012) were taken off air within a few months of launch.

Meanwhile, the channel also plans to launch its home-grown dancing reality show, Boogie Woogie, and 'Bhoot Aya', a show based on paranormal activities, in October. The show will be similar to Fear Files (Zee TV) as the stories are based on real life incidents.

For the record, TVT is television viewership in 1000s (TVR in 1000). It is the average number of individuals in '000s that are available at any given minute of a programme/day part that is under consideration. It captures growth in TV audiences in the country in absolute numbers. The TVR system, in contrast, works on percentages.